Royal Ascot Day 2 Tips: 28/1 shot among Wednesday’s selections

The Royal Meeting continues on Wednesday with another highly-competitive card running from 14:30-18:15.

My Royal Ascot Day 2 tips again features a selection for every race - including a 28/1 shot in the big handicap.

14:30 - Truly Enchanting @ 6/1

Wednesday's card looks tricky, starting with the Queen Mary which sees 26 juvenile fillies bid for Group 2 honours over the minimum trip.

Aidan O'Brien saddles just one - a tip in itself perhaps - in TRULY ENCHANTING, who gets a tentative vote.

The daughter of No Nay Never made her debut at Tipperary late last month and fairly bolted up, putting over three lengths between herself and five rivals. That didn't look the hottest race of all time, but she won extremely comfortably and we're aware of how much these Ballydoyle two-year-olds tend to improve for their first outing.

Quicker ground (it was soft at Tipperary the last day) should be absolutely fine and I expect the stiff five Ascot provides to really suit, so she's my pick for the opener.

15:05 - Highbury @ 3/1

It's another O'Brien runner, HIGHBURY, for me in the next - the Queen's Vase.

Unlike the previous race, the Irish maestro saddles four in this Group 2 over 1m6f and my selection is actually the lowest-rated (98) of them all. However, he appears the second-string on jockey bookings, with Wayne Lordan in the saddle.

The son of Galileo showed a serious amount of improvement between the first and second run of his career. He was third, almost three lengths behind the re-opposing Birdman who has since claimed Listed honours, in a maiden at Cork in late April before bolting up at Leopardstown last month.

The horse who split the selection and Birdman at Cork, Himalayan Heights, went from finishing half a length ahead of O'Brien's colt to trailing a whopping seven-and-a-half the last day, so it's fair to suggest Highbury improved leaps and bounds.

I see no reason why he can't come forward again, especially over a longer trip, and although Ryan Moore choosing Illinois is a vote of confidence for the latter he's hardly bombproof having only won one of his last three starts, albeit in stronger company than this.

15:45 - Ocean Jewel e/w @ 7/1

For me, the Duke Of Cambridge - a Group 2 for fillies and mares - is easily the toughest non-handicap on Day 2.

After much deliberation, I have landed on Willie McCreery's OCEAN JEWEL each-way.

The Royal Ascot Odds for this mile-long contest suggests the four-year-old will struggle to confirm form with Rogue Millennium on their meeting at The Curragh last month.

It's of course possible the placings could flip, as there was only a couple of lengths between them and the selection is now carrying a 3lb penalty, but by my reckoning the Sioux Nation filly doesn't deserve to be twice the price.

She was comfortably ahead at the line the last day and there ought to be improvement to come for the run and as she finds her feet over this relatively new trip.

This is an Extra Place Race, so Betfred are paying 4 places instead of 3 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

16:25 - Auguste Rodin @ 7/4

I really tried to get AUGUSTE RODIN beat in the Prince Of Wales's, as he's prone to a no-show or two, but I think he has extremely strong claims.

O'Brien's four-year-old son of Deep Impact, who won the Betfred Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf last year, warmed up for this with a solid second in the Tatterstalls Gold Cup at The Curragh a few weeks back and all the talk from team Ballydoyle is that he's all the better for it.

Meanwhile, his main rivals have some big questions to answer. Inspiral needs to bounce back from a very lacklustre run the last day, while French raider Horizon Dore needs to not only improve a bit but also prove his ability on this quicker ground. Alflaila is talented but this is his comeback run after 284 days off the track, while I find the others difficult to advise.

If the real Auguste Rodin shows up - and I fancy he will - I expect him to record another Group 1 success. He's the NAP.

Betfred are offering your stake back as a free bet (up to £10) if your selection in the 16:25 finishes 2nd.

17:05 - Ropey Guest e/w @ 28/1

Now for the toughest assignment of the afternoon and possibly the whole week - finding the winner of the Royal Hunt Cup.

Thirty go to post for the heritage handicap over the straight mile and it's currently 9/1 against the field, which says everything about the race's competitiveness.

I couldn't put anyone off Beshtani, but I am drawn to ROPEY GUEST at a much bigger price.

George Margarson's seven-year-old is a dab hand at these big-field handicaps and he ended last season in top form, climbing to a career-high mark of 101.

He returned this term with a very respectable effort at Ascot over a furlong shorter than Wednesday's trip, finishing just two lengths off the winner in fifth (out of 21).

With that run under his belt back over a mile, which I believe to be his best trip, he looks an excellent each-way proposition at present.

This is an Extra Place Race, so Betfred are paying 6 places instead of 4 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

17:40 - Rowayeh e/w @ 16/1

The penultimate contest on Day 2 is the Kensington Palace - another big-field handicap, this time for 0-105-rated fillies aged four and above.

It's Owen Burrows' Dubawi filly ROWAYEH that gets the nod.

She's always promised more than she's delivered, but after a fairly promising reappearance in a competitive handicap at Newmarket on 2000 Guineas day last month, I'm prepared to give her one more chance.

She broke slowly and immediately ducked left at the start that afternoon, all but ruining her chances of winning right away. However, I thought she travelled strongly into the race and just ran out of steam late on, which is always understandable after a lengthy lay-off.

Feeling the benefits of that run, she has a fair chance to finally show the best of her ability on Wednesday.

This is an Extra Place Race, so Betfred are paying 6 places instead of 4 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

18:15 - Celtic Chieftain @ 9/2

The finale on the second day of Royal Ascot is the Windsor Castle - a Listed event for juveniles over the minimum trip.

This is also a bit of a lottery, with very little form to go on, so modest stakes are advised on CELTIC CHIEFTAIN.

The No Nay Never colt is, just like my pick in the Queen's Vase, not Ballydoyle's big hope going by jockey bookings, with Moore on Treasure Isle's back, but if ever these decisions are to be taken with a pinch of salt it's when dealing with these extremely lightly-raced two-year-olds.

I thought the selection was excellent at Navan on his debut just 11 days ago, beating the fitter, more experienced Red Evolution - and 14 other rivals - who looks a nice type in his own right.

There should be a lot of improvement to come both physically and mentally, which should see him at least competitive here.

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