The Ascot Stakes

ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 19: Jimmy Fortune and Full House (L) get the better of the Hugh Bowman ridden Som Tala (C) and Luke Morris partnered Juniper Girl to land The Ascot Stakes Race run at Ascot Racecourse during the First day of The Royal Meeting held at the Berkshire track on June 19, 2007, in Ascot, England. (Photo by Julian Herbert/Getty Images)

The Ascot Stakes is the penultimate race of the first day of racing at the Royal Ascot meeting. Easily the longest race of the first day, the 2008 Ascot Stakes will be run at 4:55pm on Tuesday the 20th of June.

First run in 1840, the Ascot Stakes is one of the first handicap races of the Royal Ascot meeting. The Class 2 handicap race is run over almost two circuits of the Ascot flat racing course, and requires winning jockeys to be able to pace their charges to perfection.

The Ascot Stakes is open to horses aged four and older, running an exact distance of four miles, two furlongs. The race boasts one of the largest fields at the Royal Ascot meeting, and is a favourite amongst punters for the high odds on offer.

Ascot Stakes Winners

Full House is the current Ascot Stakes winners' title holder, having claimed the 2007 Ascot Stakes at 20/1 odds, after coming in fourth place during the 2006 race at 16/1 odds. In 2006 Ascot Stakes winner Baddom caused a sensation when he defied 33-1 odds to take the race - making him one of the longest-odds winners of the entire 2006 Royal Ascot meeting.

Since the turn of the century only one jockey has managed to achieve more than a single Ascot Stakes winners' title. Controversial Ireland-based jockey Kieran Fallon won two consecutive Ascot Stakes winners' titles in 2001 and 2002.

Legendary national hunt trainer Martin Pipe has made his presence felt in the Ascot Stakes over recent years, having trained Ascot Stakes winners Riyadh and Sindapour in 2002 and 2003.

Ascot Stakes Betting

Although the Ascot Stakes prize fund is easily dwarfed by the bigger Group 1 races of the day, it remains a favourite amongst punters wishing to exploit some of day one's best odds. Ascot Stakes betting trends show that short-odds favourites have rarely gone on to win the race in recent years, which means picking the clear favourite according to the Ascot Stakes betting markets rarely yields dividends.

A good Ascot Stakes betting tip is to look out for the horses of trainers active in national hunt racing. These trainers are more familiar with the type of distance run in the Ascot Stakes and the tactical nuances of long distance horse racing.

For live horse race betting and daily special offers we recommend William Hill.