Royal Ascot Thursday Tips: Owen marks your card for Day 3

It's fair to say I could be enjoying this Royal Ascot a lot more. The racing's been great, of course, but my only winner in two days has been Field Of Gold at short odds, and I've felt hard done by with one or two selections.

Hopefully we start getting the rub of the green on Day 3. Here's my Royal Ascot Thursday tips.

14:30 - Charles Darwin @ 8/11

I've spent the last couple of days advising against short-priced favourites in the juvenile races at Royal Ascot, only to tip up CHARLES DAWIN in the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday.

Aidan O'Brien's No Nay Never colt is odds-on with 15 rivals to beat in this Group 2 over five furlongs, but I'm struggling to see who beats him.

The full-brother to Prix Morny and Middle Park hero Blackbeard has impressed since a losing debut at the Curragh back in April, bolting up at Navan and Naas in the style of a very good horse.

His last-time-out victory over Cardiff By The Sea was franked when that filly finished fourth in the Queen Mary here on Wednesday.

The vibes coming out of Ballydoyle - who have saddled the Coventry and Queen Mary winners already this week - are very strong about his chances in Thursday's opener. I can see him repeating what he's done the last twice and bouncing out of stall 15 to make all.

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15:05 - Gunship @ 13/2

Just over half an hour later is the King George V Stakes - a 0-105 handicap over 1m4f featuring 19 runners.

Cases can be made for a fair few of these, but it's James Ferguson's GUNSHIP whose claims I find most convincing.

The Qatar Racing-owned three-year-old, by Sea The Stars and a half-brother to 2019 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain, beat the reopposing Merchant (10/3) on debut at Newcastle late last year, before returning months later with a couple of solid efforts in defeat at Southwell and Sandown.

In Surrey, on his handicap debut off an opening mark of 82, the selection was a major eye-catcher, coming from a long way back to get up for third, just half a length adrift of the runner-up and a further length-and-three-quarters behind the winner (Sing Us A Song, who also reopposes).

Last time out he lined up in a higher grade at Newcastle, off a pound higher, and was too good for progressive rivals Cristo, winner of his previous two starts, and War Hawk, rated 12lbs higher today after subsequent successes at Chester and Epsom.

That suggests Gunship remains well-handicapped off his revised rating of 89 and he ought to go very well under the in-form Oisin Murphy.

15:40 - Catalina Delcarpio @ 10/3

Eleven fillies go to post for the Ribblesdale Stakes and it's CATALINA DELCARPIO I fancy to claim the Group 2 prize.

The three-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega was so impressive on the eye on debut at Leopardstown in April, displaying a devastating turn of foot to beat the likes of Tswalu (rated 84) and Butterfly Wings (90) by over four lengths.

Just over a fortnight later, Paddy Twomey's 400k guineas purchase was tried in the G3 Salsabil Stakes at Navan, finishing just under three lengths behind subsequent Betfred Oaks fourth Wemighttakedlongway (105) after a troubled passage. With more luck, she'd surely have given the winner plenty to think about.

A replication of that effort gives her every chance in this company, so she's a relatively confident selection with improvement likely.

16:20 - Sweet William each-way @ 17/2

A dead eight were declared for the Gold Cup, which makes the red-hot John & Thady Gosden's SWEET WILLIAM an attractive each-way proposition.

The six-year-old son of Sea The Stars has developed into a fine stayer, winning Group 3 and Group 2s last season. A couple of seconds to the retired Kyprios, one of the greats of the division, at the highest level doesn't read too badly either.

Sweet William was third in last year's Gold Cup, five lengths behind the reopposing Trawlerman, but he can be marked up slightly as he was given plenty to do from out the back, staying on strongly in the closing stages. I also think he's just a better horse today.

His length defeat to the 123-rated Rebel's Romance on reappearance over 1m6f at York last month ought to have put him spot on for this, and I'm hopeful he can  at least make the frame in Berkshire.

17:00 - Parole D'oro each-way @ 11/1

The big betting race on Day 3 of Royal Ascot is the Britannia Stakes. Thirty go to post for the 0-105 handicap over the straight mile and it's 8/1 the field.

A tentative vote goes to PAROLE D'ORO for Michael Bell and Callum Shepherd.

The thrice-raced three-year-old looks well-handicapped and fairly-priced on his narrow defeat to Teroomm (17/2jf) at Thirsk back in April. The selection, conceding a couple of pounds, was just under a length behind his race-fit rival, and he receives four this time. So six pounds better off.

There's every chance that form gets reversed - and if it does, Parole D'oro, sporting a tongue tie for the first time, ought to be bang in the mix.

17:35 - Jackknife @ 5/1

My idea of the best bet at Royal Ascot on Thursday is JACKKNIFE in the Hampton Court Stakes.

Despite the fact he has eight pounds to find on the closely-matched market leaders Trinity College and Detain on official ratings, I think Roger Varian's Kameko colt is well up to winning this after finishing third in Listed company at Sandown last month.

Listed in name only, as far as I'm concerned. I'm a huge fan of the winner Opera Ballo, who's rated 110 after three wins from four, while the runner-up Bay City Roller (also 110) was a Group 2-winning juvenile.

It's fair to say Jackknife very much caught the eye in defeat, making good headway late in the piece after being denied a clear run around the two-furlong pole. He shaped like a step up to 1m2f will bring about much improvement.

His breeding suggests as much, too, as he's a half-brother to the late Defoe, who won the Coronation Cup and Hardwicke Stakes over 1m4f back in 2019.

The selection looks a top prospect in my eyes and I think he's excellent value for this Group 3 contest.

18:10 - Holguin each-way @ 16/1

Finally, a tentative vote goes to HOLGUIN in the Buckingham Palace Stakes - another ultra-competitive handicap featuring 29 runners.

Hamad Al Jehani's five-year-old Havana Grey gelding looks overpriced to me, given he was less than a length behind the reopposing Never So Brave, who's as short as 7/1 for Thursday's finale, off worse terms at Chester last time out.

Holguin was a smart three-year-old for Andrew Balding back in 2023, reaching a mark of 111, before a period of globetrotting for French/Qatar-based Alban de Mieulle. His return to these shores and first start for new connections was full of encouragement and he ought to come on for it.

Around three times the price of the aforementioned Never So Brave, he's my each-way play in this Super Extra Place Race.

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