Royal Ascot Day 3 Lucky 15 Tips: Aidan’s Norfolk hope is a natural selection

Day 3, dear reader. Royal Ascot is proving to be as compelling and dramatic as ever, and we hope you're enjoying all the action.

Here are four for this afternoon that might just be on the premises at the business end on another superb raceday, which kicks in at 14:30. Seven races, including four Group heats, and the small matter of the Ascot Gold Cup, at 16:20, which I'll preview separately in an accompanying piece. Enjoy!

Horse Racing Odds

Fast Racing Results

14:30 (Norfolk Stakes) - Charles Darwin @ 5/4

Aidan O'Brien has already advertised the well-being of his two-year olds, most notably courtesy of Gstaad in Tuesday's Coventry. What a deeply impressive success that was.

He fields Charles Darwin here, a son of the mighty American sire No Nay Never, himself unbeaten as a juvenile including winning this very contest back in 2013 for Wes Ward, with Joel Rosario up.

Charles Darwin probably needed his initial racecourse appearance at the Curragh in April (beaten 1.25l), and has won his subsequent two starts in the manner of  a smart colt.

One of those successes was at 6f, so over this stiff 5f he'll doubtless be finishing with great resolution and has an awful lot going for him in Thursday's opener. Ryan Moore could choose to race prominently under the circumstances and there might be no pegging him back.

15:05 (King George V Stakes) - Merchant @ 3/1

A big improver in two 2025 outings, this three-year-old son of Teofilo is owned by Highclere Thoroughbreds, trained by William Haggas at Newmarket, and will have Tom Marquand in the plate.

Merchant had three fairly ordinary runs at two, culminating in a Wolverhampton novice stakes success in late December. He needed every yard of the one mile, half-a-furlong trip that day and reappeared over 10f at HQ in May, staying on to be beaten just 1l.

At York 35 days ago, stepped up to today's 12f distance, he travelled beautifully and readily disposed of his seven rivals off a mark of 82. He's up 8lbs for that but now he's running at a trip so evidently right up his street, more improvement looks extremely likely.

He's got what might appear to be a fanciful entry in the King George here next month but if he whizzes in this afternoon, who knows?

17:00 (Britannia Stakes) - Brave Mission @ 10/1

A real value heat now, as a big field of quality handicappers tackle the straight mile with a whiff of 10s the field or thereabouts in the air.

Brave Mission represents the fairly new partnership of Juddmonte Farms and retained jockey Colin Keane, seen to such glorious effect on Tuesday with Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace. 'Best I've ever sat on,' was the illuminating post-race debrief.

Back to the Britannia, and this three-year-old son of Frankel out of a Siyouni mare has run on four occasions so far, and just once this term - over 7f, here, in another warm handicap 20 days ago.

In a big personal best performance he ran the winner to a length, and the sixth (Humam) has subsequently taken a York handicap in impressive fashion. Brave Mission was running on well at the business end that day and the extra furlong this afternoon should be absolutely perfect.

Terrific chance.

17:35 - (Hampton Court Stakes) - Jackknife @ 15/2

G3 action now over 10f, and another fascinating puzzle to get our heads around.

Jackknife is a three-year-old Kameko colt in the care of Roger Varian at HQ. Qatar Racing And Ciaron Maher Bloodstock owns, and the mighty Oisin Murphy has the riding assignment.

Only two runs so far, both this season - an Epsom novice win in April, and a 3.75l defeat in a Listed heat at Sandown when it was evident that a step up in trip would be highly beneficial.

Well - he gets just that this afternoon. Another couple of furlongs to get himself organised; and given that he finished so strongly in Esher, he should pose a huge threat to all his rivals at the business end today.

Tackling a Listed affair so quickly is a measure of the esteem that connections hold the horse in, and now it's a G3. I'm taking the hint.

He's got some spots to find on a few, unsurprisingly with so little form to fall back on, but the potential for me is immense.

This is an example of a Lucky 15. If you can improve upon my selections (of course you can), then go for it!

The odds can fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a £0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four won, would return around £925 for your total £7.50 stake.

Fred, 'The Bonus King,' invented the 'Lucky' series of bets and their bonuses. My colleague Adam has set out all you need to know with this handy guide - take a look by clicking here.

Horse Racing & Greyhound bets only. Excludes Virtual Racing. 5x odds on Lucky 63. 4x Odds Lucky 31. 3x Odds Lucky 15. All selections must run. Paid in cash if only 1 winner. T&Cs Apply.

Lucky 15 tips from Betfred Insights.