The Gold Cup, Flat racing’s pinnacle of staying contests, is the highlight on Day 3 of Royal Ascot which also features two Group races and four fiercely competitive handicaps.
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The Chesham Stakes
The Chesham Stakes gets us underway at 2.30pm, a seven-furlong contest for two-year-olds. Aidan O’Brien has won this a record seven times and saddles two this year, with Aix La Chapelle the stable first string after a cosy debut success. Sea Venture looked better the further she went on her first racetrack start and is open to more improvement whilst Time For The Moon certainly passed the eye test when sauntering clear last time out at Musselburgh. Trainer Charlie Johnston also runs Pikachu, who ran a more experienced rival close on his debut at the end of May, with Whispering Moon further back in third.
The King George V Stakes
The King George V Stakes (3.05pm) sees progressive three-year-old colts tackle this mile-and-a-half handicap. Heyzoom and Into The Light have both had just three starts and represent powerful connections whilst Tierra Del Toro and Al Azd will look to uphold the always-informative London Gold Cup form from last month at Newbury. Waterford Castle has finished runner-up on his last four starts including the last of those here in May. The Al Shaqab silks are doubly presented by Cannes and Joulany, the latter trained by Ralph Beckett who won this race in 2024 with Going The Distance.
The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes
The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes follows at 3.40pm and this time it’s three-year-old fillies over a mile and a half. The obvious starting point is Aidan O’Brien who has won this race the last three years and sends out Composing to try and extend that run. It’s Juddmonte who would appear to have the strangehold this year though with both Legacy Link and Gilded Prize looking to uphold lofty reputations. The latter lost her unbeaten record in uncharacteristic fashion last time out whilst the former was a gallant second in the Oaks at Epsom and represents John & Thady Gosden who won this race four times from 2017 to 2021. Earth Shot ran well in Listed company at Goodwood last time and could improve for the step up in trip.
The Group 1 Gold Cup
The feature Group 1 Gold Cup over two miles and four furlongs takes centre-stage at 4.15pm, with Trawlerman looking to defend the title he won in track-record time last year. The eight-year-old hasn’t raced since October last year and was touch-and-go for the 2026 renewal but, aided by ‘ski goggles’ in the preliminaries for light sensitivity in his eyes, he will presumably aim to gallop his rivals into submission once again. Aidan O’Brien has trained a record nine winners including Yeats’ four-in-a-row from 2006 to 2009 and Kyprios’ victories in 2022 and 2024. Scandinavia is the latest staying star from the stable and he’s followed a tried and tested route to get to today. There are plenty of other young pretenders in the field with Carmers, Furthur and Rahiebb all chasing the crown whilst the older guard is represented by the likes of seven-year-old Sweet William and ten-year-old Dubai Future. Caballo De Mar is a proven two-time Group 1 winner in France and adds yet more quality to what looks a strong renewal of the Gold Cup.
The Britannia Stakes
Next is the Britannia Stakes at 4.50pm, a handicap for three-year-old males over a mile. Harry Eustace won this in 2023 with subsequent Group 1 winner Docklands and Outback Heat will look to follow a similar path having won the same race in May. Moonfall had nothing go his way last time out and finished with a flourish so is well worth following again whilst the likes of We’re Goosers, St Anton and Blue Courvoisier bring winning handicap form to the table and are progressive. Organise lost his unbeaten record last time but may well have been saved for this, with Wathnan Racing targeting the Royal Meeting as they do.
The Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes
The Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes for three-year-olds over ten furlongs follows at 5.35pm. Endorsement has led from the front of late and may well look to do the same today as it did so well for him when winning a Listed race at Leopardstown earlier in the month. Oxagon won the Craven Stakes earlier in the year but has twice come up short in Group 1 company so a return to calmer waters may help. Generic, My Love Is King and Maho Bay have all had just three runs including in Pattern company and remain with plenty of potential whilst Mountain Cat – a second runner for Godolphin – is completely unexposed having had just two starts in his career.
The Buckingham Palace Stakes
We close with the Buckingham Palace Stakes at 6.10pm, a handicap over seven furlongs. Cosi Bello ran well over course and distance last July and he should be spot on for today having won at Haydock in April. Blue Brother was well fancied for the Royal Hunt Cup last year but disappointed backers on the day after an unlucky passage – he will return to the track exactly a year later in this race instead. Never So Brave won this last year for the Andrew Balding yard and he aims to repeat the feat with Dance In The Storm, The Lost King and Storm Star.
