Should you play or lay the five shortest-priced favourites at Royal Ascot?

With Royal Ascot less than a week away the betting markets for this year’s five-day spectacular are beginning to form. Here we analyse the chances of the five shortest-priced favourites at the meeting and gauge whether they rate a lay or a play at the prices . . .

Modern Games

Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)

2.30 Ascot (Tuesday, June 20)

Odds: 7-4

The Royal Ascot curtain-raiser has been something of a mixed bag for punters recently. The last three favourites have won, but prior to that the race produced 14-1 and 33-1 shocks.

Modern Games heads the betting for this year’s running having claimed the Lockinge at Newbury last month, which was his fifth top-level success but a first in Britain.

He is a likeable sort and should get his preferred fast ground so rates a solid betting proposition at 7-4 in a race lacking serious strength in depth.

Modern Games (William Buick) wins the Lockinge StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Verdict: Inspiral would pose a credible danger if reappearing in top form, but granted the ground stays fast this looks like a good opportunity for Modern Games to supplement his Lockinge success. PLAY

Modern Games14:30 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Charlie Appleby

Chaldean

St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1)

4.20 Ascot (Tuesday, June 20)

Odds: 2-1

The Juddmonte-owned Chaldean will bid to add a third Group 1 win to his CV when tackling the opening day’s St James’s Palace Stakes.

His Dewhurst success at two was followed by Classic glory in last month’s 2,000 Guineas, both victories coming under Frankie Dettori, who is set to retain the partnership.

Introduced at 4-5 for this contest after claiming the Guineas, Chaldean has been a steady drifter after impressive victories from the likes of Paddington and Cicero’s Gift. The former looking a particularly dangerous rival following his authoritative Irish Guineas success.

Verdict: Chaldean’s Guineas form has received knocks since and he is yet to encounter ground faster than good. LAY

Elite Status

Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

2.30 Ascot (Thursday, June 22)

Odds: 6-4

The Ridler caused a 50-1 upset in the Norfolk Stakes 12 months ago, but punters expect this year’s race to be a lot more predictable with Elite Status a clear favourite to prevail for his trainer Karl Burke.

A son of the stable’s former high-class sprinter Havana Grey, Elite Status is unbeaten in two starts to date. He stepped forward on an impressive Doncaster maiden success when blitzing his rivals in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown last month.

He is now stepped up to Group 2 level, but on that Sandown showing Elite Status is a Group winner in waiting.

Elite Status (Clifford Lee) wins the National Stakes at SandownCredit: Mark Cranham

Verdict: Wesley Ward’s American Rascal is a potential fly in the ointment, but on his Sandown showing Elite Status deserves to head the betting and looks one that punters could latch on to. PLAY

Little Big Bear

Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)

3.05 Ascot (Friday, June 23)

Odds: 7-4

Little Big Bear justified significant market support in the Windsor Castle Stakes at the royal meeting last year and went on to put up one of the most impressive juvenile performances of the season with a seven-length victory in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt failed to beat a rival home in the 2,000 Guineas on his three-year-old debut, but he proved that showing to be all wrong when claiming the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last time out.

He was undoubtedly advantaged by his track position at Haydock, but even still it was encouraging to see him back to form and it appears that despite that attempt at a mile, sprinting is very much his game going forward.

Verdict: Back with a bang in the Sandy Lane last time but that form can be questioned and at the prices he looks one to oppose. LAY

Tahiyra

Coronation Stakes (Group 1)

4.20 Ascot (Friday, June 23)

Odds: 10-11

A Group 1-winning juvenile, Tahiyra came agonisingly close to claiming Classic glory in the 1,000 Guineas earlier this season, when narrowly losing out to the game Mawj.

Dermot Weld’s filly got her head back in front when successful in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh last month, and this race was nominated as a likely target afterwards.

Tahiyra retains potential for improvement on the back of just four starts and victory at the Curragh confirmed her effectiveness on decent ground. The Coronation Stakes has proved to be one of the easier races for punters to solve at Royal Ascot in recent years, with only one of the last ten winners sent off at odds greater than 6-1.

Tahiyra (green) is edged out by Mawj in the 1,000 Guineas Credit: Mark Cranham

Verdict: The 1,000 Guineas first and second are set to renew rivalries here, and on a quicker surface Tahiyra can reverse placings with Mawj. There is a strong suspicion that the best is still to come from Dermot Weld’s filly and at a shade of odds-on she is worth siding with. PLAY

Tahiyra17:00 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: D K Weld

2023 Royal Ascot betting offers

• bet365 have a new customer offer available if you sign up for an account here
• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers, and all you need is an account. Sign up here
• Sky Bet are offering new customers free bets when they sign up. You can get them, along with money-back specials and extra places, here
• Betfair have lots of offers, extra places and money-back specials. Sign up for a new account here
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from money-back offers here
• To get a free bet from Ladbrokes, simply sign up to a new account here
• Sign up for a new Coral account. They have an offer for new customers here
• If you're a new customer, Tote will give you a free bet. Sign up here to claim
• Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

Read these next:

2023 Queen Anne Stakes: assessing the top contenders for the Royal Ascot curtain-raiser 

2023 Prince of Wales's Stakes: assessing the top contenders for the star-studded Group 1 

Royal Ascot 2023: running order, TV schedule and day-by-day guide to the big races 

Sharpen up for Royal Ascot and get 50% off Racing Post Members' Club 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.