Friday’s Royal Ascot card opens with the Group Three Albany Stakes at 2.30pm, featuring a field of 25 two-year-old fillies going to post.
With so many runners in contention, finding a smart each-way play requires looking carefully beyond the most obvious market leaders at the top of the betting.
Jolivette, trained by Andrew Balding for Juddmonte, is the selection that stands out as a compelling each-way option at an attractive price in the World Pool markets.
She made a winning debut at Newmarket, with victory coming by only a neck, but she always looked in control throughout that race and never seemed likely to get caught.
By Wootton Bassett and out of a Dubawi mare, she carries a smashing pedigree that strongly suggests she will improve significantly for that debut run at Newmarket.
The Balding yard showed its hand earlier in the week when a big-priced runner went close in the Windsor Castle Stakes, suggesting the stable is firing on all cylinders this week.
Sun Goddess heads the market for the Albany and it is hard to deny her a leading chance, making a Quinella between her and Jolivette a worthwhile play in the World Pool.
Just over an hour after the Albany comes the fiercely competitive Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at 3.40pm, run over a mile-and-a-half on the round course.
Warrant Holder, Opportunity, and Hopewell Rock each hold strong claims at the head of the betting and must form the bedrock of any exotic wager in the race.
However, the most interesting angle at a big price comes through Alan King’s Insanity, a course and distance winner who merits serious each-way consideration on Friday afternoon.
King’s yard arrives in good form this week, having already landed a winner from minimal entries, giving punters additional confidence that the stable’s runners are ready to perform.
Insanity stayed on strongly from the rear in his most recent outing, an encouraging sign that his turn to win may be arriving sooner rather than later.
While he may not be the best handicapped horse in the field, he is a genuine trier and should be available at a generous price in the World Pool Win and Place markets.
The recommended plays for Friday at Royal Ascot are Jolivette for Win and Place at 2.30pm, a Jolivette and Sun Goddess Quinella at 2.30pm, Insanity for Win and Place at 3.40pm, and a Quinella covering Opportunity, Warrant Holder, Hopewell Rock, and Insanity at 3.40pm.