The Stats, Facts, Do’s and Do Nots of Royal Ascot 2023
Royal Ascot 2023 is underway. The crown jewel of the summer sporting calendar, it is a five-day meeting renowned for its explosive racing, long-standing traditions, and tailored elegance. Eight Group-1 races and £9.5 million in prize money underline Royal Ascot’s importance within horseracing circles.
Betting on the action is another integral part of Royal Ascot. In 2023, there are more outcomes to bet on – and more ways to bet – than ever. Here you can read our advice on where to invest your money and the best way to do so.
Frankie Dettori will wave goodbye to Royal Ascot this year. ©GettyImages
The Things You Should Do When Betting on Royal Ascot Races
There can be a definite draw bias on Royal Ascot’s straight course. Consequently, we recommend you watch the early races closely and decide if horses drawn either high or low have an advantage.
Remarkably the statistics overwhelmingly suggest horses drawn high in big-field handicaps over 12 furlongs are significantly favored. This information should be factored into your calculations when betting on these races.
And when placing bets, try to get the best bang for your proverbial buck. If betting win-only on individual races, be sure to take advantage of ‘best odds guaranteed’. It is a concession offered by all good horse racing betting sites.
Alternatively, as Royal Ascot is part of the Tote’s World Pool, we suggest you place your bets into tote pools via the major online sportsbooks. This will assure you of a return that will match the official starting price. More often than not, the Tote return will surpass it.
Things Not to Do When Betting on Royal Ascot Races
At his final Royal Ascot, there will be massive hype surrounding Frankie Dettori. It is almost certain that most, if not all, of his rides, will be underpriced as recreational punters follow Frankie’s mounts blind.
With 77 Royal Ascot winners to his name, including eight Gold Cup triumphs, seven King George winners and the Magnificent Seven in September 1996, Frankie Dettori will race for the final time at Ascot in 2023 pic.twitter.com/cAYeIikWKA
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 15, 2023
The Italian had just one winner from 22 rides at last year’s Royal Ascot meeting. He should do a lot better in 2023, but our advice is to support him only when you firmly believe his odds of winning are matched or outweighed by the odds on offer.
Of course, Dettori is a household name. It is easy to subconsciously fall into the trap of only backing and supporting jockeys and trainers that you know. Do not do this. Royal Ascot is a huge shop window for smaller trainers. You can rest assured, particularly in the handicap races, horses from these yards will have been laid out for their big day at the Berkshire track.
Royal Ascot 2023 Fact File
- Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday, June 20, and ends Saturday, June 24. There are 35 races in total. The first race is due off at 2.30 pm each day.
- Domestically, the meeting will be broadcast live every day on ITV1. Sky Sports Racing (Channel 415) will also provide television coverage. The best sports betting sites will live-stream the action, and BBC Radio 5 Live also broadcasts from the track.
- Ryan Moore holds the record for the leading-rider accolade at Royal Ascot. He has taken the title nine times and is 4/6 to do so again in 2023. The retiring Frankie Dettori follows in the betting at 7/2.
- Sir Michael Stoute has trained 82 Royal Ascot winners. It makes him the most successful Royal Ascot trainer of all time. However, Aidan O’Brien averages over three winners per Royal Ascot meeting, and his current tally is 81.
Historical Royal Ascot Fun Facts
- About 300,000 guests attend Royal Ascot each year.
- The Royal Meeting is watched in more than 200 countries.
- 173,000 racecards were printed – and 19,430 Facebook check-ins were made – for Royal Ascot 2022.
- On average during the festival, racegoers drink 56,000 bottles of Champagne, 44,000 bottles of wine, 21,000 jugs of Pimm’s, and 80,000 cups of tea. They also eat 120,000 buttermilk scones, 60,000 finger sandwiches, 5,000 Angus steaks and 5,000 kilos of salmon.
- Until 1920, a flock of more than 400 sheep kept Ascot’s course in pristine condition.
- With 116 winners, the late Lester Piggott is Royal Ascot’s most successful jockey.
What Is the Best Royal Ascot Bet?
Wesley Ward has not been a regular visitor to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure in recent years. But he was the first American trainer to saddle a Royal Ascot winner when Strike the Tiger won the Windsor Castle at odds of 33/1 in 2009.
This is staggering🤩
American Rascal, the first foal out of Lady Aurelia, absolutely bolts in on debut for Wesley Ward😍
He spat his rivals out in 51:21 for the 4 1/2f trip and looks every inch as talented as his mum. She won at Royal Ascot, so can he🧨pic.twitter.com/yGMb65POwi
— Grant James Thomas🧲 (@Grant_Some92) April 20, 2023
Ward has also trained 12 Royal Ascot winners during his career. That number includes Lady Aurelia, who landed the Queen Anne Stakes in 2016. This year that mare’s son, American Rascal, will line up in Thursday’s Norfolk Stakes.
A breathtaking 10-length winner on his debut in a valuable Keeneland maiden special weight contest, American Rascal’s run was described as “a spectacular debut” by the racecourse commentator. Indeed, the two-year-old looked every part as good as his illustrious mother and that makes him our nap selection for the week ahead.
