Don’t Miss Alobayyah in competitive Kensington Palace June 16, 2026 THERE are several fiercely competitive handicaps on Wednesday’s Ascot card, with the Kensington Palace Stakes (5.35pm), a mile-long 25 runner contest for fillies and mares, being one. I’m throwing two darts at this, with the strongest fancy being ALOBAYYAH for the William Haggas stable, who are in rude health of late. She was a massive [...]
Ombudsman can pay the way to more Champagne June 16, 2026 WEDNESDAY’s Group One feature at Royal Ascot, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (4.20pm), sees one of the most highly anticipated clashes of the week. Last year’s winner OMBUDSMAN takes on Arc victor Daryz, in a classic England versus France match up and there shouldn’t be much between these two brilliant horses when it comes to [...]
Gali can land the Queen’s Vase for Balding and Murphy June 16, 2026 SOME top-class horses have won the Group Two Queen’s Vase (3.05pm) over the years, with Eldar Eldarov claiming this one-mile-six-furlong prize and then the St Leger a few months later in 2022. Illinois almost landed the same double in 2024, going down by a neck to stablemate Jan Brueghel at Doncaster. Whoever wins this afternoon [...]
Episode 91: Royal Ascot 2026 – Day 1 & 2 June 15, 2026 Tom Marriott and Bill Esdaile are back to preview the opening two days of Royal Ascot 2026, with analysis and selections across the cards. Trainer of Overpass, Bjorn Baker, joins to discuss his sprinter’s chances in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday. Check back on Wednesday for a preview of the rest of the [...]
Talk can follow Echo home in St James’s Palace June 15, 2026 NO HORSE has attracted more attention ahead of this week’s five days of Royal Ascot than George Boughey’s BOW ECHO, who runs in Tuesday’s Group One St James’s Palace Stakes (4.20pm). The son of Night Of Thunder was certainly well-regarded as a two-year-old, winning his three starts, culminating in a good performance in the Group [...]
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 [...]