Play Opera to hit all the right notes in the Queen Anne June 15, 2026 ROYAL Ascot kicks off with the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) featuring several high-class performers including Godolphin’s favourite, Notable Speech. William Buick’s ride heads the betting after an impressive victory in the Lockinge, but there could be reason to oppose him at the prices. He has been beaten on both starts at Ascot, including in this [...]
Cut A Dash to back Hannon’s Coventry Rocket June 15, 2026 TODAY’s Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) is the most prestigious two-year-old event at Royal Ascot and will see over 20 of the best juveniles scorch down the Ascot straight. Aidan O’Brien’s Confucius heads the betting and is expected to be hard to beat. It was a surprise to see him defeated on debut given his reputation, but [...]
Put hands in Ur pocket for O’Brien runner in Ascot Stakes June 15, 2026 A ROYAL favourite heads the market for the Ascot Stakes (5.00pm) in Reaching High, but at the current prices he looks worth taking on. The market leader has plenty of potential, yet he hasn’t been seen since failing to fire, when seemingly unlucky at last year’s Royal meeting, and is short enough given that absence. [...]
Carson backing Bow to Echo Guineas romp at Ascot June 15, 2026 There don’t come many bigger legends in Flat racing than Willie Carson. The four-time Derby winning jockey was one of the icons on the level during the 20th century, and with 56 Royal Ascot winners to his name, he knows a thing or two about winning at the Royal meeting. This year’s extravaganza from Berkshire features [...]
Newnham’s Resolve can keep him in championship race June 12, 2026 HONG Kong racegoers arriving for an 11-race programme, including a couple of contests on the all-weather surface at Sha Tin on Saturday, will need to be armed with their umbrellas again. Rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast to hit the city over the weekend, resulting in probable testing conditions for gallopers on show during the [...]
Gorgeous has a great chance of Victory at Sha Tin June 12, 2026 TRAINER Danny Shum has called upon his friend and ally Zac Purton to kick-start his trainers’ championship challenge again. It was only a few weeks back that Shum was carrying all before him, with winners galore – Romantic Warrior completing the Triple Crown and leading the trainers’ title race. That has come to a juddering [...]
Postmodern to Master his rivals on the Knavesmire June 9, 2026 WE Look north to York this Saturday, where there is a strong card of competitive action on the Knavesmire to get stuck into. The Churchill Tyres Handicap (3.35pm) looks like it could be set up for the lightly raced Godolphin contender Man Of Vision. Charlie Appleby’s three-year-old went down by only a neck on his [...]
Be Brave and take Comanche to win Royal Ascot sprint June 9, 2026 ROYAL Ascot is very much on the horizon, with the five days of top-class action at the Berkshire course just under a week away. I’m going to take a dip into the ante-post markets, and I’ve found one I think represents value in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the Saturday. A lot could [...]
Episode 90: George Scott interview, York and the Chris Barnett Memorial Handicap at Sandown June 9, 2026 Tom Marriott and Bill Esdaile are back, reflecting on the two days of action at Epsom’s Derby Festival. Tom chats to Coronation Cup winning trainer George Scott about his best chances at Royal Ascot, before looking ahead to York and the Chris Barnett Memorial Handicap at Sandown on Friday, where Bill’s Lipsink looks set to [...]
Life at the Valley a Blessing for Fownes June 9, 2026 WITH the weather set fair in Hong Kong, racing enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting nine-race programme at Happy Valley on Wednesday, beginning at 11.40am. Trainer Caspar Fownes has welcomed seven winners into the winners’ circle in the past fortnight, and the stable is slowly but surely taking a stranglehold on the champion trainers’ [...]