Royal Ascot Day 1: Betting Tips & Guide
Every June, hundreds of thousands of people gather to watch the Royal Ascot in person, not to mention the countless others who tune into all the action from afar.
Royal Ascot Day 1 sets the tone for the entire event, giving us all an idea of the runners and riders to look for as the five-day festival opens. What is it that makes Royal Ascot Day 1 so special? Why should you watch out for Royal Ascot Day 1 tips – and what can we expect from some of the biggest races in this year’s festival calendar?
Keep reading for our complete guide to Royal Ascot Day 1 and how you can get involved from afar if you can’t make it to Berkshire.
Royal Ascot Day 1 feature races
Day one Royal Ascot visitors have a series of prestigious feature races they can wastch out for, with G1 and G2 events helping to usher in what is usually a pretty opulent week trackside.
If you don't have a fancy enough hat to visit Ascot this year, take heart; you can still follow the feature races as they unfold online and take part in Royal Ascot live markets at LeoVegas.
Here are the seven races taking place on Royal Ascot Day 1, which we will break down in more detail a little further down:
- The Queen Anne Stakes
- The Coventry Stakes
- The King’s Stand Stakes
- The St. James’s Palace Stakes
- The Ascot Stakes
- The Wolferton Stakes
- The Copper Horse Handicap
Royal Ascot Day 1 betting odds
Royal Ascot Day 1 betting odds will change over time as the festival pulls closer, but it's worth knowing what might be available for you to pick from when the races are just a week or so away. LeoVegas arranges odds for Royal Ascot based on winning runners, riders and each-way markets, which means you will have a chance to decide who you think will finish near the front, in addition to who will win.
It is too early to get firm odds on who will be runners and riders to watch on day one of Royal Ascot. Check-in with us closer to the date for some firm odds and markets. Day 1 is typically in the middle of June, so head across to LeoVegas toward the end of May and the beginning of June for updates.
Whether you prefer futures or in-play betting on Royal Ascot, be sure to stick with LeoVegas horse racing betting. Closer to the start of the festival, log into the sportsbook and browse our dedicated Royal Ascot page to find out more.
Royal Ascot betting: What are the Queen Anne Stakes?
The Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 (G1) race that holds a total prize pool of £600,000. It is easily one of the biggest draws of the entire Royal Ascot.
The race is for horses aged four and older and takes place over just under eight furlongs, or one mile. Previous winners of this highly prestigious race include Triple Time, 2023's winner; Baaeed, who won in 2022; and Palace Pier from 2021.
Royal Ascot betting: Coventry Stakes Odds?
The Coventry Stakes is a Group 2 (G2) race. The race is reserved for two-year-old horses and runs over six furlongs (around ¾ of a mile), with a prize pool up for grabs totalling £150,000.
Ryan Moore rode River Tiber to victory in this race in 2023, with Bradsell winning in 2022 and Berkshire Shadow winning in 2021.
Royal Ascot betting: What is the King’s Stand Stakes?
The King's Stand Stakes is the second Group 1 race this year at the Royal Ascot. It runs over five furlongs (just over half a mile) and has a total prize pool of £500,000.
This race is also known as the King Charles III Stakes. It played a major role in 2023's festival, where Bradsell romped to victory at an impressive 14/1.
Royal Ascot betting: St James’s Palace Stakes Betting Markets
The St. James's Palace Stakes is a £400,000-prize race that takes place across just over seven furlongs and 213 yards (around a mile), and it's specifically welcoming three-year-old colt runners. Weirdly enough, the very first time this race ran in 1834, only one horse entered!
Thankfully, it has picked up more interest since then. Recent winners of this blistering race include Paddington (2023), Coroebus (2022), and Poetic Flare (2021).
Royal Ascot betting: Ascot Stakes Odds
This flat race is open to entrants that are four years old. At around 20 furlongs (two miles and four furlongs), it's probably one of the longest races of its kind across the whole season.
The prize fund available through the Ascot Stakes usually totals around £100,000, and previous winners here include Ahorsewithnoname, Coltrane, Reshoun, and Coeur De Lion.
Royal Ascot betting: Wolferton Stakes
The Wolferton Stakes is another flat race that helps set the scene for Royal Ascot Day 1, and it's one of the most recent events to open here, starting in 2002. Runners here are aged four and over, and they'll need to pound hooves for around a mile and two furlongs.
What's really interesting about this race is that if a runner has won a G1 or G2 race before, they can't take part! Winners of this race include the fittingly named Royal Champion, Dubai Future, Juan Elcano, and Mountain Angel.
Royal Ascot betting: Copper Horse Handicap
The final race on day one is the Copper Horse Handicap, a 14-furlong run (one mile and six furlongs) that, like Wolferton, is open to horses aged four and older. This handicap race is a new addition to Royal Ascot proceedings, with its own pride of place at the end of the opening runs.
There are only four previous winners of the Copper Horse Handicap at the time of writing: Vauban, Get Shirty, Amtiyaz, and Fujaira Prince.
Royal Ascot Day 1 Betting Tips
Day one Royal Ascot decisions can be tough to make. There are usually some world-class trainers, runners, and riders taking part in these first events, so many people seek Royal Ascot Day 1 tips.
As with odds for Royal Ascot Day 1, we don’t yet have firm details on runners, riders, and favourites at the time of writing. However, we can offer you a quick tip for betting on any races on day one: take care with your betting slip. There’s no guarantee of lucky streaks, so set limits sensibly and be sure to check the form of your chosen runners and riders before you get started.
With that, check back with LeoVegas towards the end of May and start of June for betting tips and markets.
FAQs
What are the feature races of Royal Ascot Day 1?
On Royal Ascot Day 1, there are seven featured races: the Queen Anne Stakes, the Coventry Stakes, the King's Stand Stakes, the St. James's Palace Stakes, the Ascot Stakes, the Wolferton Stakes, and the Copper Horse Stakes.
Where can I watch Royal Ascot Day 1?
Royal Ascot Day 1 races will be broadcast live on ITV and Sky Sports in 2024, as the broadcasters have agreed to share duties. You can also follow the races on day one as they unfold through live and in-play betting at LeoVegas, so make sure you have a couple of screens handy to take in all the action and drama!