Premier League legend backs Irish star to continue record-breaking haul at Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of the flat-racing season, with some of the world's best jockeys and trainers arriving in Berkshire for five days of top-notch horse-racing action.
This year's event begins on Tuesday 17 June, with talent from Europe, Australia, Japan, the Middle East, and the United States all competing for a slice of the huge £10 million prize pot.
And former Arsenal star and horse racing fanatic Ray Parlour believes Irishman Aidan O'Brien will extend his remarkable win rate at the famous meeting later this month.
The Ballydoyle star is already the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history with a record 91 winners. He scooped six wins at Royal Ascot last year, making him the leading trainer at the event - the 13th time he has achieved the feat in his career.
'Aidan O'Brien is the best flat trainer at the moment,' says Parlour. 'He has so many top horses in his stable who can win the sprints and longer distance races, so naturally, he's one to follow.'
The ex-Gunner says he'll be focusing on Thursday's showpiece Gold Cup, where O'Brien will be looking to add to his record-breaking eight wins in the race.
His horse Illinois is 7/5 favourite with NetBet Casino and Sport Ireland to triumph ahead of Candelari at 7/2 and Trawlerman at 21/5. Another O'Brien starter in the race is Jan Brueghel, priced at 26/5.
'Illinois is a good horse who may make it a very interesting race and could come out on top in the Gold Cup,' adds Parlour.
The two highest-earning races are the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, with a whopping £1 million handed to the winner of each race.
In the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, Lazzat is the 7/2 frontrunner, Inisherin at 24/5 and O'Brien's Storm Boy at 6/1.
Ascot's opening race is also highly rewarding, with the winner taking home £750,000. With John and Thady Gosden as the trainers, Parlour plans to keep a close watch on Lead Artist, expecting Oisin Murphy to ride again.
Just last month, Murphy guided Lead Artist to a thrilling victory at Newbury, where he narrowly defeated Dancing Gemini in the closing moments of the race.
Now, the two horses are set for a rematch at Ascot, and Parlour is confident Murphy will replicate that winning performance in Berkshire.
'In the opening race at Ascot, Lead Artist is a horse I know won at Newbury and could go very well in the Queen Anne Stakes,' he says.
Lead Artist is 26/5 with NetBet Casino and Sport Ireland to win the race, just behind Dancing Gemini at 9/2 and the favourite Rosallion at 7/2.
Four-time FA Cup winner Parlour is also tipping jockey Ryan Moore for more success at this year's event. The 41-year-old has won the leading jockey title 10 times at Ascot and set a post-war record of nine winners for a single Royal Ascot meeting in 2015.
'Ryan Moore is such a great jockey, too, and he proves time and time again the quality he has in the saddle,' he said.
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'Royal Ascot is a superb spectacle and an icon of British Sport,' says Parlour. 'It gets the Royal treatment as well, so it's 100 per cent up there for sure as one of the year's best events.
'Sometimes you receive a tip and follow that one, or look at the in-form trainers and jockeys. For me, especially in the big races, I may just go with horse number 15, which was my number when I played.'
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