The dust has now settled on a magical week at Royal Ascot, a week that told wonderful stories from a winner for the King to one last Gold Cup for Frankie, it truly was a real spectacle to behold. It also proved to be a fantastic weekend for the bettrends team, and we take this time to review the week we enjoyed as we look forward to the Newmarket July Festival next week.

It was a brutal start to the week in the curtain raiser, the Queen Anne, with our confident selection Inspiral looking a likely winner but going down by just a neck to the big-priced Triple Time, who got the job done despite pulling like a train throughout. The fierce Twitter debate was settled in the Coventry as Ballydoyle’s River Tiber landed the spoils, with the time guru’s flagbearer Asadna well beaten back in ninth. We went outside the box with our selection though, as Amo Racing’s Bucanero Fuerte stayed on strongly to finish third and pick up place money at 18/1 for the team; the son of Wooten Basset has since landed a Group 2 at the Curragh since and is definitely one to follow throughout the season. It was a tough opening day though, with Highfield Princess filling the runner-up spot following interference from the winner in the King’s Stand and Bring On The Night getting mullered in a messy race in the Ascot Stakes after strong market support. It was the Lucky Last for the bettrends team though as Vauban (advised 15/8) dominated the Copper Horse Handicap from start to finish and surged home to win by over seven lengths in one of the performances of the week; we can always rely on Mullins in the last, even at Royal Ascot!

Now Wednesday was no doubt the highlight of the week for the bettrends team, and one name will always spring to mind when we remember this day at Royal Ascot, Jason Hart! Outlined in our preview as one of the best jockeys over sprint trips, and an excellent pilot in the finish, the Scottish jockey led from pillar to post on Michael Appleby’s Big Evs in the Windsor Castle Stakes to give the bettrends team a memorable winner at a whopping price of 66/1! A three-length victory gave Blue Point a first Royal Ascot success in his first season as a sire, and made sure Big Evs will live long in the memory of the bettrends team after that scintillating performance.

On a day full of heart warming stories, the King’s first Royal Ascot winner, Frankie’s last ever Gold Cup and even a 150/1 winner, the Thursday was actually a day to forget for the bettrends team and proved to be our only blank day on what was a tough week for punters. Canberra Legend ran a massive race at 25/1 but unfortunately finished just a neck outside the places, whilst Bluestocking was denied a clear path but caught the eye as she stayed on all the way to the line to take third in the Ribblesdale Stakes.

It was onto the Friday we went, and the bettrends team took the bold decision to take on the hot favourite in the Commonwealth Cup, Little Big Bear. You couldn’t be blamed if you looked for the cash out button when our selection Shaquille (advised 10/1) missed the break and gave the rest of the field a good head start, often that is your fate sealed in sprints at the top level. However, Oisin Murphy gave Julie Camacho’s three-year-old a peach of a ride and we all rushed to retrieve our thrown away slips as Shaquille powered past the field with an exhilarating late run to land the spoils.

The bettrends team weren’t finished there, and there was one more winner to be had on the final day of a magnificent week at Royal Ascot. As the day came to a close, Dawn Rising (advised 10/3) was heavily backed in the Queen Alexandra and duly obliged under a great ride from Ryan Moore. We closed the curtain on Royal Ascot on a high, and that last winner took us to an overall profit of +26.49pts for the week.

Next up on the agenda for the bettrends team is a trip to HQ, for the Newmarket July Festival, starting Thursday 13^th July. The bettrends team are on hand to keep you on top through the three days at one of the country’s most scenic racecourses, so why not join us for the ride? You can order the July Service here.