So how does a beginning punter bet on the Royal Ascot? The process of putting a bet on one of the six daily races at the Royal Ascot is not as complicated or as simple as it seems at first glance. The lowest possible bet you can make is just £2, although there is such a variety of potential bets to make that knowing where to get started is something of a challenge.

The Royal Ascot is the biggest annual event in English horseracing. Started in the grand old year of 1711 by the royal family, the Royal Ascot is still attended by the Queen and other members of England’s royal family. For the last 300 years, England’s glamorous and wealthy come to watch the horses race between June 16-20. With a strict dress code and high stakes, the Royal Ascot is more than a horse race: it’s a cultural event and a place for the rich and famous to rub shoulders and put some of their wealth on the track.

But the average punter can still place his bets. The “going report” indicates the condition of the track for each race: from heavy to soft, good to soft, good, good to firm, firm and hard. The softer the track, the slower the race. Each horse is given a star rating and a ranking of its previous form by the official handicapper. A five-star rating means the horse has been picked to win, while a four-star rating means the horse has a good chance to place. A two- or one-star rating means the horse has little to no chance of winning. Various symbols like / or – denote whether the horse is new to the season or the year while F and U mean that the horse has fallen or unseated its jockey in the past.