Tuesday Racing Tips: Botanical can bloom at Royal Ascot

There are five meetings taking place across the UK on Tuesday but only one that people will be talking about. Royal Ascot gets underway and day one is arguably the best day of the meeting.

First off is Stratford, which is swiftly followed by Catterick and Ascot, before two evening fixtures at Beverley and Brighton. We’ve picked out our three strongest fancies on day one at Ascot and they include one for Roger Varian that is crying out for the step up in grade.

5.40 Ascot - Botanical @ 9/2 

The Listed Wolferton Stakes would probably get a higher billing if it was on a different day and it looks like a fascinating renewal this year. Roger Varian’s BOTANICAL is hugely progressive and remains very lightly raced.

It was a dominant display at York when last seen and he made what appeared to be a competitive race look anything but. The son of Lope De Vega was plenty keen enough in the early stages of the race but that made little difference in the end.

He took the lead with two furlongs to go and was in complete control from then on, going on to score by three lengths despite being eased down. Whilst the form is a bit of a mixed bag, the fifth has come out and won since.

This horse is clearly going places and the step up in grade looks fully justified on the evidence of that effort. With just six starts to his name thus far, it’s likely that there’s loads of improvement still to come and he could be a class above here.

3.05 Ascot - Cowardofthecounty @ 9/2 

A Group 2 race for two-year-olds, the Coventry Stakes has produced plenty of classy horses over the years. 2024’s renewal should be no different and Joseph O’Brien’s COWARDOFTHECOUNTY made a huge impression on debut.

His performance wasn’t the only hugely impressive thing as the son of Kodi Bear is massive for a juvenile. O’Brien’s colt is an impressive specimen that could be much further ahead in his physical development than most of his rivals.

The aforementioned debut victory appears to be the best piece of juvenile form on offer in Ireland and the Irish are likely to have the upper hand in this race. It was a cracking performance at the Curragh and he was very strong at the finish.

Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket was well beaten back in second and he bolted up in a Listed 5f contest on his next start. Now favourite for the Norfolk Stakes later on in the week, that horse had no answer to Cowardofthecounty’s finishing effort.

Joseph O’Brien hasn’t run him since and is probably justified in doing so. It’ll be a surprise if there are many runners that will be as strong in the final furlong as this colt, which should give him every chance of coming out on top.

4.25 Ascot - Henry Longfellow @ 4/1 

HENRY LONGFELLOW was arguably the best of these as a juvenile last term and was unbeaten in three starts. He stretched easily clear to win the Group 2 Futurity Stakes on his second start.

Stablemate City Of Troy missed the National Stakes and this colt proved a more than able deputy, announcing himself as a serious prospect with a five-length victory. That form has worked out very well since and he’s a serious candidate here.

Aidan O’Brien’s runners have needed their first runs really badly and it would be unfair to assess his ability on the evidence of his eighth in the French Guineas. This impeccably bred son of Dubawi and Minding is much better than that and we’re likely to see his true potential this time around.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights