Ascot Gold Cup 2012: Horses to Bet on in Thursday's Races

For those who didn't know, the Royal Ascot is one of the blockbuster events of the summer that is held in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, according to the official website.

There will be 24 races ran from today through Saturday, June 23 on the Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England.

With the amount of races, horses and jockeys, it will be a tough task to decide the right one to bet on. We'll make that a little easier for you here, and give you some advice as to which ponies to take in Thursday's races.

Race 1: The Norfolk Stakes - 2:30 p.m. Local Time

The Norfolk Stakes always proves to be one of the wildest of the entire week at the track. It is a Group 2 contest for two-year-old horses run over five furlongs. If you blink, you'll miss it.

There are two horses I like in this race. The first, Ahern, won the last race he ran in, and is currently listed at 5-1 odds by paddypower.com (all odds are courtesy of paddypower.com). Jockey Johnny Murtagh is one of the best to ever come out of Ireland and has enjoyed plenty of success over the last two decades.

The second, Annunciation, finished second, second and first in the last three races he participated in. He's also had over three weeks off since his latest race. He's an easy jockey, though, meaning that he doesn't always ride his horses hard and lets them run their own race. At 13-2 odds, the risk is worth the reward.

Race 2: The Ribblesdale Stakes - 3:05 p.m. Local Time

The Ribblesdale Stakes is a bit longer than the Norfolk Stakes at 1.5 miles. It's open to three-year-old fillies, which should make for some close races.

The Fugue goes off at 2-1 odds. She has only run four races in her career, but has crossed the finish line first in two of them. It seems pretty obvious that jockey William Buick is going to ride this horse to victory.

Either take Buick and The Fugue, or wait until the next race to place your bets.

Race 3: The Ascot Gold Cup - 3:45 p.m. Local Time

This is the highlight of Ladies Day and the week in general, folks, so make sure you don't miss out on it.

Fame and Glory is the horse you have to bet on in this one. He's listed at 1-1 odds, which is absolutely unheard of in a race like this. You won't get much of a return, but you won't be losing any money.

If you're feeling lucky, go with Opinion Poll. He last raced on May 31 at the Betfair Henry Stakes to a first place finish. At 5-1 odds, he's the only horse who is going to give Fame and Glory a run for his money.

Race 4: The Britannia Stakes - 4:25 p.m. Local Time

A whopping 30 three-year-olds will be running in this one, so the one-mile contest is basically anybody's race. 

Fast or Free is your safe horse in this race. He's listed at 8-1 odds and has proved to be a good sprinter in the past. Jockey Ryan Moore has won big races in the past, and should be able to set the pace early.

If you want to take a risk and are looking for a nice payoff, take a chance on Leqqa, who has finished first, second, third, third, second and third in his last six races. The 33-1 odds aren't enticing, but a small wager will return a huge reward.

Race 5: The Tercentenary Stakes - 5 p.m. Local Time

The Tercentenary Stakes is the second-to-last race of the day and is ran over one mile and two furlongs. There will be 11 three-year-olds running this year.

Wrotham Heath, your odds favorite at 11-2, is coming off a winning ride on June 2 at the Diamond Jubilee Handicap, which is the same distance as the Tercentenary Stakes. If you've had a bad day and find yourself with almost empty pockets, take Wrotham Heath to fill them back up.

Race 6: The King George V Stakes - 5:35 p.m. Local Time

The King George V Stakes is the last race of Ladies Day at the Ascot racetrack and is ran over a distance of one mile and four furlongs.

There at 19 three-year-olds registered to run, which provides plenty of room for error amongst the colts and jockeys. Anomaly, the 15-2 odds-favorite, wouldn't be a bad idea here, but the field is pretty evenly matched.

If you're looking for a bigger payout, go with Misdemeanour at 16-1 odds. He's finished first in two of his last three races and could give you a big-time payout.