Royal Ascot tips: Our expert’s predictions for every race of the 2026 festival

Day one: Tuesday June 16 2.30 Queen Anne Stakes The meeting opens with a bang and the first Group One race of the week over Ascot’s stiff straight mile. Occasionally you get a funny result and the winners of the main trial, the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury – last month it was won by this race’s favourite Notable Speech – only have a so-so record in the race. This year, you would think this race is Notable Speech’s to lose. Few milers have his turn of foot at the finish but Charlie Appleby’s horses are hardly coming into the meeting on fire. His strike rate is not bad but he has not been running many. His second string, Opera Ballo, put himself in line for a crack at this when beating Field of Gold by three lengths at Sandown in April. He won a Group One at Meydan in the winter, but this is a step up in class. No horse likes Ascot more than Docklands though. He won the Britannia, was second in this race in 2024 then won it last year. More Thunder should be closer to Notable Speech than he was at Newbury. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Zeus Olympics Marlborough’s tip: Opera Ballo 3.05 Coventry Stakes Continuing with the theme that the best racing of the whole week is day one, this six-furlong Group Two race is the most prestigious two-year-old race of the week. Aidan O’Brien, who has won it 11 times, will have the likely favourite in either Great Barrier Reef – winner of both his starts including a Group Three last time – or Confucius – a good winner of his maiden last time – depending on which Ryan Moore selects. At a working man’s price I like Richard Hannon’s Cut A Dash, a good winner over five furlongs at York on debut in May, with the promise of more to come over a longer distance. As the father of two flame-haired daughters, I will put the family fiver will be on the 50-1 shot The Ginger Kid. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Great Barrier Reef Marlborough’s tip: Royal Heritage 3.40 King Charles III Stakes Still known in many quarters as the King’s Stand Stakes but renamed in honour of the King, this five-furlong Group One sprint is for the quickest horses at Ascot. The received wisdom is that a medium Aussie sprinter is still better than anything Europe has to offer, so Overpass is likely to start favourite but it has been a while between drinks for him. Last year’s winner, Jim Goldie’s American Affair, did not run again in 2025, but his two runs this year, including a much-improved second in the Temple Stakes, will have put him spot on for a repeat. Others to look out for include Night Raider, who is much improved for the snip, and the flying French filly Rayevka. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Overpass Marlborough’s tip: Cover Up 4.20 St James’s Palace Stakes The Group One mile for three-year-old colts, on the round course, has attracted the English and Irish Guineas winners and anything else which missed the boat on the early Classics. That it has done with, respectively, Bow Echo, Gstaad, and Talk of New York. In trying to turn the Newmarket tables on Bow Echo, Gstaad will have a pacemaker but George Boughey’s colt should still be too good and the small field should mean not too much traffic from his inside draw but Gstaad is in the same boat there. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Bow Echo Marlborough’s tip: Bow Echo 5.00 Ascot Stakes While most Flat trainers go for a cup of tea at this stage, their jump counterparts get one of their moments of the week in the two and a half mile handicap which is nearly always won by a predominantly jump trainer. The King and Queen have Reaching High in this. He represents one of the best chances of a Royal winner this week. He has not run since finishing a close up ninth in this last year when he met bad traffic problems and runs off the same mark. The lack of run would normally be a worry but I think its safe to say Mullins will have him fit as a fiddle. All he needs is a bit of luck. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Small Fry Marlborough’s tip: Tim Toe 5.35 Wolferton Stakes A mile-and-a-quarter Listed race for horses which have not won a Group One or Two since last August. The King and Queen might have recent York winner Warrant Holder in this. It was won by Richard Hannon’s Haatem last year and he is back for another go in the Wathnan silks, which, in a short space of time, have made this meeting its raison d’être – if in doubt in any race this week go for one of theirs. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Nahraan Marlborough’s tip: Royal Rhyme 6.10 Copper Horse Stakes Another long distance handicap for those with a touch of the slows but Valiancy, owned by Ascot specialist Wathnan, did not look short of toe at Hamilton on his first start of the season when quickening smartly after being hemmed in to win a bit smugly in the end. Really getting his act together now and stays the trip but with gears which should make him hard to beat here. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Too Soon Marlborough’s tip: Valiancy Day two: Wednesday June 17 2.30 Queen Mary Stakes. A Group Two for rattling quick juvenile fillies over five furlongs. This looks quite international and there are a few here who are not coming for the Ascot air. Morley is a name closely associated with British racing and Tom Morley, a Briton who forged his own way in New York, has a bit of what they call “black type” in his pedigree including uncle David who won the Gold Cup with Celleric and jump trainer Henry Daly. His More Champagne won on debut in the US by over six lengths from one of Wesley Ward’s so she must be fast. Drazinda, a first Aga Khan Studs two-year-old to run at Ascot in a long time, comes from France but from the home team I like Crystal Queen who travelled very well to win the Hilary Needler at Beverley and is clearly suited by a stiff five furlongs. