Royal Ascot: O’Brien flyers and Alpha Centauri to star on Day Four

Preview and tips ahead of the penultimate day

It was a cracking day of action at Royal Ascot yesterday as Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori delighted punters by winning the Gold Cup.

And Day Four could equal it for excitement with the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes to come. Plus, there’s a handful of exciting runners in the other renewals.

Ed Chamberlin and the ITV crew are there to beam all six races into your living-room live. And the Coral News Team are here to preview the action…

Commonwealth Cup, 3:40pm

Since its inception in 2015, it’s arguably become one of the most exciting races of the whole week.

And this year’s renewal is no different with the likes of Sioux Nation, Invincible Army, Equilateral, and Eqtidaar all involved.

There are more experienced nags to get involved in here, but it’s Charles Hills’ Equilateral that gets the nod. His defeat of Foxtrot Lady on his seasonal reappearance at Doncaster last month was striking. Not so much by the length, but by what that opponent has gone on to do since.

Hills has got form for speedsters when you consider the likes of Muhaarar and Battaash. And he’s obviously confident he’s got another superstar in Equilateral. We’re on board.

Coronation Stakes, 4:20pm

There’s been a bit of a battle at the head of the betting for this Group 1 feature race of the day between Clemmie and Alpha Centauri.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge had been leading all week, but money has steadily streamed in for Alpha Centauri and that solidifies our pick.

It’s going to be fast ground at the Berkshire course and that will suit Jessica Harrington’s flyer. She won on similar ground and a distance in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh back in May.

And she destroyed O’Brien’s Clemmie that day, too. It’ll be tight, but we think Harrington’s star takes the spoils.

Albany Stakes, 2:30pm

As mentioned previously in the opening, there are a couple of potential superstars running in the 6f sprint to open up the day.

Aidan O’Brien has the leading two contenders in Just Wonderful and Fairyland. And the pair could turn out to be absolutely anything given their potential.

Ryan Moore is on board the former, but it’s Fairyland the Coral News Team are plumping for. The two-year-old comes in slightly more experienced, going unbeaten in both her starts.

She won a Listed race at the Curragh by 2-and-a-half lengths a few weeks ago and that will stand her in good stead here.

ITV Racing Tips:

2:30 Ascot – Fairyland

3:05 Ascot – Rostropovich

3:40 Ascot – Equilateral

4:20 Ascot – Alpha Centauri

5:00 Ascot – Desert Diamond

5:35 Ascot – Appeared

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All Odds and Markets correct as of date and publication