Royal Ascot predictions and betting tips: Watch out for Frankie Dettori and a flier by Frankel

Impressive: Frankie Dettori wins the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Coronation Stakes contender Nathra
Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Andy Stephens16 June 2016

You cannot go far wrong with a cocktail that includes Frankel and Frankie Dettori. Those are the main ingredients that could leave racegoers dizzy on day four of Royal Ascot tomorrow.

Nobody rides Ascot better than Dettori and, having ridden three winners on the first two days, he is fancied to land another Group One prize aboard Nathra in the Coronation Stakes (4.20).

John Gosden’s filly enjoys some give underfoot and ran a personal best at Deauville last time when keeping on well to beat all bar La Cressonniere in the French 1,000 Guineas. She had Qemah (third) and Besharah (fourth) behind on that occasion and should confirm her superiority.

Jet Setting is the form pick after edging out Minding in the Irish 1,000 Guineas but she had to dig deep on that occasion and that big effort may have left a mark. In addition, she’s at her best when forcing the pace and that means there is little margin for error for Shane Foley, who has yet to ride a winner at the track, when setting the fractions.

The afternoon could begin with a bang because Queen Kindly, a daughter of the mighty Frankel, is fancied to win the Albany Stakes (2.30). Frankel’s flawless 14-race career included five big-race triumphs at Ascot and possibly the best thoroughbred to grace the turf has made a stunning start to his second vocation as a stallion — with four of his first five offspring to have seen the racecourse winning on their debuts.

DAY FOUR TIPS

2.30 - Queen Kindly 
3.05 - Lustrous Light
3.40 - Quiet Reflection (nap)
4.20 - Nathra
5.00 - Ivan Grozny
5.35 - Ormito

One of the quintet was Queen Kindly, who cruised to victory at Catterick a fortnight ago and is fancied to follow up in the Group Three contest.

Queen Kindly beat little at the Yorkshire track but she could not have won any easier under Jamie Spencer and Richard Fahey, her trainer, has been struck by her temperament and professional manner.

She has clearly inherited some of her sire’s ability and her dam, Lady Of The Desert, was also a quality act — finishing runner-up in the valuable Prix de l’Abbaye. Both of her parents were at home on soft ground, so she is bred to handle the conditions.

Dougie Costello, a former jump jockey, can steer Quiet Reflection to victory in the Commonwealth Cup (3.40), the day’s other Group One race.

Quiet Reflection has been beaten only once in six starts and showed a tremendous turn of foot when surging clear of some smart rivals at Haydock last time. Costello has compared the acceleration that she showed to a high-powered motorbike he once owned.

“I had a Ducati for two years before my daughter came along and my wife made me get rid of it,” Costello said.

“The way Quiet Reflection took off when I pushed the button at Haydock is probably the closest acceleration I’ve ever felt to it since.”

Carntop, a leading hope for the King Edward VII Stakes (3.05), is owned by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. He might easily provide a royal success but Lustrous Light is preferred. His bare form is inferior to several of his rivals but the Galileo colt has bags of potential and is open to plenty of improvement stepping up to a mile and a half.

Whatever leading jumps trainer Willie Mullins runs at the meeting is always worth a second glance and that definitely goes for Ivan Grozny, a winner at Aintree’s Grand National meeting in April. He is completely unexposed on the Flat and can land the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (5.00).

Ormito boasts easily the best form in the concluding event, the Queen’s Vase (5.35), and having hinted he will be suited by long distances, seems certain to go close.

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