Royal Ascot tips: How To Bet £20 on Thursday

Subjectivist looks overpriced, at a general 10-1, to regain his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

The Charlie Johnston-trained six-year-old had already established himself as being out of top drawer in the staying ranks when a brilliant five-length winner of this showpiece two years ago, but suffered what connections thought might be a career-ending injury in the process.

He spent last season on the sidelines and was understandably rusty when returning to action in Saudi Arabia in February, but he then showed he retains at least a large chunk of his ability when third in the Dubai Gold Cup over 2m at Meydan the following month.

It briefly looked like he might win when hitting the front in the home straight but a combination of possibly still not being at his peak, having to race wide and being exposed to a strong gallop left him vulnerable to Broome and Siskany, who swept past after having nothing to do with the early fractions.

Subjectivist has been given time to catch his breath and there is every reason to believe he will step up again on that performance, especially with an extra half-mile to cover. There is substance to the Dubai form, too, with Siskany, Quickthorn (sixth) and Giavellotto (seventh) all gaining subsequent notable wins.

Moreover, unlike at Meydan, there is the prospect of Subjectivist perhaps getting an easy time at the head of affairs, or near it, with no habitual front-runners in the line-up. And we know Joe Fanning has few peers when it comes to bossing races from the front.

Subjectivist’s rivals two years ago included Stradivarius, who was seeking a fourth successive Gold Cup triumph and Serpentine, who had won the Derby the previous year, but this edition lacks such class acts. Broome, his conqueror in Dubai, is among several in the field who could have stamina limitations, while Coltrane, the favourite, for all his qualities, has the same official rating but is less than a third of his price.

Of the new kids on the block, I much prefer Eldar Eladrov, the St Leger winner, to the unbeaten Courage Mon Ami, but my second small bet in the race is going to be Tashkhan, who is dismissed as a 66-1 no-hoper despite finishing a good fifth in last year’s renewal and showing his wellbeing this term in races that have provided him with an insufficient test.

He’s guaranteed to stay and James Doyle taking over in the saddle is also a positive. Sky Bet are offering five places to tempt each-way players and quote the combination at a juicy 50-1. William Hill make him 50-1 to win in a market that excludes Eldar Eldarov.

Overall, Thursday’s card is about as tough as they come at Ascot with a bumper 143 horses contesting the seven races.

The opening Norfolk Stakes features eight unbeaten youngsters and a clash between Elite Status, who looked so exciting when landing the National Stakes at Sandown last month, and a pair of intriguing challengers from the United Stakes in American Rascal and No May Mets.

It's probably a race to watch rather than have a punt on, but I cannot resist an each-way flutter on Mon Na Slieve after his taking debut success at York last month. He was in control as soon as the gates opened that day and, while there re holes in the form, that race on the Knavesmire has been a good gauge for the Royal Meeting with two of the past five winners subsequently going close in the Norfolk, and another being touched off in the Windsor Castle.

His trainer, Kevin Ryan, has already sprung one surprise at the meeting via 33-1 chance Triple Time in the Queen Anne and could have gone for easier pickings in the Windsor Castle. Mon Na Slieve looks underestimated at 22-1 with William Hill, who are offering four places.

There are plenty of unexposed improvers in an intriguing King George V Stakes but Tagabawa is fancied to provide Charlie Appleby with his second successive winner of the race.

This son of Derby winner New Approach is out of a dam who has already produced Turgenev (rated 112 at peak) and Group Two-winning stayer Manobo (rated 113) and it would be no surprise if Tagabawa reaches a similar level.

He ran in two races over a mile at the backend of last year but, gelded and upped to a mile and a half, looked a different proposition when surging clear in a muddling Kempton handicap in April. He did well to win by a wide margin that day given the steady tempo and the three horses he brushed aside have all franked the form.

The handicapper has had a swipe, raising him 12lb, but a mark of 97 may still completely underestimate him, and it’s interesting that Appleby has not been tempted to run him in the interim. I’ll also be having a small saver on Perfuse, who switches to handicap ranks after a taking win at Doncaster and looks a typical Sir Michael Stoute-trained improver.

Finally, I’ll be splitting my stakes on Torito and Exoplanet in the Hampton Court Stakes.

The well-related Torito impressed when winning a handicap under rising star Benoit De La Sayette at Epsom on Derby Day, having previously made Artistic Star (subsequently a creditable seventh in the Derby) dig deep at Sandown. He requires a bit more in this higher grade but is improving fast. De La Sayette keeps the ride and I wouldn’t read too much into Frankie Dettori being on Torito’s stablemate, Epictetus, in the same colours.

Exoplanet also needs to up his game but he caught the eye when a close third in the London Gold Cup at Newbury last time, when he didn’t help himself by jumping a piece of litter and stumbling. He’s got a bigger performance in him and his trainer, Roger Varian, went out of his way to mention him when interviewed on Luck On Sunday at the weekend.

2.30: Mon Na Slieve £1.50 each-way at 22-1 with William Hill (four places)

3.05 Tagabawa £4 win at 11-2 with William Hill plus £1 win on Perfuse at a general 8-1

4.20 Subjectivist £2 win and £1.50 each-way at a general 10-1 (Sky Bet offer five places) & £1 each-way on Tashkhan at 50-1 with Sky Bet (they go five places, other firms go 66-1 and offer four)

5.35 Torito £1.25 each-way at a general 11-2 plus £1.25 each-way on Exoplanet at 8-1 with Coral

2.30 Mon Na Slieve (8) & Elite Status (4)

3.05 Perfuse (6) & Tagabawa (3)

3.40 Al Asifa (1) & Infinite Cosmos (7)

4.20 Subjectivist (6) & Tashkhan (7)

5.00 Docklands (9) New Endeavour (8)

5.35 Torito (14) & Exoplanet (10)

6.10 Montassib (6) & Kingdom Come (5)