Newsboy's horseracing tips and 1-2-3 for every race at Royal Ascot on Tuesday

2.30 - Queen Anne Stakes

FACTEUR CHEVAL is fancied to give France a fourth victory in Royal Ascot ’s curtain-raiser since the turn of the millennium.

Trained by rising star Jérôme Reynier, Facteur Cheval - my selection’s sire Ribchester won this race seven years ago - made the podium on his first four attempts in Group 1 company, including a six-length second to Big Rock in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes here last October.

But the Marseille raider put up a personal best to score at the highest level when having his first start as a five-year-old at Meydan in March.

Sent off at an industry SP of 20-1 for the Dubai Turf over a mile and a furlong, Facteur Cheval could be noted travelling strongly in the hands of Maxime Guyon as the 16 runners turned for home.

Once asked for his effort, he produced a willing response to beat Japanese challenger Namur by a short head, and a reproduction of that effort - never mind an improvement from it - puts Facteur Cheval firmly in the mix.

Audience and Charyn , split by a length and three-quarters in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month, have podium claims, while Docklands makes appeal at longer odds.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 FACTEUR CHEVAL 2 CHARYN 3 DOCKLANDS

3.05 - Coventry Stakes

COWARDOFTHECOUNTY impressed at the Curragh on his debut and receives the vote to remain unbeaten.

Joseph O’Brien saddled the son of Kodi Bear against even-money favourite Whistlejacket, for a six-furlong maiden on April 21.

Not unbacked at 17-2, Cowardofthecounty upset the hotpot - and in some style.

Racing midpack in the 11-runner line-up, Dylan Browne McMonagle’s partner made progress toward the leaders running to the final quarter mile, striking the front inside the final furlong before striding away powerfully to hold Whistlejacket by two and a half lengths.

That form looks good - the runner-up, trained by O’Brien’s father Aidan, went one better with a Listed success at the same track next time and now heads the market for Thursday’s Norfolk Stakes.

A stack of progress can be expected from this promising youngster’s first to second start, and Cowardofthecounty has strong claims of giving his rider the first Royal Ascot triumph of his going-places career.

The Actor , Arran and Andesite are just three two-year-olds with bright futures ahead of them who are capable of making their presence felt.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 COWARDOFTHECOUNTY, 2 THE ACTOR, 3 ANDESITE

Kerdos (left); winning the Temple Stakes
(Image: PA)

3.45 King Charles III Stakes

KERDOS is rising through the speedballs’ ranks - and he hasn’t finished yet.

The son of 2016 King Charles III Stakes hero Profitable had two starts as a juvenile two seasons ago and won both, following a debut score at Haydock Park with a two-length success at Windsor.

Last year proved something of a ‘difficult second album’ phase for Kerdos - although he ran with plenty of credit in elevated company, he had just one victory, in the Listed Beverley Bullet last September, to show from eight visits to the track.

A Group 1 triumph looked a fair way off when my selection returned with an eighth of 11 behind Blind Beggar in a big-money handicap at Bath in April.

But there was much more to like about Kerdos’ unlucky-in-running fifth - he finished a short head, two heads and half a length behind winner Seven Questions - in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes on Newmarket’s 2,000 Guineas undercard next time.

And Clive Cox’s sprinter built on that under Richard Kingscote when lifting the Group 2 Temple Stakes back at Haydock last time by a half-length from Live In The Dream

Regional , Believing , Valiant Force and my selection’s stablemate Diligent Harry make the short list in an open affair.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 KERDOS, 2 REGIONAL, 3 BELIEVING

Notable Speech was a surprise winner of the QIPCO 2000 Guineas
(Image: PA)

4.25 St James's Palace Stakes

NOTABLE SPEECH marked his first start on turf with a Classic success in the 2,000 Guineas and is expected to take his career tally to 5-5.

Immaturity kept the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi away from the racetrack at two.

But the Godolphin-owned colt has followed a steep upward curve this season, starting with an odds-on debut score at Kempton Park in January.

Notable Speech doubled up at the Sunbury venue the following month before racking up the hat-trick there in April.

By this time, confidence at the Moulton Paddocks stable was growing, and Notable Speech then took aim at the highest level.

Punters didn’t share the optimism - William Buick’s mount went off at 16-1 - but he took another giant leap forward with an impressive victory.

Moving with menace, Notable Speech was sent to the front approaching the final furlong of the Rowley Mile to have the measure of Rosallion by a length and a half, with Alyanaabi back in fifth.

Although the runner-up has since captured the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, Notable Speech should confirm the Newmarket form.

Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Metropolitan is set to duke it out with Henry Longfellow and Almaqam for the bronze medal.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 NOTABLE SPEECH, 2 ROSALLION, 3 HENRY LONGFELLOW

5.05 Ascot Stakes

KYLE OF LOCHALSH has won three of his last four starts, and another good account is on the cards.

Although down the field in a valuable two-miler in Newcastle’s All-Weather Championships Marathon in March, Hughie Morrison’s four-year-old had previously hit the target at Chelmsford City in November and December.

And he was back in business in the City Bowl Handicap at Salisbury last month, scooting away under Billy Loughnane to beat Pawapuri by six and a half lengths.

The handicapper hasn’t taken that performance lying down, and Highland Reel’s son competes from a 10lb higher rating of 95 this afternoon.

But there is very likely further progress to come, especially with this stamina-sapping two and a half miles another plus.

Willie Mullins has collected three of the past nine runnings so My Lyka has to enter calculations, while Zanndabad and, at bigger odds, Almuhit are others to throw into the melting pot.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 KYLE OF LOCHALSH, 2 MY LYKA, 3 ZANNDABAD

5.40 Wolferton Stakes

ASTRO KING shouldn’t be underestimated in his bid for a first Listed victory.

The ex-Sir Michael Stoute trainee has shone under the tutelage of Daniel and Claire Kübler, adding to a remunerative success at York’s Ebor Festival in August with a half-length margin in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket the following month.

Out of luck in Saudi Arabia in February, Astro King ran a fine second in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket in April, and wasn’t advantaged by the run of the race when fourth of six to Outbox in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at the same course 16 days later.

However, this afternoon’s set-up, with a full 16-runner field, should be more to his liking, while 10 furlongs on fast ground should show Richard Kingscote’s mount in his best light.

Torito , lightly raced and still progressing, is feared most, ahead of Botanical and Ancient Rome

6.15 Copper Horse Handicap

ALSAKIB appeals on his return to handicap company, a sphere in which he has two wins and a third from three attempts.

Successful at Ascot in September and Newmarket in October of last year, Andrew Balding’s four-year-old signed off for 2023 with an out-of-the-frame Listed effort in Qatar four days before Christmas.

Alsakib, who followed a return-to-action sixth in Newbury’s Group 3 John Porter Stakes with a third to Point Lonsdale in the same-level Ormonde Stakes at Chester, is 9lb higher than for the latter of his handicap scores but Oisín Murphy’s ride hasn’t reached the bottom of the barrel after nine career outings.

In an open conclusion to the opening day’s fare, Fox Journey , Intinso and Maxi King all merit a second glance.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 ALSAKIB, 2 FOX JOURNEY, 3 MAXI KING