How the Tournament was won: Royal Ascot Day One

Almost 2500 participants entered day one of the Tote Royal Ascot Betting Tournament, with plenty at stake following the addition of a VIP prize. 

For Royal Ascot, we are offering the special prize of a VIP trip for two to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the top profit maker over the week, courtesy of Racing Breaks. 

The VIP Trip to Paris includes return travel for two with a two night stay in a 4-star hotel in Paris, Weekend Winning Post enclosure tickets to the L'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and an exclusive invite to drinks evening with Frankie Dettori and other racing celebrities. 

A seat at the Tournament of Champions is also awarded to the daily top ten finishers, giving them a chance at scooping the £50,000 winner takes all prize. 

How The Tournament was won

Day One was off to a flying start with the unbeaten miler Baaeed justifying his short price by stylishly winning the Group One Queen Anne Stakes. 

Despite the four-year-old’s price, few punters still backed him including Mark N and Harry Findlay. Findlay also notched up an Exacta with the runner-up Real World,  scooping a nice overpay return of £2.53 vs the SP of £1.84. 

Likewise, Jake S hit the exacta making him third place early on. 

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Jamie Benson napped Persian Force before the tournament, but the two-year-old’s late rallying cry could only see him home second in the Coventry Stakes. Hollie Doyle combined with Archie Watson with previous York scorer Bradsell to win the Group One. 

Mark N extended is lead at the top after finding the £9.00 Tote+ returner. Meanwhile, Findlay still held station in second in a healthy profit whilst Paul H moved into third after also backing the winner. 

Race Three on the Royal Ascot card was the much anticipated King’s Stand stakes. The international challengers were the main talking point before the contest, but American representative Golden Pal underperformed and was well beaten by empathic Australian winner Nature Strip. 

Jamie Benson's late play on Khaadem was scrambled following the horse leaving the stalls riderless but was later deemed a withdrawn runner making his bet a void. 

Alex F shot into the frame after punting the Aussie winner. Edward F’s shrewd play on Acklam Express in the place market was richly rewarded. 

Jamie H also moved into contention with a beautiful Trifecta, The Tote+ dividend of £2,823.81 propelling him up to fourth place. 

Race Four saw the second ‘banker’ of Day One in 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus. Taking the inside track against the rail, William Buick did have a few hairy moment in the three-year-old’s passage to victory, eventually getting him up to beat the valiant Lusail. 

Harry Findlay made his love Godolophin patron known at the Guineas meeting and he followed up by punting him again, working his way back up to second with a sizeable score on the victor. 

A late settled Exacta bet from Andreas C saw him storm into the lead after he found the correct combination to land the £35.09 Tote+ dividend. Former Epsom famer Donal O also creeped up the leaderboard after St James’ Palace. 

Alex F latched back on to the bridle with a big score aboard the Andrew Balding trained Coltrane in the Ascot Stakes. The Chester Cup runner up overpaid on the Worldpool with a smart £17.93 return as opposed to the 14/1 SP. 

Rory Delargy moved into the reckoning after backing the winner and his good friend Andrew Mount starred on the leaderboard for the first time in the afternoon. Mount backed Arcadian Sunrise on the place markets to make his way up to 10th. 

Benson was having a torrent time of things with his early hopes failing him, resulting in him moving late on outsider Aristia in the next. 

Danny Tudhope got off the mark for Royal Ascot on board Dubai Future who returned a nice overpay, but it was Mark N who surged into the lead after finding the £28.38 Tote+ returner. 

Harry Findlay and Rory Delargy were still hanging round at the top of the leaderboard within striking distance heading into the last race of the day. 

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Well fancied favourite Cleveland had his form franked earlier in the afternoon by Coltrane but couldn’t get favourite backers over the line in the last as he was turned over by the David O’Meara trained Get Shirty. 

Benson’s late plays on the favourite and Okita Soushi didn’t pay off but both runners did hit the frame in the race. 

Paul W’s earlier score on star spritner Nature Strip saw him crowned the day victor with Rory Delargy in third. 

1,041 players qualified for prizes in the daily competition, meaning the "Beat Benson" pool was £10,410. 

339 players in the tournament made a profit and scooped the £30.71 dividend.

Notably, the lowest profit was 3p - made from 11-bets, with that particular punter scoring punter 1000x profit boost.