Royal Ascot 2024 Antepost Tips: Believe in 14/1 sprinter

We're just over a week out from Royal Ascot, which begins on Tuesday, June 18 and ends on Saturday, June 22, which I felt was a good time to look at the horse racing ante-post odds.

After some studying, I've come up with a few Royal Ascot 2024 antepost tips for you to consider ahead of British flat racing's biggest event.

My first antepost suggestion for the Royal Meeting is BELIEVING in the King Charles III Stakes - a Group 1 over five furlongs - on the opening Tuesday.

For the most part, George Boughey's four-year-old has been operating at Listed/Group 3 level, but she took a significant step forward when a close third in the G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock in September last year.

The Mehmas filly followed up that career-best showing with two lacklustre efforts at Ascot on Champions Day and over in Sha-Tin on this season's reappearance, but there were very fair excuses and she swiftly made amends by comfortably landing a Listed contest at Haydock just a few days ago.

That was just her second attempt at the minimum trip and it was a strong field she had over two lengths behind. There's every reason to believe there's more to come now tried back in the highest grade and further confidence is taken from the fact her trainer has been flirting with the idea of running again in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the Saturday at Ascot.

I suspect her current odds of 14/1 will shorten in the coming days.

Forty eight hours later is the Gold Cup, which sees superstar stayer Kyprios attempt to defend his crown.

Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old, who is odds-on at time of publication, would be tough to beat if at his very best, but after a somewhat troubled couple of years I think there's every reason to believe he's not.

He was beaten for the first time in six starts in the Irish St Leger at The Curragh late last year, immediately before a narrow defeat in the Long Distance Cup here at Ascot on Champions Day.

He's won both starts this year, but at a significantly lower level and dare I say looking a little vulnerable. He's beaten stablemate Queenstown, who was rated just 82 at the start of the campaign, on both occasions and had to work a lot harder than his odds of 1/12 suggested to get the job done last time out.

There will be no hiding place on Thursday and I'm backing John & Thady Gosden's TRAWLERMAN to get the better of him again.

The six-year-old son of Golden Horn beat Kyprios by a neck on Champions Day last season having just won a couple of lower-grade contests by wide margins - and his reappearance this term in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup in Meydan was more than satisfactory. He didn't get the rub of the green in the Middle East but it was still a solid run that should benefit him here.

This is a competitive renewal but to my eye he looks a little overpriced at present.

Last but not least, I'm suggesting BUCANERO FUERTE for the Commonwealth Cup on the Friday.

Adrian Murray's son of Wootton Bassett was a classy juvenile, winning three of his five starts including the G1 Phoenix Stakes - by a widening four lengths - at The Curragh, and his return in a Group 3 at Naas suggests another fruitful campaign awaits.

He gave weight away to five race-fit rivals but won somewhat snugly in the end. I expect a fair amount of improvement to follow.

With question marks about Vandeek and River Tiber expected to contest the Jersey Stakes instead, I think 8/1 about the Amo Racing runner is very fair indeed.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights