Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Royal Ascot 2026 Day Four Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck is back with his best bets on the fourth day of Royal Ascot.#
Friday, Royal Ascot
LIBERTANGO is the choice in Friday’s Ascot opener, the Albany Stakes (2.30). She took a while for the penny to drop on her debut but closed it off really impressively and looks to have the raw ability to progress quite a bit. The stable are sweet on her chances and, while the draw looks potentially tricky, there’s every chance the bias will start to migrate by Friday.
I’m putting up two bets in the Commonwealth Cup (3.05) in anticipation of another surprise result. ZANTHOS is the first of those: she was a strikingly fast and useful two-year-old, who came unstuck in bad ground stretching out in the Pouliches. She’s clearly a sprinter, and that run is easily forgiven. The other each way play is MIDNIGHT TANGO, who’s quite a taking physical who nearly pulled off a shock here in the Trial. She likes the track, is by the sire of the week, and comes from a stable going well.
EMIT looks to have some upside in the Duke of Edinburgh (3.40). He’s a smart horse on his day, well up to winning Group races, and has taken his time to work his way to form this season. He’s been given a real chance by the handicapper as a result and ran a very pleasing prep for this last time under today’s jockey. The stable has had a sensational week, which could yet get better.
TRUE LOVE might confound Ryan Moore again in this invidious choice he has to keep making between her and Precise (4.20). Although track position favoured her in the Guineas, and despite Precise needing the run badly that day, True Love moved through that like a monstrous talent and looked a bit listless – almost as though she bounced – in what materialised as a really searching test at The Curragh. Back on proper lively ground and granted a less demanding stamina test on this round mile, True Love may have the tools.
GLYFADA is a suggestion for the Sandringham (5.00). She’s learning fast this year and took another step forward in a decent little race last time. I like her measure of tactical pace and her forward going style which, allied to a potentially decent draw and excellent pedigree to improve, should ensure that she gets in the mix.
GOLDEN STORY is a plausible alternative to the big two in the Edward VII, and at biggish odds (5.35). He ground it out quite pleasingly at Goodwood, defeating Wednesday’s unlucky loser Del Maro, having already stuck at it well enough in third behind Constitution River at Chester. He might be running into another star in Water into Wine, but I’m happy to play the percentages at ten times the price.
GOLD DIGGER looks a sound enough idea in the Palace of Holyroodhouse (6.10). She ran a decent race here as a two-year-old, is completely unexposed, and looked value for as much as you wanted at Windsor on her comeback. She’ll need to sharpen again for that, but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t, and the yard can ready one for a big day.
