Betting Preview : A Royal Ascot Yankee

Next week's Royal Ascot racing extravaganza promises to be a tremendous event with some of the best horses in the world doing battle over the course of the five days. I've been casting a beady eye over the runners and have come up with four horses that I believe will give irish racing punters plenty to shout about and have decided to combine them in a Yankee, writes Elliot Slater.

Leg 1 — GOLDIKOVA (Tuesday — Queen Anne Stakes) — The brilliant French mare looked better than ever when slaughtering her rivals on home soil last month and confidence is very high that she can account for high class Paco Boy and the talented Rip Van Winkle in what could prove to be a race to savour.

Current odds — 2/1

Leg 2 — MAKFI (Tuesday — St James' Palace Stakes) — The form of his shock 33/1 success in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket couldn't have worked out better with the runner-up franking the form in just failing to peg back subsequent French Derby winner Lope De Vega in the French 2000 Guineas, and the third horse Canford Cliffs going on to win impressively at the Curragh in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Racing tips for today suggest he is likely to improve again on only his fourth career start, the unbeaten Makfi can prove his HQ success to be no fluke.

Current odds — 5/2

Leg 3 — MANIFEST (Thursday — Ascot Gold Cup) — Henry Cecil's colt couldn't have been more impressive in landing the Group2 Yorkshire Cup last month and looks set to improve again for a further step up in trip in the Gold Cup.

Current odds — 3/1

Leg 4 — STARSPANGLEDBANNER (Saturday — Golden Jubilee Stakes) — Star ex-Australian sprinter who shaped very well until tiring close home at York last month on his debut for Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien. Reported to be pleasing connections and in a race that has proved a happy hunting ground for antipodeans over the last decade, the son of the mighty Choisir (who won the race in 2003), looks the value bet in the race.

Current odds — 10/1