2009 ASCOT GOLD CUP BETTING TIPS PART ONE

The showpiece of the 2009 Royal Ascot is set to run tomorrow at 3:45 as some of the hottest flat racers in England will do battle over an epic 2 miles 4 furlongs to contest the 2009 Ascot Gold Cup. We have some very interesting stories happening here and there is no doubt that the race itself will contain a considerable amount of drama and excitement for all involved.Let's take a look at the four favourites YeatsYeats continues to be the big favourite for this one despite a disappointing 6/8 at the Vintage Crop stakes at Navan in late April. This veteran 8 year-old is the punters favourite at the moment and comes into the race on a 11151-6 record. What stops me from jumping on the favourite is the lack of form this year and considering the talent he's up against, it could take a near-perfect race to notch the victory. Still, you can never rule out a horse that won this event last year and the year before. Three in a row may not be out of the question, but it boils down to value for me. GeordielandThis well-respected French runner boasts a lower lifetime earnings that Yeats, but comes in on the back of a solid Group 2 stakes win at Sandowne at the end of May where he bested a field that included Patkai, Tungsten Strike and Fiulin. He was beaten in this same race last year by Yeats and the year before. You wonder whether this is when Geordieland is going to well and truly break his Ascot Gold Cup duck. At 3/1 alongside Patkai, you get the feeling that if its ever going to happen, it will be this time around. PatkaiPatkai is another top contender with a strong track record and a very progressive racing style. He scored at Ascot earlier this season in the Sagaro Stakes where he vanquished a field of five quality runners. He finished second to Geordieland in the Henry II stakes, but this four year-old is a really solid 3/1 bet if Yeats makes any mistakes. 114-12 is race-winning form and Yeats could be just a few steps over the hill to tangle with a well-weighted 4 year old with lots to prove. VeracityI've made a few bets on Veracity this year and they haven't all panned out for me exactly as I'd planned. He's an unpredictable runner with a 113-213 form rating and is Saeed Bin Suroor's top-rated contender in this race. A 6/1 pricetag will attract the value punters and his strong showing at Nad Al Sheba makes him a solid bet. He finished 3rd to Yeats at Longchamp at the Prix Royal-Oak in late October and he'll be out for revenge here. This is a horse that should be excellent, but just hasn't gotten going yet- that could all change at the Ascot Gold Cup.