Andrew Hawkins’ Royal Ascot Preview: Day 3

Posted on June 17, 2026June 18, 2026 | Posted by Andrew Hawkins

RACE 1

Day 3 begins with the Listed Chesham Stakes, one of the more unusual two-year-old races at Royal Ascot. It is over seven furlongs (a1400m), making it the first real juvenile stamina test of the British season, and it is restricted to horses whose sire won over 10 furlongs or further. It has produced some proper horses too, including Maybe, Churchill and Pinatubo. Last year’s winner Humidity could be anything although we haven’t seen him at three, while Bedtime Story’s runaway success in 2024 was one of the most visually impressive performances of that year’s meeting. It would make me so happy to see TIME FOR THE MOON take the Chesham Stakes as a brother to Caulfield Cup winner Durston, a horse I had a lot to do with during my time with Highclere Australia. Time For The Moon won by seven lengths at Musselburgh, in Scotland, at his second start and he looks a lovely type for Charlie Johnston. APEROLL beat her fellow fillies on debut at Newbury. Fillies have won two of the last three years and the step up in trip should suit her. NOLA SOUL deserves respect for a good horseman in Fozzy Stack. The form out of his maiden win at Leopardstown has stood up and he wouldn’t be here if Stack didn’t think he were capable. AIX LA CHAPELLE surprised his owners on debut, based on the betting and the fact Ryan Moore rode stablemate Giant Sequoia. He’s bred in the purple but looks short enough early. Keep an eye on debutant ON JUST TERMS too; owned by clients of Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan and First Light Racing, he will likely be seen in Australia at some point.

Numbers: 11-13-3-1

Suggested Bet: Time For The Moon WIN

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RACE 2

The King George V Stakes is a three-year-old handicap over a mile and a half (a2400m). It is the type of race where lightly raced staying types can announce themselves before heading towards better races later in the season. Brown Panther won this in 2011 before becoming one of the best stayers in Europe, while last year’s winner Merchant gave William Haggas another Royal Ascot staying handicap victor. It’s been a springboard to Australia, too – Desert Hero, Gold Mount, Dandino and Beekeeper were all winners while among those beaten in the last decade include Gilded Water, Highland Bling, Valiant King, Land Legend, Deauville Legend, Military Mission, Just Fine, Francesco Guardi, Constantinople, Cross Counter, Homesman and Shraaoh. It is rarely straightforward, but it is often a race worth following. The Shadwell colours have been aboard the winner three times, most recently with Hukum in 2020. They look to have two top contenders in AL AZD and HEYZOOM. Roger Varian-trained Al Azd was a big winner over this trip at Doncaster in April before disappointing in the London Gold Cup back in trip last start. However, he did make ground from last and a return to the mile and a half should be in his favour. He does have an awkward draw but that might just provide a better price. Heyzoom broke through for a maiden win at his third start last month; runner-up Besieged has since won a maiden by 14 lengths. He looked in need of the longer trip and, being a close relation to 2024 Auckland Cup winner Mahrajaan, his pedigree suggests he’ll relish it. Al Shaqab pair CANNES and JOULANY, the latter recently gelded, are next best.

Numbers: 5-17-3-6

Suggested Bet: Al Azd EACH WAY

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RACE 3

The G2 Ribblesdale Stakes is effectively the Ascot Oaks, a mile-and-a-half race for the three-year-old fillies. It often attracts fillies who have run well at Epsom without winning, although it has also been won by those still on the rise. From Bracelet and Star Catcher to Magic Wand, Warm Heart, Port Fairy and Garden Of Eden, Aidan O’Brien has had a very strong recent record in the race. Magic Wand also gives it an Australian angle, having later won the G1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington; 2022 winner Magical Lagoon also raced down under. LEGACY LINK was second best at Epsom, proving no match for Thundering On but coming well clear of the rest. It was a tough run and that’s the concern, given she has to return just 13 days on. However, she boasts the best form in the race and it is hers to lose. O’Brien can continue his recent run with COMPOSING, who has been disappointing this season but lines up as her stable’s only representative. She gets blinkers for the first time and that could spark her to life. GILDED PRIZE crosses the English Channel for Francis-Henri Graffard, having looked a top class filly in the making before disappointing last time out in the G2 Prix Saint-Alary. Good ground should make the difference. The form around EARTH SHOT has stood up and she’s bred to enjoy this sort of trip. She can’t be dismissed.

