With no Queen and no crowds, Royal Ascot 2020 was a Royal meeting like no other. Read on as a we take a look back at the highlights of the week in our Royal Ascot 2020 review, including some big wins for our BetConnect Pros!
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Day One
Royal Ascot got underway with seven cracking contests on Day One. The first race of the festival went to Motakhayyel in the Buckingham Palace Handicap. Jim Crowley was on board the 14/1 shot and went on to complete a 118/1 opening day treble on Nazeef and Baattash. The latter cruised to victory in the King’s Stand Stakes after finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2019.
The first big win for one of our Pros came in the Ribblesdale Stakes with £5,000 matched on Frankly Darling at 6/4. The daughter of Frankel made light work of a step up in class and distance to record a convincing victory under Frankie Dettori and a 50th Royal Ascot success for John Gosden.
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Day Two
The Queen may have missed Royal Ascot for the first time in her 68-year reign but at least she had a winner to celebrate on Day Two of the festival. Tactical won the Windsor Castle Stakes to give Her Majesty a first Royal Ascot success since 2016. That win was one half of a double for jockey James Doyle after his win on board Lord North earlier in the day.
Talking of doubles, there was joy for one BetConnect Pro who had over £15,000 combined matched on Lord North and Dark Vision at 13/2 and 7/1 respectively to land back-to-back winners and a huge return.
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Day Three
The Gold Cup headlined Day Three of the festival and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Stradivarius produced a scintillating performance to become just the third horse to claim three successive Gold Cups at Royal Ascot. He destroyed the field to romp home by an incredible 10 lengths under Frankie Dettori.
Nearly 1.8 million people tuned in to watch Hayley Turner secure back-to-back Sandringham successes in the final race of the day – the best Royal Ascot viewing figures on terrestrial TV since 2012.
Meanwhile a BetConnect Pro won big in the Jersey Stakes with £4,200 fully matched on Molatham at 15/2. Molatham eventually went off at 11/2, rallying well to beat Monarch Of Egypt and land our Pro a cool £31,500.
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Day Four
Golden Horde took the feature race on Day Four, ridden to victory by Adam Kirby in the Group one Commonwealth Cup. It was also a landmark day for Frankie Dettori, who celebrated his 70th Royal Ascot success on board Fanny Logan in the Hardwicke stakes.
The Lir Jet made it two wins from two starts in the Norfolk Stakes under a strong ride from Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy. That result returned more than £35,000 for one BetConnect Pro, who had £6,500 fully matched on The Lir Jet at 9/2.
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Day Five
A bumper Royal Ascot 2020 came to a close with a massive eight-race card on Day Five. We saw the biggest winning SP in the meeting’s history when Nando Parrado, a 150/1 outsider, stunned his rivals in the Coventry. Well done to anyone who managed to pick that one out!
Frankie Dettori meanwhile, landed an incredible 150/1 treble to pip Jim Crowley to the title of top jockey. Campanelle, the first of his three final-day winners, was backed by a BetConnect Pro at 6/1 to return £46,000. Alpine Star and Palace Pier went on to complete Dettori’s hat-trick in the Coronation and St James’s Stakes respectively.
Royal Ascot 2020 review: Most backed horses and races
In terms of stakes matched, these were the most backed horses and races of the week on BetConnect:
Horses
- Collide (6/1)
Copper Horse Stakes (17-06-20)
Place: 7th
- Verdana Blue (4/1 f)
Ascot Stakes (16-06-20)
Place: 2nd
- Campanelle (9/2)
Queen Mary Stakes (20-06-20)
Place: 1st
- Quadrilateral (2/1 f)
Coronation Stakes (20-06-20)
Place: 3rd
- Bielsa (5/1 f)
Wokingham Stakes (20-06-20)
Place: 19th
Races
- 17-06-20 16:40
The Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap)
Winner: Fujaira Prince (3/1 f)
- 16-06-20 16:40
The Ascot Stakes (Handicap)
Winner: Coeur de Lion (16/1)
- 16-06-20 16:10
The Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
Winner: Nazeef (10/3)
- 06-20-20 16:10
The Wokingham Stakes (Handicap)
Winner: Hey Jonesy (18/1)
- 06-20-20 13:15
The Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)
Winner: Campanelle (9/2)
Racing is back! Get your selections on with BetConnect
So that brings our review of Royal Ascot 2020 to an end. Despite the unusual circumstances, what a week it was! Racing is well and truly back, and, as Ascot proved, BetConnect is the perfect place to get your selections on at best bookie prices with no restrictions. Click here to create your account today or alternatively you can find more information in our How it Works section.
