Royal Ascot 2008 Betting
The Royal Ascot race meeting from June 17 to June 21 is regarded by sports betting enthusiasts as the pinnacle of the flat racing season. Historically the meet is a major date in the British social calendar, dating back to 1711, and is attended by the Royal family who arrive each day in a horse drawn carriage. Some of the news reporting of the event might lead you to believe that Royal Ascot is more about clothes than horse racing but this meet is actually an outstanding display of some of the best racehorses competing in many prestigious Group races, with at least one Group 1 race on each day.
Our top recommended bookmakers for Royal Ascot Betting
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Five Day Betting Bonanza
More than 300,000 people attend this five-day event and it is, by far, the largest race-meet in Europe. Most of the biggest trainers in horse racing target the top races such as the Wokingham Stakes, the Royal Hunt Cup and the Ascot Gold Cup and these races, often with thirty runners or so in each, form the centrepiece of a five-day on-course and online betting bonanza.
On day one the St James Palace Stakes and the Queen Anne Stakes, both Group 1 races run over one mile, are the two big events. One of the highlights of the festival, the Prince of Wales Stakes, a group 1 race for horses aged 4 years old and above, run over 1 mile 2 furlongs is run on day two along with the Royal Hunt Cup. Days three and four feature the Ascot Gold Cup, one of the longest flat races at 2 miles four furlongs, a tremendous test of the horse’s stamina, and the Coronation Stakes, a group 1 fillies race for 3 year olds, run over 1 mile with some of Europe’s best middle distance runners on display, is run on day four.
Golden Jubilee Stakes
Day five sees the Golden Jubilee Stakes which is a group 1 race run for horses aged 3 years old and above, over a distance of 6 furlongs, and the Wokingham Stakes, a class 2 heritage handicap race for horses aged 3 years old and above run over 6 furlongs. All in all there are thirty races over the whole meeting, six a day, and many of them offer some of the best flat racing on offer.
It's early days for definite racing cards for the meeting but Creachodoir, Cesare, Haradasun, Tariq and Phoenix Tower are notable in the Queen Anne Stakes while Bankable seems just that for the Royal Hunt Cup. Yeats should show well in the Ascot Gold Cup with Coastal Path and Septimus also up there. Golden Sakhee is favourite in the Golden Jubilee Stakes while Takeover Target, US Ranger, Marchand and Magnus should not be overlooked.
A Great Day At The Races
Royal Ascot is a fun meeting and you can avoid all the toffee nosed fancy dress brigade in the down-to-earth Silver Ring. Those unable to be there can sit down in front of the telly with a laptop to hand and wager from the comfort of their own home. There are lots of free bets available for new customers registering on online betting sites and there are even sites that tell you which are the best betting sites for your particular needs. Access to loads of useful advice, tips, gossip, statistics and inside stories can be had at the click of a button and, with a few friends around to join in the fun, you’ve got the recipe for a great day in at the races.