Royal Ascot 2024 Day Five: The Panel’s Selections And Betting Tips For Saturday

Royal Ascot 2024 Day Five Preview

• Donn McClean's Big Race Angle
• Tanya Stevenson's Tips For The Jersey Stakes & Wokingham Stakes
• The Panel: Three Selections for Saturday At Royal Ascot

For today's horse racing tips, our knowledgeable tipsters on The Panel, stacked with experts from Gambling.com, focus their attention on Day Five of the Royal Ascot Festival which features tips and analysis from Donn McClean and Tanya Stevenson.

As always, you’ll find the most up-to-date odds at the best horse racing betting sites. 

Please remember, The Panel's predictions are researched early in the day and prices could change but odds stated are correct at the time of publishing.

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Donn McClean's Angle

Shartash Of Interest In Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes  (15:45)

Shartash is a fascinating contender for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot on Saturday.

A son of Invincible Spirit, he was a high-class juvenile two seasons ago when he was with Johnny Murtagh.  He won the Group 2 Railway Stakes that year, and he ran big races in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh and in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.

He didn’t win last season, but he won on his debut this season, his first run for Archie Watson, his first run since being gelded.  He was impressive in winning, a strong conditions race at Thirsk on soft ground and stepped up to seven furlongs again.

He was good last time too, again over seven furlongs but on fast ground at Haydock, and stepped up in grade into a listed contest.  

He showed a fine turn of foot to settle the race as a contest, before being closed down late on by Pogo, and the form of that race has since been enhanced by the second and the third.

He is back down in trip again now, to six furlongs, and he is up in grade, but he could be up to the task.  He has bags of pace, he gets seven furlongs all right, but he has pace over seven furlongs, you wouldn’t say that he needs to go up to a mile.  

It is difficult to watch the listed race at Haydock last time, for example, and conclude that he couldn't be effective again over six furlongs.  You could easily argue that he shapes as if he could improve for a drop down in trip. 

Ascot’s stiff six furlongs could be ideal.

There are lots of dangers in what is a really open-looking Group 1 race.  Mill Stream did well to win the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes last time, for all that you would have liked to have seen the race work out a little bit better than it has so far.  

Mitbaahy was delivered late by Jamie Spencer to land the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh last time, and Khaadem won this race last year at a big price, also under Jamie Spencer.  Charlie Hills’ horse hasn’t won since, but we know that he goes well here and under these conditions.  

Believing was a good winner of the Achilles Stakes at Haydock on her penultimate run, and she ran well in the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot on Tuesday, but she may be better over five furlongs now than she is over six.  

Kinross would be a big player if we got a drop of rain, Washington Heights is interesting dropping down to five furlongs, Shouldvebeenaring would be of interest if he could bounce back to his best.

Lots of contenders, but Shartash is the most interesting on a day on which and in a race in which he could prove himself to be a top-class sprinter.

Tanya Stevenson's Tip For The Jersey Stakes (16:25) - Haatem 

The Jersey Stakes is a test of strength and speed, they will go flat out as soon as the stalls open.  

Although Group 3 don’t let that mask the fact it is full of Group 1 & 2 horses its just that tricky distance which is not catered for properly.  

This year's renewal has been decided as the target for Haatem who could well have gone to the St James’s Palace Stakes over a mile on Tuesday.  

That though would have meant a rematch with stable companion Rosallion. 

Instead, this was mapped out well beforehand, he drops down from a mile to seven furlongs which will hopefully mean he can have a little extra strength to last home.

His performance in the Craven resonates, it was so decisive so authoritative ahead of Eben Shaddad, one of the runners he is set to reoppose.  

While that rival disappeared to the French 2000 Guineas to be seventh, Haatem was gallant in defeat in the 2000 Guineas, then went on to go down by just a head to Rosallion at the Curragh. 

In the Irish 2000 Guineas Haatem was a length clear of River Tiber.  Many will rightly point out that in the Coventry last year River Tiber was victorious with Haatem just under three lengths behind in fifth.  

Haatem of 2024 is tough, tenacious and gives his all I just hope that is enough to land him his much-deserved success.

Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 16:25 At Royal Ascot - Haatem

Tanya Stevenson's Tip For The Wokingham Stakes (17:05) - Rumstar

To have a touch of class already in the big Ascot handicaps is an enormous help.  Twelve months ago, Rumstar was fifth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, albeit 80-1 he still ran with huge credit only beaten 2 ½ lengths behind Shaquille and Little Big Bear.  

His performance at the time went unnoticed and he further disappeared to obscurity when sixth in the Hackwood Stakes.  He had the likes of Commanche Falls and Diligent Harry ahead and Annan, Mitbaahy and Shouldvebeenaring behind. 

He then promptly unseated Rhys Clutterbuck as soon as the stalls opened in the Stewards Cup.  Then interestingly he was allowed to run in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.  

He raced too keenly for four furlongs and thus it was no surprise that he faded out.  That again was Group 1.  His final race of the season was in the Bengough Stakes, Group 3, he was slightly hampered and was only beaten 3 lengths.

He returned this season to run on heavy ground at Bath where he promptly finished last, which at the time may have left trainer Jonathan Portman pulling his hair out but it was over five and most in the race have won at least once since.  

Back on his favoured ground and distance he conceded eleven pounds to Lethal Levi and was only beaten a length and a half.  That run should have put him spot on for the Wokingham.

 Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 17:05 At Royal Ascot - Rumstar

15:05 Ascot: The Panel Selection - Middle Earth

Middle Earth is a son of Roaring Lion,already on the sire board this week after Running Lion's victory on Wednesday. 

It is a family that means a lot to connections. John Gosden trained him and he was instrumental in the career of Oisin Murphy when winning three Group 1s in a stellar 3yo career. 

Retired to stud he died tragically just a year later. Middle Earth has been progressive, has won a Group 3 and though flopping in the St Leger, won by Continuous who reopposes today.

He sweated up that day and never gave his running. Back over 12f on firmer ground he can turn the tables on the Leger winner.

15:45 Ascot: The Panel Selection - Quinault 

The Group 1 Jubilee Stakes has thrown up some long-price winners in recent years and it’s worth an each-way investment on Quinault at early prices. 

The gelded son of Oasis Dream had an incredible season last year winning six races on the bounce over 6 furlongs before winning a 7f handicap here in September. 

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He ran an eye-catching race in a Group 3 over 7f last time out and back to 6f on the firm ground he loves he has a better chance than the market suggests. 

Uncomplicated, he will blast from the gate and should give an excellent account under Richard Kingscote for Stuart Williams.

17:05 Ascot: The Panel Selection - Apollo One

A wide open sprint handicap and maybe Apollo One can finally grab one of the big ones after finishing second in this last year before occupying the same position in the Stewards Cup. 

Admirably consistent, he gets no respite from the handicapper but is always competitive and under Richard Kingscote, who has won on him and knows the horse well, today may be his big day. 

In a maximum field some bookmakers will be paying first six places and an each-way play is the order of the day.

Suggested Staking Plan For The Panel Selections

• 145:05 Royal Ascot 1pt WIN:  Middle Earth
• 15:45 Royal Ascot 1pt WIN:  Quinault
• 17:05 Royal Ascot 1pt WIN:  Apollo One

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