Norfolk Stakes betting tips from Royal Ascot 2018 given by Horsebetting.com experts say back Vintage Brut to win the 5f Group 2 sprint for two-year-olds on Thursday, 21 June. American juvenile raider Shang Shang Shang is a danger, while there’s each-way value to be hand on Land Force for champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien. Learn more in our 2018 Norfolk Stakes betting tips preview.
Vintage Brut the Norfolk Stakes betVintage Brut brings winning form in Listed company to the 5f Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot on Thursday, 21 June (14:30) for Yorkshire trainer Tim Easterby, so rates a solid bet to make a successful step up in class for this juvenile sprint contest.
After outrunning massive odds of 25/1 to win impressively by seven lengths on debut at Thirsk back in April, Vintage Brut followed up with a game neck success at Sandown last month.
Jockey David Allan squeezed him through into contention when switching off the rail and making progress around the furlong marker and drove his mount out to lead inside the last 100 yards. Vintage Brut then held on well to beat previous all-weather winner Sabre.
The nature of his two career victories to date could hardly be more different. Vintage Brut was produced to lead at just the right time at Sandown in the National Stakes, while his earlier success was facile.
After just those couple of outings he remains open to infinitely more progress, while another plus is the son of Dick Turpin has posted wins going both ways. That Sandown showing is evidence that a right-handed, galloping and testing track over the flying five furlongs suits Vintage Brut.
There is simply nothing not to like about his profile for a race that does admittedly contain some unexposed sorts. Vintage Brut should confirm the form with National Stakes third Konchek, who has half-a-length to find re-opposing on the same terms.
Shang Shang Shang respectedAnything sent over the from USA by crack American trainer Wes Ward for two-year-old races at Royal Ascot commands respect, and Shang Shang Shang is his Norfolk Stakes representative this year.
Connections won this race in 2013 with colt No Way Never, but it’s a filly that benefits from receiving 3lb from the boys that comes across the Atlantic this time. Shang Shang Shang scored on debut at Keeneland when comfortably making all in a dirt race.
She pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear of stablemate Moonlight Romance, who has advertised the form by winning next time out at Belmont Park by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths and could also race at Royal Ascot 2018 in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
Shang Shang Shang could simply be anything. Despite making just one career start, she’s clearly feared by the bookies who installed her as the ante post favourite for this race as soon as connections made their intentions clear.
The weight she gets from the colts could prove key to her hopes, but this is a big step up from a three-runner race. While Shang Shang Shang is respected, she looks short in the betting for what she’s achieved so far and the value bets lies elsewhere.
Land Force looks to have each-way claimsAidan O’Brien has trained two of the last three Norfolk Stakes winners, so his entrant Land Force should go well from those at bigger prices in this year’s renewal.
This juvenile is a 6f winner on his second start that was then pitched into Listed company over the same course and distance at The Curragh, but he could only chase home stablemates Fairyland and Van Beethoven as a 2 1/2 lengths third in the Marble Hill Stakes.
We could see both of those Ballydoyle horses in other Royal Ascot races, so how the form works out will be interesting. Land Force’s profile at this stage is arguably just as good if not better than recent O’Brien winners of the Norfolk, Sioux Nation and Waterloo Bridge.
Given how he weakened last time out, dropping back in trip to the minimum distance in this should suit. Land Force each-way is thus not without merit among 2018 Norfolk Stakes betting tips.
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