Horse Racing Tips: Paddy Power’s epic Royal Ascot Cheat Sheet for Day 5

I’m with LA GUARIDA for Richard Hannon with Kevin Stott on board. I was really impressed with her last time out when winning at Goodwood and I think stall 17 could actually be an advantage.

PEARLS AND RUBIES won over the minimum trip at Navan staying on really well to get on top. She will be much sharper for that and going up to 7f here should not be a problem.

MATNOOKH was a massive eyecatcher on his racecourse debut at Windsor after being slowly away over a furlong shorter. Wasn’t given a hard time and finished hard on the bridle for 3rd.

I’ll be hoping Ryan Moore is on the wrong one here as it’s CONTENT for me. Wasn’t strong in the market on debut but ran on really strongly and there might be much more to come.

PEARLS AND RUBIES is a very exciting filly who can land this for Aidan O’Brien. Oozed class when overcoming inexperience to make a winning start at Navan and sure to improve.

Not sure about those at the top of the market and I like THUNDERBEAR and Streets Of Gold. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing the latter but Thunderbear represents value.

QUAR SHAMAR ran a very good race in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the drop back to 7f will not be a problem. He’s big each way price but I feel has a very good chance in what is an open race.

HOLLOWAY BOY’s (each way) form from last season is rock solid, including a course and distance success, and he has chased home some very decent types since including the Derby and 2000 Guineas winner.

HOLLOWAY BOY (each way) startled everyone with a 40-1 success here last year in the Chesham. After that he ran well in defeat behind Marbaan at Goodwood and Auguste Rodin at Doncaster.

COVEY marked himself down as a pattern-class performer in the making when blowing apart a competitive Haydock handicap in a good time. He’s expected to make a bold bid to make it 4 wins from 5 starts.

I’m on the American runner BIG INVASION for Christophe Clement. He beat Cadamosto at Saratoga last year and I fancy him to pull off another impressive win.

You would have to say HIGHFIELD PRINCESS was a little unlucky on Tuesday being hampered close to home. Equally as good over 6f and the only concern is the quick turnaround.

WELLINGTON’s a top-rated sprinter in Hong Kong and that is a particularly tough ballpark. From the ratings perspective, and with Ryan Moore up on top, they could well take the prize East.

A huge chance for the Australians with ARTORIUS under the brilliant James McDonald. He’s not world class, but he’s very good and was third in a huge field for this twelve months ago.

With conditions likely to be on the quick side, ARTORIUS makes the most appeal. He was a strong-finishing third in this race last year and looked better than ever when winning a Group 1 at Randwick in March.

I’m going to go against Hukum and I’m on DEAUVILLE LEGEND. He’s won a couple of Group races and he was fourth in the Melbourne Cup last year. He’s got solid form too.

HUKUM is smart on his day and is really versatile ground wise. He just gets the nod over Pyledriver who loves Ascot.

It’s great to see the old boy PYLEDRIVER back and the hope is he’s fit and ready to go from 336 days away from the track. Hukum has a fitness edge but ratings tell you there is very little between them.

Hukum is the one to beat but I’m happy to back DEAUVILLE LEGEND each way here. My selection stays this trip very well and will be ridden off the pace so is one to pick up pieces.

FREE WIND’s Middleton Stakes form received a boost when the runner-up took the Duke of Cambridge and can now mark herself down as a contender for top honours in the second half of this season by claiming this.

I’ve landed on KHANJAR. He’s in stall 24 and he ran well on his last start at Hamilton when finishing second. He’s got a good chance and, if he breaks better, he’s in with a real shout.

FRESH loves Ascot and Danny Tudhope has such a good record on the straight course at this track. He is weighted similar to when winning twice here last year.

One each way from either side of the track. FRESH looked to have a nice pipe opener over a furlong longer last time. TABDEED has never quite fulfilled his potential, yet he looks on a realistic mark and he’s drawn high.

FRESH (each way) will surely be primed for a big run again at this track. Most of you will know Fresh loves this course and and he landed the International here in 2022.

ORAZIO has looked a colt destined for pattern company this season and remains ahead of the handicapper despite being hit with a 9 lb rise for his impressive C&D success so gets the vote.

I’m not major on anything in this race but I’ll side with LION OF WAR. Oisin Murphy has given a few brilliant rides this week and I don’t mind him being in stall 17 over 10f.

The horses that finished in front of HAVE SECRET in the London Gold Cup have all performed very well at Ascot this week. That is a very strong piece of form.

We will need a bit of luck for the first selection ZIRYAB to get in. This could be Frankie Dettori’s final ride at the meeting and he looks to have got in on a very lenient looking 88.

The other Gosden runner OBLELIX rates a major each-way play as he has been gelded, is stepping up in distance, and is back on turf.

KNOCKBREX is interesting here for Charlie Johnston. The lightly raced son of Ulysses has been running over a bit further and looked as though he would love this trip when weakening last time.

KNOCKBREX might just be up to providing the fairytale ending for Frankie Dettori at Ascot. Early-season novice form is strong and the drop down to 1m2f will suit.

I’m most interested in RUN FOR OSCAR, who was the runaway winner of the Cesarewitch last season. He’s had a prep run for this and he will be ready to go.

I think DAWN RISING, who is the mount of Ryan Moore, has to be the one to round off this fantastic meeting in style. It was a decent run at Leopardstown last time out and looks all set to score.

The last time we saw him on the level RUN FOR OSCAR was an easy winner of the Cesarewitch. He wasn’t stopping at the finish and this extreme distance will bring his unlimited stamina into play.

Stratum will be all the rage but it’s the Cesarewitch hero RUN FOR OSCAR I want to be on. This is much tougher than scoring at Newmarket off a mark of 90 but he’s a classy hurdler and stays well.

DAWN RISING has displayed plenty of talent over hurdles and is firmly expected to improve for this longer trip, so he takes marginal preference over Stratum.