'This equine Jekyll and Hyde has been backed to gain revenge' - bookmakers reveal their biggest Royal Ascot liabilities

With Royal Ascot rapidly approaching, leading bookmakers reveal their biggest ante-post concerns for one of the biggest betting weeks of the year.

Betfair: 'White Birch has been very well supported'

It looks a vintage renewal of the St James's Palace Stakes on Tuesday and Darlinghurst has been a springer in the ante-post market, having been backed into 13-2 from 14-1 for his young French trainer Jerome Reynier.

In the Prince of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday, White Birch has been very well supported to confirm Tattersalls Gold Cup form with Auguste Rodin. He’s 9-4 from 4-1.

It appears Gold Cup favourite Kyprios will be the only odds-on chance of the week and he will be the anchor tenant in most multiple bets. The 2022 winner is currently not a loser but is sure to be a pivotal horse for the Sportsbook on Thursday.
Barry Orr

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Betfred: 'Tuesday will have a big bearing on the week'

With Frankie Dettori declaring he won't be in the saddle at this year's Royal Ascot, we as layers have breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Our biggest liability for the week is Vandeek in the Commonwealth Cup. Despite him losing his unbeaten record in the Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes, punters clearly saw enough in his return to suggest he is the one for them in Friday's Group 1. Of the rest, Tuesday's big-race market leaders have taken a large proportion of money.

Vandeek: third on last month's Haydock reappearanceCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

A few fingers have been burnt with the pending switch of Inspiral to Wednesday’s feature Prince of Wales's Stakes from Tuesday’s opener, but other opening day market leaders have taken a large proportion of money. 

Big Evs has been in demand and will be popular should he win the King Charles III Stakes and unbeaten Guineas hero Notable Speech has also been warm for the St James's Palace. At this rate, Tuesday will have a big bearing on the week.
Matt Hulmes

BoyleSports: 'Thursday could make or break the week'

With a matter of days to go to Royal Ascot, the countdown is firmly on as our liabilities begin to build.

If the favourites start hitting the winner's enclosure early it could be a long five days. Thursday could make or break the week for bookies and punters, with Kyprios lining up in the Gold Cup.
Brian O'Keeffe

bet365: 'Our biggest loser is Opera Singer in Coronation'

We'll start the meeting with no major liabilities. Our biggest loser at present is Opera Singer in the Coronation Stakes, having laid plenty of 5-1 and 4-1 about the favourite.

Opera Singer: third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her seasonal returnCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

It will feel strange not having to worry about Frankie Dettori multiples each day, but it's pretty clear this season, certainly in the Group 1 races, that Ryan Moore is going to be our new five-day headache. He'll be hard to keep out of the winner's enclosure, but we hope he doesn't threaten to go through the card on any day, as Frankie looked like doing on Gold Cup day in 2019.

Moore apart, I think Big Evs on the opening day will be a key runner. He's been a very well supported horse in recent starts and will be popular in the market again. Also on Tuesday, Notable Speech will feature in many accumulators in the St James's Palace Stakes. If we get both Big Evs and Notable Speech beaten, I'd like to think we'd be in front after day one.
Pat Cooney

Coral: 'A Kyprios victory in the Gold Cup would be costly'

It's going to be a strange royal meeting without Frankie Dettori in the saddle. He's caused us a few nervous moments over the years, but we have no such worries this time around.

If there's one rider who could fill the gap left by the Italian, it's Ryan Moore. He's sure to have a strong book of rides that punters follow closely. Kyprios could well be the best-backed of them. The top stayer is already odds-on for the Gold Cup and victory for the pair in the biggest betting race of the week would be costly.

Kyprios: (left) beats Mojo Star (centre) and Stradivarius to win the 2022 Gold CupCredit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

Auguste Rodin is another Ballydoyle runner to shorten up ante-post. This equine Jekyll and Hyde has been backed to gain revenge on his Tattersalls Gold Cup conqueror White Birch in Wednesday's Prince of Wales's. On the juvenile front, Camille Pissarro and Whistlejacket have attracted support for the Coventry and Norfolk respectively.

Elsewhere, Big Evs would be a popular winner of the King Charles III Stakes and Coeur D'Or looks worth a second glance in the Royal Hunt Cup for top-class operator Dermot Weld.
David Stevens

Ladbrokes: 'Caius Chorister is a bad result in the Gold Cup'

It's going to be a very different Royal Ascot without Frankie Dettori and the terrifying multiples that haunted us for years. However, the powerful team of Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien is sure to cause us a few headaches, with punters expected to latch on to the pair wherever they go.

Gold Cup favourite Kyprios is the banker of the week and one we will be hoping can get turned over. Although, Caius Chorister is also a bad result in that race after owner Clive Washbourn's bullish comments in the media.

Clive Washbourn (right): owner's Caius Chorister well supported for the Gold CupCredit: Alisha Meeder

Others that have us on high alert include Norfolk Stakes favourite Whistlejacket. His brother Little Big Bear was smashed up when winning the Windsor Castle Stakes in 2022 and it would be no surprise if lightning strikes twice.
Nicola McGeady

Paddy Power: 'We're expecting plenty of double trouble on them'

Last year five of the top ten Flat races by turnover were at the royal extravaganza, so it's obviously a hugely important week for us.

The first day has the odds boffins at Power Tower a little concerned with Carlow conjuror Willie Mullins having the two favourites in My Lyka and Belloccio in the staying races at juicy enough prices, so we're expecting plenty of double trouble on them.

Willie Mullins: trainer has the ante-post favourites in the Ascot Stakes and Copper Horse HandicapCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Aidan O'Brien's Whistlejacket will also be popular on the opening day and could turn those doubles into treble trepidation. The same trainer's Kyprios will be many people's idea of a banker on the Thursday, combined in thousands of multiples.

The boffins will sleep a little easier without Frankie Dettori booting home winners galore this year, but that still won't stop us building up big liabilities on the main trainers and jockeys throughout the week.
Paul Binfield

Sky Bet: 'Whistlejacket in the Norfolk is our biggest liability'

Despite no Frankie Dettori this year, Inspiral in the Queen Anne is among the worst results. We went 11-2 after her disappointing run in the Lockinge, but she's been particularly well supported into 5-2 favourite. We suspect our customers will be hoping the rain stays away to increase her chances.

Whistlejacket: favourite for the Norfolk StakesCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

From the two-year-old races, Whistlejacket in the Norfolk is our biggest liability, having had a form boost with Arizona Blaze taking a Group 3 at the Curragh.

In the feature race of the week, popular figure Clive Washbourn owns Gold Cup hope Caius Chorister. His infectious enthusiasm has certainly caught on,as the horse he bred has proved very popular and is one of our worst ante-post losers for the week.
Michael Shinners

William Hill: 'Vandeek would be our worst result of the week'

There are a few gambles taking shape ahead of Royal Ascot next week, and one horse we’ve seen very strong support for in the last few days is Francisco’s Piece, whose price has collapsed from 25-1 into 8-1 for the Coventry. 

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Henry Longfellow is the one for money at 3-1 from 11-2 in a fascinating St James’s Palace Stakes. Torito has also been well backed into 4-1 from 7-1 for the Wolferton on the opening day's card.

The unexposed Summer Of Love is a big mover in the Kensington Palace, now at 6-1 having been 10-1 earlier in the week.

Vandeek is definitely one we have our eyes on and would be our worst result of the week were he to bounce back and win the Commonwealth Cup, while Kyprios winning the Gold Cup would also hit us hard.
Lee Phelps

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