Horse Racing Tips: Gaucher can oblige for Mullins

Royal Ascot is the headline act on Tuesday with five days of stunning action getting underway at the Berkshire venue, where they boast three Group 1s on day one. They are joined by cards from Thirsk on the level and Stratford over jumps in the afternoon, while evening fare is from Wolverhampton (AW) and Beverley.

Tuesday's best racing tips are from Royal Ascot, on what could be a big day for Billy Loughnane, who rides unbeaten 2,000 Guineas winner Bow Echo in the St James's Palace Stakes (16:20).

14:30 Royal Ascot - Opera Ballo @ 7/2

The opening Queen Anne features a field of nine and Charlie Appleby accounts for three of them, with last month's Lockinge winner Notable Speech heading the betting ahead of stablemate OPERA BALLO.

William Buick stays faithful to Notable Speech and that leaves Billy Loughnane on board Opera Ballo, with Ryan Moore partnering outsider First Conquest also in Godolphin blue.

While Notable Speech was a clear-cut winner in the Lockinge and deserves major respect given his CV, Opera Ballo is a year younger and possibly headed for a major summer.

The Ghaiyyath colt has won his last three starts, two in Meydan over the winter before taking the Group 2 bet365 Mile at Sandown in April.

He made all in that contest and cleared away from the hitherto unbeaten Zeus Olympios before also repelling that late surge from Field Of Gold.

He looks an improved model at four and given the proximity of Zeus Olympios to Notable Speech in the Lockinge, there's a good chance Loughnane can start the meeting with a winner.

15:40 Royal Ascot - Aspect Island @ 80/1

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that ASPECT ISLAND can run into the places at big odds for James Owen in the King Charles III Stakes.

This Group 1 sprint over 6f has been won in recent times by precocious three-year-olds Lady Aurelia and Bradsell and the Showcasing colt is one of a trio of three-year-old contenders in a field of 26 now.

He ran well at York (5f, good) in the Westow Stakes last month despite finishing only third, given he was up on the speed throughout and the winner produced a decisive career-best.

Owen has his string in superb form, with a 22% strike-rate lately, and has secured the services of Silvestre De Sousa now.

He needs a bit extra but Aspect Island was third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November and could find improvement in a first-time visor.

17:35 Royal Ascot - Gaucher @ 20/1

Willie Mullins has established a presence at this meeting in recent years and GAUCHER looks a solid chance for the jumps behemoth in the Listed Wolferton Stakes over a mile-and-a-quarter.

The Frankel gelding is a four-time winner over hurdles for Mullins, but has also landed wins at Dundalk over this sort of trip and beyond since late last year.

He produced a strong win from subsequent Chester Cup scorer A Piece Of Heaven at the County Louth circuit in February and was just touched off late in the All-Weather Easter Classic at Newcastle in one run since - conceding a stone and more to the winner The Glen Rovers.

He hit the front early enough in that contest and was only mastered close to the line. Colin Keane's partner looks up to winning at this level on the Flat.