Royal Ascot tips: Bellum Justum and Caviar Heights carry each-way hopes in Hampton Court Stakes

17:40 Royal Ascot: Hampton Court Stakes

• Race details: 1 mile 2 furlongs, Group 3, 3-year-olds only
• 2023 winner: Waipiro (7/1) - Tom Marquand (J), Ed Walker (T)
• Recent Trends: 18/21 winners priced 8/1 or lower, 7 winning favourites (9 unplaced)

William Buick will be looking to add to his Royal Ascot tally on board the strongly-fancied King’s Gambit, who opened his account in a Newbury maiden last summer, and then was only a head behind reopposing rival Bracken’s Laugh at Newbury a month later.

The handicapper was made to look foolish when Harry Charlton’s colt kicked off his three-year-old campaign by romping his handicap debut by four lengths off a clearly inadequate mark, and he looks to have a bright future ahead as he tackles pattern company for the first time.

Planet Sport Bet Royal Ascot Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if King’s Gambit wins by more than 2.5 lengths, get a £5 Free Bet!

One negative for the favourite is that all of his runs have come at Newbury and this first assault on less familiar and arguably more testing territory could open the door for other capable contenders to pounce, should the favourite falter.

We backed Bellum Justum for the Epsom Derby three weeks ago, and while he was not equipped to deal with the step up in Grade that day, he was far from disgraced in having more rivals behind him than ahead of him in such esteemed company.

This drop down to Group 3 company should suit, and should allow him to replicate the performances that earned him consecutive wins at Newmarket and Epsom either side of his seven-month winter break.

In-form jockey Oisin Murphy is again in the pilot seat and should be able to manoeuvre his mount into a much more competitive position in a race of this nature.

Suggested bet:  Bellum Justum each-way the 17:40 at Royal Ascot

• Tip advised by PicknTips Selections on Tipstrr

Elsewhere, it’s worth noting that Tipstrr’s each-way aficionados are all over Caviar Heights, who coincidentally was also part of the Balding/Murphy team in his juvenile season, which included an eye-catching maiden success at Goodwood in September.

He has since changed hands to come under the wing of Karl Burke, and their joint efforts were quickly rewarded with a promising third of nine in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April, before going two better at the same venue three weeks later, landing the Newmarket Stakes by a cosy four lengths.

He was almost literally not at the races when last seen in the Dante Stakes at York, perhaps with three quickfire outings taking their toll, but with a longer five-week break now behind him , he could well be freshened up to carry Clifford Lee into the four-place frame at a tasty each-way price.

Suggested bet: Caviar Heights each-way in the 17:40 at Royal Ascot

• Tip advised by OutsiderSpeedPicks on Tipstrr

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