Three bets for Ascot’s big card tomorrow

Both favourites in the two major races at Ascot tomorrow are going to take a lot of beating if running up to their best form. At the odds on offer, however, neither makes any appeal as a good bet but it is no easy task finding a horse to beat them.

The French raider Calandagan will try to win the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (3.35 p.m.) for a second successive year. He needed to be both talented and courageous to wear down the Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana in this race 12 months ago and he will be in his element on the fast ground tomorrow.

However, odds of no bigger than 13-8 look skinny enough given the quality of the opposition in this nine-runner Grade 1 contest over a mile and a half. Kalpana reopposes again tomorrow and this year’s race is unquestionably tougher to win than last year’s running.

Odds of no bigger than 13-8 look skinny enough given the quality of the opposition in this contest

Jockey Ryan Moore has opted to ride Benvenuto Cellini rather than take the mount on one of trainer Aidan O’Brien’s other three runners, while the Japanese-trained raider Masquerade Ball will also have his supporters given his lofty international rating.

My preference, however, is for another Aidan O’Brien runner MINNIE HAUK, who finished second, beaten all of four lengths, to Ombudsman in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. This four-year-old filly won three Group 1 contests last season before finishing second to Daryz in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

That’s all rock-solid form and Wayne Lordan, who knows how to win on one of Moore’s rejected mounts, takes the ride. The filly will definitely be suited going back up to a mile and a half, too.

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Like Kalpana, Minnie Hauk would prefer more cut in the ground but she can handle a quicker surface well enough so back her 1 point each way at 13-2 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both paying three places.

In the Moet & Chandon International Handicap (2.55 p.m.), the William Haggas-trained Extremely Zain is no bigger than 2-1 with bookmakers to land this 17-runner contest over Ascot’s straight seven furlongs.

That’s because this three-year-old colt is unbeaten in three starts and connections have made it clear they think he is a Group horse in the making – indeed they almost supplemented him for Tuesday’s Group 2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

My tip, however, is AMAZING JOURNEY, trained at Lambourn by former top jump jockey Jamie Osborne and ridden by his in-form daughter, Saffie. Both Osbornes love little better than a winner at Ascot and this three-year-old gelding comes here on the back of a course win.

In fact, he is 5 lbs ‘well in’ for that comfortable victory given his new official rating is 95, yet even under a 3 lb penalty, he can run here off a mark of just 90. Neither the extra furlong nor a draw in stall 4 may be ideal but back Amazing Journey 1 point each way at 15-2 with William Hill, Sky Bet or Paddy Power, all offering five places.

Finally, at Ascot, I want to back MASTERINTHEWOODS in the 15-runner Ascot Shop Handicap (4.10 p.m.) over a mile and half. Trainer Emma Lavelle said at the start of this season that her grey gelding was stronger and better at four than he had been at three and a win and a second from his last two starts proves that she was right.

Still only rated at 79 and with in-form Marco Ghiani in the saddle, Masterinthewoods should be backed 1 point each way at 6-1 with bet365, paying four places.

Glorious Goodwood gets underway on Tuesday with some quite splendid racing lined up on the Sussex Downs for five days. I will be back a week today to preview the last two days of the meeting.

Pending:

1 point each way Amazing Journey at 15-2 for the Moet & Chandon International, paying 1/5^th odds, 5 places.

1 point each way Minnie Hauk at 13-2 for the King George, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Masterinthewoods at 6-1 for the Ascot Shop Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.

1 point each way Cerulean Bay at 16-1 for the Golden Mile, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.

1 point each way Scoville at 20-1 for the Golden Mile, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.

1 point each way Coedana at 66-1 for the Yorkshire Oaks, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Daiquiri Bay at 16-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.

Last weekend: no settled bets.

2026 flat season running total: + 8.025 points.

2025-26 jumps season: – 57.785 points on all tips.

2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.