Royal Ascot: Easy-to-play exacta bet for the Prince of Wales's Stakes

Day 2 of racing at Royal Ascot in England takes place on Wednesday with the prestigious Prince of Wales’s S. (G1) serving as the feature event.

Held over 1 1/4 miles on grass, the Prince of Wales’s serves as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier to the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland. Only five horses have turned out to contest this year’s Prince of Wales’s, but don’t let the modest field size fool you—the race is absolutely packed with quality.

If you want to dip your toes into wagering on Royal Ascot, we recommend trying an exacta bet on the Prince of Wales’s.

How to bet the exacta in the Prince of Wales’s

Handicapping the Prince of Wales’s begins with a simple question: can we trust #1 Bay Bridge to prevail as the favorite? He’s won his last five starts for renowned trainer Sir Michael Stoute, including a five-length romp in the 1 1/4-mile Brigadier Gerard S. (G3) at Sandown last month. But Bay Bridge is stepping up sharply in class, and he’s the only entrant in the Prince of Wales’s field without a Group 1 win under his belt.

Bay Bridge will face fearsome opposition in his first top-level test, though his rivals aren’t without chinks in their armor. #3 Shahryar from Japan kicked off 2022 with a victory over Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Yibir in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1), but that was over 1 1/2 miles, and cutting back to 1 1/4 miles is a question mark. #4 State of Rest has won three Group 1 prizes, but none in England, and he was beaten to third place in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) last time out.

Given the uncertainties surrounding the favorites, why don’t we get creative with our exacta plays? The mare #5 Grand Glory is 2-for-2 this season, most recently romping in the 1 1/4-mile Prix Allez France (G3), and last season she was good enough to beat Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Audarya in the 1 1/4-mile Prix Jean Romanet (G1). In terms of Racing Post Ratings, she’s a fine fit against the Prince of Wales’s field.

Meanwhile, #2 Lord North won the 2020 Prince of Wales’s and has since reiterated his top-class form with victories in the 2021 and 2022 Dubai Turf (G1). He recently returned to Europe with a fourth-place finish in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) and is eligible to move forward off that prep run, opening the door for a top-three finish.

Let’s bet Bay Bridge with Grand Glory and Lord North in the exacta, in hopes of catching a longshot in the top two to boost the payoff.

• $5 Exacta: 1 with 2,5 ($10)
• $5 Exacta: 2,5 with 1 ($10)
  Total: $20

Good luck!