The Royal Ascot Festival is back for another year and Wesley Ward is the top American trainer in action.
Royal Ascot doesn’t have huge stakes up for grabs but it’s all about prestige. It’s a destination for many trainers around the world, including Chris Waller from Australasia.
Ward always takes a top team to England in the hopes to win. Horse racing odds are available for every race throughout the week Royal Ascot.
Queen Mary Stakes
Ward lines up Queen Mary Stakes favorite Love Reigns, who won at Keeneland on debut by a big margin.
The 2-year-old filly by US Navy Flag scored by 9¾ lengths in a dominant display and we’re not surprised by the horse racing picks available.
“She ran a big race there, I don’t know what will materialise out of that race, but she ran a fast time,” Ward told SkySports.
She is the +275 favorite to beat the field of 21, which is never easy to win. They run the 5-furlong race down the straight, which is unusual for an American-based thoroughbred.
They can often come unstuck racing down the straight, but Ward has excellent success with his age-group runners at Royal Ascot, so bettors should be confident.
Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the ride and she draws barrier five, so she should get a nice run in transit and look to outgun them from the outset. We expect bettors to catch on to her talent and the +275 could firm to around +200 with the sportsbook.
Windsor Castle Stakes
Another runner for Ward is Seismic Spirit, who looks to cause an earthquake in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
The 2-year-old colt is another speedy age-group sprinter for Ward, but there isn’t much betting support coming his way. He’s currently a +1200 chance to win the Day Two sprint after finishing second at Churchill Downs on debut.
“My guy is a real chubby dude, so that race is really going to do him a lot of good. I’d have preferred him having come away a little slower but he didn’t and he made all but the last jump,” Ward said.
He finished a nose behind Cadillac Candy, which isn’t Royal Ascot form, but Ward is taking the risk in what is always an open betting contest.
Little Big Bear is the current +225 favorite after winning last start. Prior to that he finished second behind Tough Talk, so that’s an excellent form guide and betting online markets have him at correct odds.
Platinum Jubilee Stakes
One of the feature sprint races at Royal Ascot is the Platinum Jubilee Stakes and Ward looks to win with Campanelle for the third consecutive year.
The classy 4-year-old filly won the Queen Mary Stakes as a 2-year-old before winning the Commonwealth Stakes by disqualification. Winning in three consecutive years is tough to do at the Royal Ascot Festival, but she’s a tough type.
She won her season debut at Keeneland by 2½ lengths and she has been kept safe for her European sojourn.
“Irad rode her very confidently,” Ward said. “I told him that she likes the outside, so he kind of broke and had a hold of her from the first jump and just kind of worked his way out. He let her go and off she went. It was a big race.”
We wouldn’t leave Campanelle out of selections for the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.
