'I fancy him strongly here at 14-1' - David Jennings answers the burning questions on day three at Royal Ascot

What's the big story?

Is Kyprios still the king of the stayers? He certainly was two years ago when he won the long-distance showpiece in the middle of a flawless campaign which finished with a remarkable wide-margin victory in the Prix du Cadran. He looked unbeatable there, but two years is a long time ago and is he unbeatable now?

The relentless son of Galileo is two from two this season and is hot favourite to make that three from three in the Gold Cup (4.25). He deserves to be favourite, but whether he deserves to be so short is debatable.

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Vauban's Melbourne Cup mission didn't go according to plan, but his reappearance in the Yorkshire Cup was full of promise and he doesn't have a huge amount to find on the figures. It's a huge day for multiple Irish champion Colin Keane, who has been drafted in for the ride with William Buick and Ryan Moore needed elsewhere. He is one from one on the 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner.

The Gosden stable has won the Gold Cup four times in the last six years and, while Gregory and Sweet William are not Stradivarius, they are not out of it. It's more open than the betting would lead you to believe.

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What's the bet of the day?

Let's be adventurous and go to the 30-runner Britannia Stakes (5.05), which is 10-1 the field at the time of typing.

At the start of the season I made an outrageous claim that Involvement was a Group horse in the making. Hopefully that claim won't look so outrageous come 5.10pm.

He bumped into an out-and-out Haydock course specialist last time in Nellie Leylax, whose form figures at the track now read 4111. Involvement pulled a long way clear of the rest that day and I fancy him strongly at 14-1.

Is Ryan Moore on the right one in the King George V Stakes (3.05)?

Maybe not. He's gone for Chantilly from the Ballydoyle four but, were I about 8st lighter, I would have ridden Gallantly. He scored snugly at Chester and looks to be crying out for this sort of trip. An opening mark of 88 for his first handicap looks just lovely.

What is the stat of the day?

There has never been a winning favourite in the history of the Buckingham Palace Stakes (6.15), something English Oak backers will not want to know.

There have been 17 runnings and all 17 favourites have been beaten. Witch Hunter cast a spell at 50-1 last year, Louis The Pious was 33-1 in 2014 and Lightning Cloud was 25-1 in 2013. 

Is Kyprios the banker of the whole week?

No. He has little in hand on the figures and Vauban is much better value at around 7-1 as an each-way alternative.

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Read these next:

Paul Kealy's Royal Ascot day 3 racing tips: Thursday's play of the day 

Harry Wilson's Royal Ascot tips on Thursday: 'This big drop in class coupled with the shorter trip could see him back to winning ways'  

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