ITV Racing tips: Royal Ascot – Matt Chapman’s selections for Day 3 of royal meeting on ITV

TWO down, three days to go. And this afternoon it’s the big one, the Ascot Gold Cup.

I can’t wait, as we should enjoy a tactical battle to savour in the main event. More on the Gold Cup shortly.

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But let’s get into the action race by race, and Thursday kicks off with the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes for Juveniles over 5f.

The US-trained SHANG SHANG SHANG can destroy this lot for Wesley Ward.

My hope was an easy winner at Keeneland first time and tghe runner-up, also trained by Ward, went on to win by nearly 6l at Belmont Park. Form looks solid and far from an amazing renewal.

Next it’s the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over nearly 1m2f.

HUNTING HORN looks a fabulous each-way selection here. He’s got a rating to give him every chance for Aidan O’Brien and his sixth place in the French Derby was far from a disgrace.

At 3.40pm we can look forward to the Group 2 Ribblesdale over an extended 1m3f. I wasn’t sure Wild Illusion got home in the Oaks and am a bit surprised she has not been dropped to 1m2f.

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Obviously O’Brien’s MAGIC WAND was further behind at Epsom, but I don’t feel stamina was the problem on that occasion, I suspect she simply didn’t run her race.

Fingers crossed she comes back to what she did to the Oaks winner at Chester.

The big race of the day is at 4.20pm, with the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup over just about 2m4f.

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Many see this as a two horse race with former winner Order of St George and young pretender Stradivarius.

There is no doubt the former is a star stayer while John Gosden’s runner quickened up really well at York last time which is something not many stayers manage to do.

However, the one to back each-way is VAZIRABAD. He will be ridden cold by Christophe Soumillon and when I spoke to him earlier in the week he was very confident.

Matt Chapman's Royal Ascot tips

2.30 Ascot - Shang Shang Shang: 'Should be too good for this lot after six-length demolotion job in America'

3.05 Ascot - Hunting Horn: 'Far from disgraced in the French Derby and looks a good each-way chance'

3.40 Ascot - Magic Wand: 'Hopefully she can bounce back to her Chester form, if she does she has a huge chance'

4.20 Ascot - Vazirabad: 'Has a huge place chance and jockey Christophe Soumillion is very confident!'

5.00 Ascot - Sam Gold: 'Cheekpieces on today and could bring about even more improvement from him'

5.35 Ascot - Corgi: 'Will have no problems going back up in trip and his maiden form is decent'

That pleased me as I thought the ground would be too fast for him to run to his best, but the jockey is not concerned about that at all and of course he has won in Dubai. Come on super Soumi Soumillon.

The penultimate race on the card is the Britannia Handicap over 1m at 5.00pm.

The improver here might be SAM GOLD, who is up 5lb for bolting in at Doncaster last time. Trainer Roger Varian now puts cheekpieces on and that might bring out more improvement.

Finally it’s the King George V Stakes over nearly 1m4f at 5.35pm. Hughie Morrison did me a favour when Marmelo won at York the other day and his CORGI might have very chance to toy with this lot!

He dropped back to 1m2f last time and stayed on really well so going back up in trip will be no problem. He has some decent maiden form with Young Rascal.

So best of luck once again on Day 3 and hope for Yeeehaaas. You Betcha!