Seven races, three Group 1s, nearly 120 runners and over £2.75million in prize money – the first day of Royal Ascot 2026 is set to be a spectacular day of sport.
The Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) gets things underway after the Royal Procession. Godolphin have won this mile contest a record eight times but not since 2017 with Ribchester – this looks a golden opportunity to add to that tally, with Lockinge Stakes winner (and last year’s second favourite) Notable Speech and Jebel Hatta/Sandown Mile scorer Opera Ballo both lining up as well as the smart First Conquest.
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It’s interesting, therefore, that Charlie Appleby’s stable jockey William Buick chooses to ride the first-named of the three. More Thunder and Zeus Olympios filled the places in the Lockinge and still have untapped potential. Last year’s winner Docklands ran well in defeat in Hong Kong in April and his form figures at Ascot read 11322214 – he simply loves it around here. Such is the strength in depth of the field that you’ll likely get a huge price about a Group 1 winner over course and distance in Cicero’s Gift, the six-year-old having caused a 100/1 shock on QIPCO British Champions Day last October.
O’Brien Looks Tough in Coventry Stakes
Next up is the Group 2 Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) over six furlongs and this time it’s trainer Aidan O’Brien’s turn to dominate the leaderboard, having won the race a record 11 times including last year with subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Gstaad.
This year Ballydoyle send out two in Confucius and Great Barrier Reef, with Ryan Moore picking the former. The new powerhouse on the block, Wathnan Racing, is triple-handed with Royal Heritage – a winner at Hamilton just six days ago – appearing to be the first string with James Doyle taking the ride. Night In Vegas won over course and distance in May and backed up that form at Goodwood whilst Adaay Of Scarlett was successful here on Royal Ascot Trials Day albeit came up slightly short at Listed level three weeks ago.
Brian Meehan and Manton Thoroughbreds famously won this contest with the recently-retired Rashabar at 80/1 – you might get a similar price about Cilician for the same connections, having finished second on debut 13 days ago. Another that could go well at a big price is the Royal Ascot Racing Club-owned Easy Answer who was third on debut at Yarmouth and has reportedly come on for the run.
The King Charles III Stakes
The King Charles III Stakes (3.40pm) will see 26 runners vie for glory in this five-furlong Group 1 contest. Last year’s winner American Affair looks to be coming to the boil again at the right time having had two quick runs in May – his first races since that famous first top-level success for trainer Jim Goldie last year. Night Raider has been a different proposition after being gelded, with back-to-back Group successes, whilst French filly Rayevka also brings Group-winning form at five furlongs last time out.
The unknown quantity is Australian raider Overpass who hasn’t won since November 2024 but has been consistent at the very top level including when fourth behind the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, last October – he filled the same position behind Joliestar in the T J Smith Stakes in April and will hope to extend the fantastic record of Australian sprinters in this race. That includes 2024 winner Asfoora who stayed in Britain over the winter and now transfers back to Henry Dwyer having been trained by Lemos De Souza for her first two runs this campaign.
St. James Palace Stakes
Tuesday’s feature is the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes (4.20pm) with six three-year-old colts aiming for victory over the round mile. The leading protagonist is Bow Echo, trained by George Boughey. He was a highly impressive winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket where he beat Gstaad by nearly three lengths, with that rival going on to take the Irish equivalent three weeks later by a comfortable distance.
The former has had just four runs in his career and could conceivably improve again for his run at the start of May. Puerto Rico is an interesting second runner for Aidan O’Brien, a Group 1 winner at two and slightly disappointing on his reappearance when beaten at odds-on in top-level company – he could easily bounce back to form. If it wasn’t for the two Guineas winners in the field then Talk Of New York would be the talk of the town himself, having won the Heron Stakes at Sandown by a wide margin – he is well worth his place in this company, and this will be by far the hardest test of his career so far.
20 Go to Post in Ascot Stakes
20 will go to post in the first handicap of the Royal Meeting, the Ascot Stakes (5.00pm) over the Gold Cup distance of two miles and four furlongs. Last year’s favourite Reaching High, owned by Their Majesties The King and The Queen, got no luck at all in last year’s race and hasn’t seen the track since, but trainer Willie Mullins will be sure to have him fit and ready for a race he won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018, with three runners-up since.
Mullins also sends out Bunting who was third in the similar stamina test of the Cesarewitch Handicap last October. Joseph O’Brien trained the second, third and fourth in last year’s renewal and this year he’s represented by no less than seven of the field including Puturhandstogether, the Irish Cesarewitch winner last September and a classy hurdler in his own right for owner JP McManus.
The best of the British contingent might be Beylerbeyi, last year’s Cesarewitch winner who ran over an inadequate trip last time out.
The Wolferton Stakes
The Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm), a Listed contest over ten furlongs, looks typically strong this year. Last year’s winner Haatem hasn’t quite lived up to that performance in three subsequent starts – he is one of three in the field for Wathnan Racing who also send out Map Of Stars and King’s Gambit, the latter finishing third behind Haatem last year. Splitting those two was Galen who is also back for more in 2026.
Ghostwriter hasn’t been out on the track since finishing third in the Hardwicke Stakes last year whilst Nahraan is also bidding to overcome a long layoff, last seen finishing third in a Group 3 at Longchamp last September – with just four runs he’s by far the least exposed in this field. There are plenty dropping down in grade with the likes of Survie, Royal Rhyme, Adelaide River and Dividend all running in Group 1 or 2 events last time.
Copper Horse ‘Cap Closes Out Day
Tuesday’s action closes with the Copper Horse Handicap at 6.10pm over one mile and six furlongs. Last year it was a well-backed Wathnan favourite doing the business in French Master and this time round Valiancy looks to perform a similar feat, having won in good style on his return at Hamilton.
Once again the powerful owners field three with Sing Us A Song and Ernst Blofeld also among the 16-strong field. Daiquiri Bay beat Gamrai into second at Newmarket at the start of May with those two reopposing here – the latter will be trying this trip for the first time on Tuesday.
Ascending won the Ascot Stakes over six furlongs further at last year’s Royal Meeting but proved his aptitude for this distance when second in York’s Ebor Handicap next time. Stressfree put in a rare poor performance last time at York and has the talent to quickly bounce back to form for trainer David O’Meara and jockey Daniel Tudhope who won this race in 2022 with Get Shirty.
