Royal Ascot Festival 2023 Day 1 Tips: Back Modern Games in the Queen Anne Stakes

With the commencement of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, we are ready for an exhilarating stretch of five days filled with thrilling flat racing action. Our dedicated racing enthusiast, Izzy Phillips, has shared her insightful selections for the day's events. 

14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) 

Selection: Modern Games

Although Modern Games didn’t have the beating of Bayside Boy he had Inspiral in behind at Ascot in October (when Inspiral fell out of the stalls). We haven’t seen Inspiral since but we have seen Modern Games and he’s looked very impressive. With his last run in the Lockinge at Newbury he had a number of these in behind and dispelled any concerns about his liking of a straight mile. Charlie Appleby is on a good strike rate of 29% and I think Modern Games will be adding to that in the first race on the first day of the Royal meeting.

15:40 King's Stand Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series)

Selection: Dramatised

Dramatised beat a number of these at Haydock last time out. She’s a very fast horse and she has form at the Royal meeting having won the Queen Mary Stakes last year. The Karl Burke operation is in decent form so she’d be my choice here.

16:20 St James's Palace Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) 

Selection: Chaldean

The two Guineas winners Chaldean and Paddington look set to fight this one out. After that dramatic unseat at Newbury in April I stuck with Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas and I was so impressed by his performance. I don’t think there’s a lot between Paddington and Chaldean; even both trainers O’Brien and Balding are on a similar strike rate. It’s as much a feeling as it is a form choice that I think Chaldean will take this.

17:00 Ascot Stakes (Heritage Handicap)

Selection: Bring on the Night

Jump trainers are at the top of the market in this. Willie Mullins runs Bring on the Night who hasn’t been seen since he was 2nd in this last year. He has been lightly campaigned and I have no concerns about him coming back from a break, he has an excellent record fresh having previously returned a winner after a 21-month absence from May 2020 - February 2022. I think he should be able to go one better this year and continue Mullins's dominance at big meetings.