Royal Ascot Day One Preview - 16/06/20

The Buckingham Palace Handicap looks a tricky event to kickstart the week and we think Shelir is worth an each-way poke with 6 places on offer.

This son of Dark Angel won a listed event for Dermot Weld last season and was deemed good enough to run in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

He recently started life for David O'Meara in a decent Newmarket handicap where he shaped like he would come on for that effort. The yard excel with these types and he is potentially well handicapped so a price tag of 40/1 seems too generous.

Second up is the first Group race of the week and with five places on offer we have two each-way selections.

Fox Chairman is an unexposed son of Kingman who caught the eye in the Hampton Court at this meeting last year.

He may be better with some cut in the ground but De Sousa has put this up as his horse to follow and we think there is much more to come.

There is a question mark around the 1m trip but his running style suggests it will suit him and they are expected to go an end to end gallop.

Roseman is another nicely bred son of Kingman in the Queen Anne.

Andrea Atzeni has talked fondly of this horse and the manner in which he hammered Century Dream towards the end of last season suggests he is still on the improve.

He has to prove himself on the drying ground but at 14/1 he looks a nice each way price.

Frankly Darling is our selection in what looks a strong renewal of the Ribblesdale.

This Frankel filly finished like a train at Newcastle a few weeks ago and looks open to any amount of improvement. She did her best work at the finish and will relish this step up in trip.

Born With Pride is an interesting each way alternative if she can take a step forward from her recent outing.

You won't find many with a better pedigree than Mogul and he looks a worth favourite in this.

He was always going to come into his own up in trip as a 3-y-o but he still managed to impress as a juvenile and he finished off last season behind the 2000 Guineas winner Kameko.

Ryan Moore is booked as he looks to emulate his brothers success in the race last term.

Battaash is obviously the one to beat here but at 8/13 we are happy to go against him with Liberty Beach, who looks to have a good chance of hitting the frame at 14/1.

She doesn't have an easy task against the boys but she has won five of her seven career starts and finished fourth in the Queen Mary here last season.

Fitness advantage.

Sir Michael Stoute tends to be patient with his horses so the fact that he threw this filly into Group1 company so soon last year outlines she is held in the highest regard.

She looks the type to improve with age and the early market vibes have been positive.

Ryan Moore booked.

If the ground stays decent Verdana Blue looks the one to beat in the finale on day one.

She looks thrown in on her hurdles form and she finished a close fourth in the Sagaro Stakes last season.

Ideally you want to bet each way in this race but this mare could be very hard to beat in an even dominated by dual-purpose types.

At an each way price we like the look of Land Of Oz.

Like many from the yard, this son of Australia is a rapid improver who has bursted through the handicap and he is fit from his outing on the all-weather.

Sir Mark Prescott is in decent form and he will handle the drying ground.