Royal Ascot Day Two Tips & Previews

The track at Ascot reopens on Wednesday for the second day of races in this Royal meeting. June 15 marks Day 2 of the 2022 Royal Ascot Festival, featuring seven more riveting events.

This year, the Queen Mark Stakes will get proceedings underway at 2.30pm, with the Prince of Wales’s Stakes the big race of the afternoon.

Royal Ascot Festival Day 2: Wednesday Race Card June 15, 2022

Day 2 of the Royal Ascot Festival has a packed schedule and international regard.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the main event of the day and the top-ranked race of the entire festival. This race draws in premier horses from across the globe and millions of viewers worldwide. 

The Royal Hunt Cup takes off at 5pm and ranks high in local popularity. This year, the number of participants in this race has been increased from last year’s 24.

Royal Ascot Festival Day 2 Betting Tips

Note: the previews below refer to the 2021 Royal Ascot Festival; check back in closer to race day for the latest tips and predictions for 2022.

Our horse racing expert Enda McElhinney shares his tips for every race taking place on Day 2 of the Royal Ascot Festival.

2.30 – Queen Mary Stakes (Fillies’ Group 2, 5f)

Wesley Ward’s record in this race is a fine one and he’s been trumpeting the claims of Twilight Gleaming, who was ultra-impressive on second start when coasting clear at Keeneland over 6f. She should be at home down in distance and is a major player for the American trainer. Yet has valid claims of giving Aidan O’Brien a first Queen Mary win but there are a lot of potential improvers lurking here. Illustrating for Karl Burke, Desert Dreamer for Stuart William and Eve Lodge for Charlie Fellowes all need a look but GET AHEAD was a good winner over C&D on debut for Clive Cox last month and the Showcasing filly is worth supporting each-way at the prices with a strong chance she improves for that first start.

Selection: Get Ahead @ 16/1

3.05 – Queen’s Vase (Group 2, 1m6f)

Aidan O’Brien has won four of the last six renewals and Wordsworth tops the betting here despite being turned over as odds-on favourite in Ireland last time. He’s got more to come but Joseph O’Brien’s two-pronged attack is strong via Ruling and BENAUD. The latter looked good winning at Naas over 1m2f on his seasonal bow and can improve again up in trip here having been bought since by JP McManus. Taipan is another string to the Irish bow, while Law Of The Sea may leave behind his Chester Vase disappointment for the Gosdens, Frankie Dettori and Godolphin.

Selection: Benaud @ 11/1

3.40 – Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 2, 1m)

The form picks are Lady Bowthorpe and Queen Power and they are very closely matched on last month’s Newmarket form, while both have enhanced their claims since. Little to split them and so perhaps at the prices Sir Michael Stoute’s filly makes more appeal. VALERIA MESSALINA is one to give a chance to at big odds. The Holy Roman Emperor filly had smart form last summer and her Curragh comeback on heavy ground isn’t too hard to draw a line through. Jessica Harrington’s charge could take a big leap forward on that run now and is a player at her best, with possibly better to come at this stiff mile.

Selection: Valeria Messalina @ 16/1

4.20 – Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1, 1m2f)

Last year’s winner Lord North returns to defend this crown but faces a major challenge from all-conquering filly LOVE, one of two Aidan O’Brien-trained runners seeking to thwart the Gosdens noble five-year-old from retaining his title. Armory was good at Chester in the Huxley Stakes but, in spite of this being her first start since August, it’s the Galileo filly that makes strong appeal. She was 3-3 last summer – 1000 Guineas, Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks – and will be just fine dropping to a mile-and-a-quarter. Given connections, race-fitness shouldn’t be a source of worry.

Selection: Love @ 6/4

5.00 – Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap, 1m)

The Hunt Cup is a minefield and cases could be built for plenty. Finest Sounds looks a worthy favourite but EASTERN WORLD is perhaps underestimated. He did too much too soon in the Lincoln at Doncaster in March and didn’t get the best of passages at Newmarket (7f, good) next time. We might not have seen the best of him and a stiff mile here could be optimal. He’s a solid price now.

Selection: Eastern World @ 16/1

5.35 – Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f)

Wesley Ward has top contenders here via RUTHIN and Golden Bell. Frankie Dettori partners the former and there was a lot to like about the way she dismissed nine rivals on debut at Keeneland over 6f, form that’s been held up since. The Ribchester filly seems certain to improve on that and her trainer feels this trip will be ideal here. She may simply be too fast for her rivals. Dig Two, Ernie’s Valentine and Tipperary Sunset lead the home challenge – the last-named perhaps the chief threat for John Quinn and Jason Hart after impressing in both wins thus far.

Selection: Ruthin @ 9/4

6.10 – Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Handicap, 1m)

Lights On and Dreamloper are very closely matched on previous meetings and are big contenders, while Mostly is better than she showed at Nottingham and So I Told You is thriving for Joseph O’Brien. They are all respected. CASPIAN QUEEN is more noted for speed but really powered home over 7f at Kempton last month for James Doyle and, if seeing this trip out, will have her chance again from only 2lb higher.

Selection: Caspian Queen @ 12/1

*All odds correct at time of writing