Betting tips / Mathew Thompson / 19 June 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Rain at Royal Ascot has thrown up some competition to the favourites in both the King's Stand and Queen Ann Stakes on the first day at Ascot.

Australian sprinter Ortensia has been joined as favourite for tonight's King's Stand Stakes as punters throw their support behind renowned wet tracker Wizz Kid on day one of the Royal Ascot Carnival.

International form and ratings authority Timeform considers the Paul Messara-trained galloper the superior sprinter in the field, but the stable has made no secret of their preference for firm going.

As a consequence, Betfair punters from around the world have rallied behind the Richard Collet-trained Wizz Kid, which has firmed from (8.00) to (6.00) in the last 48 hours. Ortensia remains solid in the market also @ Betfair odds of (6.00), a price at which most trading on her has taken place.

The strong push for Wizz Kid was pre-empted by renowned racing journalist and international form student Steve Moran in his exclusive Betfair Royal Ascot blog.

"Wizz Kid will shorten dramatically if the track is very soft," Moran predicted. "On a good track, Ortensia is clearly the top-rated runner for me, ahead of Little Bridge, Joy And Fun, Bated Breath and Sole Power. If it's rain-affected, then Sole Power is eliminated and the other four demoted, but not summarily dismissed."

The world's highest-rated racehorse Frankel is expected to extend his undefeated record when he steps out in the first race of the Royal Ascot carnival, tonight's Queen Anne Stakes.

Near on $900k has been matched on the race already and 95% of that has been on the champion Frankel. There has been support for Aidan O'Brien's horse Excelebration from $14.50 to Betfair odds of (13.00).

According to Moran, that backing isn't without justification.

"The only point of form interest is that Excelebration, four times beaten 2.25 lengths or more behind Frankel, has never met him on soft ground, conditions in which he (Excelebration) is unbeaten."

The Queen Anne Stakes also contains an Australian flavour with Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet to run.

Timeform's Gary Crispe believes the former Peter Snowden-trained colt can improve on recent form and run a place behind Frankel.

"On current form, Helmet's weight-adjusted rating is assessed at 132, some 25 pounds below unbeaten Frankel. If Helmet's below form run continues, he could not be expected to get any closer to Frankel than 9.6 lengths," concludes Crispe.

"However if Helmet can return to his Caulfield Guineas-winning peak rating, giving him a weight adjusted rating of 142, then the gap between him and Frankel would be closer to six lengths.

"Either way Helmet cannot beat Frankel, but if he did mend his manners and return to peak form, then he is certainly capable of making the frame."