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Victorious Marlborough’s tip: Crystal Queen 3.05 Queen’s Vase A mile and three quarters for three-year-olds making it something of a St Leger trial. The King and Queen could go with Point of Law in this. It may come a little soon in his career and it would be quite a big step up in trip but that applies to quite a few of these including Causeway, Aidan O’Brien’s colt who is three from three this season. Limestone has won his last three for Joseph O’Brien and is sure to get the trip having already won over a mile and five but I liked the way Andrew Balding’s Galiyan won at Chester. The further he went the better he went. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Limestone Marlborough’s tip: Galiyan 3.40 Duke of Cambridge Stakes A Group Two over a mile for four-year-old plus fillies. Fallen Angel is probably the best horse in this race having won at least one Group One every season of her career but she is yet to win at Ascot - third in this last year - and it may be worth taking a punt on Friendly Soul. She was still travelling well first time out at Haydock when she was the unlucky one to put her foot in a hole. That was probably not the ideal preparation but you can put a line through the fact that she was pulled up after that. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Blue Bolt Marlborough’s tip: Friendly Soul 4.20 Prince of Wales’s Stakes A Group One mile and a quarter race for four-year-olds plus and is, unquestionably, highlight of day two. This pits two of the best in the world, the Arc winner Daryz and Ombudsman, last year’s winner of this race, against each other with a strong supporting cast of Group One winners including Almaqam, who is finally realising his latent potential, and the fillies Kalpana, See The Fire and Minnie Hauk. Ironically before the Arc it was “would Daryz stay?” Now he has won it, the same people are asking “is he quick enough for 10 furlongs?” He has already added two Group One notches to his four-poster this season over nine and 10 furlongs. He’s quick enough alright. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Almaquam Marlborough’s tip: Daryz 5.00 Royal Hunt Cup If day one’s handicaps are not up to much, this is one of the meeting’s marquee handicap events. It is over the straight mile. There are a few old friends in here and things to take into consideration like the market and the draw but Linwood makes appeal at this stage. He is young, improving, won well on his reappearance and it looks like there’s more to come from Richard Hannon’s four-year-old. Owner Jim Hay seldom leaves the meeting without a winner. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Mister Winston Marlborough’s tip: Linwood 5.30 Kensington Palace Handicap A handicap for four-year-old plus fillies and mares over a mile. For a four-year-old the William Haggas trained Alobayyah is very lightly raced having only had four starts but they clearly think something of her. She ran an eye-catching third over a mile at Ascot in May staying on strongly off a slow pace. It would be a surprise if they went so slowly at a Festival where jockeys tend to get a bit more excitable. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Rhapsody Marlborough’s tip: Alobayyah 6.10 Windsor Castle Stakes A six furlong Listed race for two-year-olds whose sire won over a distance in excess of six and a half furlongs at two or seven and a half furlongs at three. The King and Queen could go with King’s Prize in this and the way she won at Nottingham in debut, she might be one of their better chances this week. This looks a better race than the Queen Mary for Victorious (if Aidan needs any race planning advice, I’m available) because of the trip and it might be a bit easier. As always in these two-year-old races there are plenty of unknown quantities who have run and won just the once. King’s Prize, Moonrise and Sale Shark fit that bill but I like Controlla to get Amo racing on the scoresheet. She was just pipped by Victorious on her only start and can not only improve but reverse that form. Charlie Brooks’s tip: Sergei Diaghilev Marlborough’s tip: Controlla Day three: Thursday June 18 2.30 Chesham Stakes At seven furlongs this is the longest contest for two-year-olds at Ascot this week. Aix La Chapelle looks the Aidan O’Brien No 1 in this. He made up a good bit of ground late on and finished strongly to win a Curragh maiden earlier this month. I was quite impressed by Revels – no surprise at that name as he’s owned by the Mars family – on his debut at Redcar in may. He won by three lengths. With his big white face you won’t miss this chestnut colt coming up Ascot’s straight. 3.05 King George V Stakes A mile-and-a-half handicap for three-year-olds rated up to 105. Lost Boys, trained by David Menuisier in Sussex, will be one of the favourites for this race on the back of his London Gold Cup win over a mile and a quarter at Newbury. He has subsequently been bought by Wathnan who has a pretty good strike rate for buying ready-made Ascot winners. He beat Sahara King by a head that day and as Wathnan own that horse you would imagine it knows what it is doing. The extra quarter of a mile should be fine for him. 3.40 Ribblesdale Stakes A mile-and-a-half Group Two for fillies making it something of an Oaks consolation for those that needed a couple of extra weeks. The King and Queen could have a go with Golden Orbit in this, but she would need to take a bit big step forward on her first start of the season. If Legacy Link runs just 13 days after finishing second in the Oaks, a race in which she had no answers to Thundering On, she sets the standard. That’s not usually the Gosdens’ or Juddmonte’s modus operandi so she would have to be in cracking form to go. Earth Shot, who was just beaten at Goodwood last time over a mile and a quarter, might be the one stepping up in trip. 4.15 Gold Cup A marathon trip of two-and-a-half miles first run in 1807, a year best known here for the abolition of slavery while in Europe Napoleon was smacking the Russians. Last year’s winner Trawlerman is back, but without a prep and an eye condition which makes him sensitive to light. However, if he’s on song he will be hard to beat. The obvious two young pretenders are last year’s St Leger first and second – Scandinavia and Rahiebb. At a better price is Carmers who is bidding to emulate the late Queen’s Estimate who took the Queen’s Vase here in 2013, before winning the Gold Cup a year later. Keeping them all honest will be Sweet William, who is always consistent in these races. 4.50 Britannia Stakes A mile for three-year-old colts rated up to 105. We’re Goosers looks a good honest sort. He galloped his rivals into submission winning by a wide margin and finishing strong through the line at Newmarket last time. He gets a mile but seven furlongs may be his optimum. St Anton won over a mile at Carlisle so this mile might not be quite stiff enough for him, but he is in with a shout, while Laureate Crown is another from the same stable as We’re Goosers. 5.35 Hampton Court Stakes A Group Three mile-and-a-quarter race for three-year-olds who have not won a Group One or Two. A few horses in here have had their sights lowered after so-so efforts in the Derby, but most of those would have had a hard enough race in the conditions so fresher legs may be the answer. William Haggas was very disappointed with Morshdi after the Dante at York last month. If he can put a line through that poor run so must we. Causeway is likely to start favourite, but for those who like a double-figure pride Mountain Cat could outrun his odds. 6.10 Buckingham Palace Stakes A seven-furlong handicap to finish off Ladies’ Day. I’ll have to come back to you nearer the time for this race but Arctic Dawn, trained by Dan and Clare Kubler, looks progressive despite being a five-year-old and a win a for a smaller set up might not go amiss at this stage. Day four: Friday June 19 2.30 Albany Stakes Six furlong contest for fillies. Aidan O’Brien’s Sun Goddess is likely to be a warm order for this after a six lengths demolition of her opposition at The Curragh on her second start. It is hard to pick holes in that performance and it is hard to oppose her. That said there will be plenty of once run once won could be anythings in the race. Karl Burke’s Wild Blossom, a £300k breeze-up filly for Wathnan, won over five furlongs at Carlisle by 10 lengths. She has the Queen Mary option but Venetian Sun, who won that maiden for the stable last year, went on to win the Albany. 3.05 Commonwealth Cup A six furlong Group One sprint for speedy three-year-olds. Ascot’s stiff six may be just what Albert Einstein needs but for me he has been a bit disappointing. If you fancy him you should also fancy Song of The Clyde who beat him at Newbury and will be three times the odds. Clive Cox also has the quick Coppul in this. Venetian Sun, last year’s Albany winner, will probably start favourite on the back of her Sandy Lane three length success but it might be worth taking a punt on Amo’s Wesley Ward trained Outfielder who has looked blisteringly quick on his first two starts in the US this year. Each-way 50-1 shot Spicy Marg will enjoy being back on the quick ground again. 3.40 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Mile and a half handicap for three-year-old plus. I suspect a few have been laid out for this race but Yabher looked much improved at four when he won on his reappearance for William Haggas at Goodwood by six lengths. Even winning so far I am not sure he laid all his cards on the table for the handicapper and despite a rise in the handicap he should go close here. 4.20 Coronation Stakes A mile on the round course for three-year-old fillies, the St James’s Palace for the ladies as it were. After running down the field in the Guineas at Newmarket Precise looked rocket-propelled, reversing the form with stable companion True Love, in the Irish equivalent. Anything like a reproduction of that would make her hard to beat. Anything Wathnan buys should be given consideration at the fact that it has come in for The Prettiest Star is a bit of tip in itself. She had Precise behind her when fourth in the Guineas and the new owner has clearly seen something. 5.00 Sandringham Stakes A mile handicap for three-year-old fillies. Symbol of Majesty had no sort of a run at Wolverhampton on her third start after winning on turf first time out this season but that probably did not do her handicap too much harm and this is an easier option than the Coronation for which she also had an entry. Glyfada from Ireland and Repel, a cosy winner last time, from France look interesting too. 5.35 King Edward VII Stakes Mile and a half Group Two for three-year-old colts and geldings. A bit of a Derby consolation and a few of those who ran below expectation at Epsom may get out again today including the controversial Derby non-runner, Benventuto Cellini who got his hind leg stuck on a stall but still finished 10th. That is less than a fortnight ago and personally I would be looking elsewhere. It was all a bit too much of a rush to get Water To Wine to Epsom after his missed Chester with a temperature but he looks tailor-made for this. He is now two from two with an aggregate winning distance of 15 lengths having warmed up for this impressively on the all-weather. 6.10 Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes A five furlong sprint for three-year-olds. It is a very different course to Epsom but Gemma Tutty’s Call Margot had all the doors shut in her face at a critical point in the Dash on Derby day and but for that would surely have won. At Ascot, at least, there should be less in the way of traffic problems. The trainer had a second here before. That said, could Gold Digger be the one to break Saffie Osborne’s duck at the meeting? She certainly thinks so. Sixth in the Albany last year, Richard Spencer’s filly was a cosy winner at Windsor on her first start since.