Numbers: 9-2-4-5

Suggested Bet: Legacy Link WIN (Best Bet)

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RACE 4

The G1 Gold Cup over two and a half miles (a4000m) is the staying championship of Europe and the centrepiece of Royal Ascot. This is the race of Yeats, Stradivarius and Kyprios, and it is the race that gave Queen Elizabeth II one of her most famous moments when Estimate won in 2013. It is a very different test to the Melbourne Cup – more relentless, less tactical and generally more attritional – but for pure staying merit, there is nothing like it in the European season. There is a tendency to look towards the up and comers and it makes sense – nine of the last 14 winners have been four-year-olds and only Yeats has won the race as an eight-year-old since 1900, when Australian champion Merman took the prize. That’s a lot of history for TRAWLERMAN to overcome, particularly given he’s had a couple of setbacks to start the season. Still, he was tremendous last year and it looks as though the race should pan out well for him again. Hopefully, we get to see him at his very best again. SCANDINAVIA was out of the placings in the G2 Queen’s Vase here last year but quickly proved himself the best stayer of his generation with wins in the G1 Goodwood Cup and G1 St Leger. He’s continued his winning form this year and, although this is more tricky, he must be a leading candidate. CABALLO DE MAR has seemingly emerged from nowhere to become one of the most consistent stayers in Europe. He will be as fit as any and the trip is no concern; perhaps good ground would be better for him rather than good to firm but he’s a chance. The honest SWEET WILLIAM, who defeated Caballo De Mar to win the G3 Sagaro Stakes, is an unlikely winner but he is the first horse to include in exotics as he will likely be staying on into the minor money.

Numbers: 6-10-3-5

Suggested Bet: Trawlerman WIN

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RACE 5

The Britannia Stakes is the three-year-old version of the Royal Hunt Cup, a straight-mile handicap for the colts and geldings. It is always one of the most intriguing races of the week, often bringing together horses still on a sharp upward curve against horses already high up in the ratings. Docklands is the most prominent winner in recent years, while Hong Kong buyers often circle for the winner. Like the Royal Hunt Cup, it can look impossible on paper – but the winner is often a horse with more to come. There are a number of untapped types in this year’s Britannia – early estimates suggested it could even be double figures the field, although it is likely that punters will single out one to back into clearcut favouritism before jump time. One that creates interest is TALES OF WISDOM, a winner of two of his three starts. He had excuses at his sole defeat and was good in winning a novice event at Newmarket last month. He is clearly temperamental as seen by Charlie Appleby trying numerous types of headgear on him across his short career to date but if he can put it all together. OUTBACK HEAT steps out for Docklands’ trainer Harry Eustace under apprentice Kaiya Fraser, who takes his first Royal Ascot ride here. He was good at the course and distance last month and Docklands won the same race in 2023 before taking the Britannia. ORGANISE suffered his first defeat at his third start but has been gelded since. It’s been 25 years since John Gosden won the Britannia – so long ago that his son Thady, now in partnership with him, had barely started school – but Organise looks the progressive type who could end that drought. Next best is WE’RE GOOSERS, who struggled at a mile at his only attempt and has to defy an 11lb hike in the ratings but who still looks to be below his eventual mark.

Numbers: 4-20-3-10

Suggested Bet: Tales Of Wisdom EACH WAY

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RACE 6

The G3 Hampton Court Stakes is for the three-year-olds over a mile and two furlongs (a2000m). It sits in that interesting space between the Guineas and the Derby: some horses are stepping up from a mile, others are coming back from a mile and a half, and plenty are still working out exactly what they are. Given it is restricted to horses yet to win at Group 1 or Group 2 level, it also encourages emerging horses to step up here. Cannock Chase, Hawkbill and Benbatl all won this before becoming G1 horses, while Russian Emperor later became one of Hong Kong’s best middle-distance performers. If my selections are right, it will be a big Day 3 for Godolphin – but this time for long-time trainer Saeed bin Suroor rather than Charlie Appleby. MOUNTAIN CAT is so intriguing here, having won over a mile on turf on his debut before another victory up to 1700m on the Wolverhampton all-weather. Everything about his pedigree suggests he will relish the mile and a quarter and he’s one to keep on side. ENDORSEMENT was a soft winner at a mile and a half last time out in a race that has been won by horses like Portland, Tower Of London and Delphi in the past. His form before that behind Derby winner Christmas Day and placegetter James J Braddock reads even better now but the step back in trip is a slight surprise (perhaps a decision made to allow Benvenuto Cellini to tackle the G2 King Edward VII Stakes without competition from his stablemate). MAHO BAY lines up for Appleby after a disappointing effort in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial over approximately 2300m. The return to 10 furlongs suits and he should enjoy all favours in the run. GENERIC is next, coming off a distant second to top three-year-old Constitution River in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester.

Numbers: 9-3-7-4

Suggested Bet: Mountain Cat EACH WAY

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RACE 7

The Buckingham Palace Stakes, a seven-furlong handicap, closes Day 3. It was first introduced in 2002 when Royal Ascot expanded for the Golden Jubilee, disappeared when the Commonwealth Cup was created in 2015 and then returned during the COVID-era expansion in 2020. It has stayed on the programme since, which means it sits alongside the Royal Hunt Cup and Wokingham as one of the big-field handicaps that give the meeting a very different feel to the pattern races. There is a fascinating runner here at big odds named ROCK OF CASHEL for Norwegian trainer Niels Petersen. He won in Oslo last start after disappointing out in Dubai. He had some good pieces of form at two and three when owned by Coolmore. The drop back to seven furlongs for the first time in over a year is intriguing and Petersen is a shrewd handler. Jamie Spencer is the right man to rely on in these handicaps and he will be making his run very late, but don’t be surprised to see him in the finish. COSI BELLO has a number of Australian owners, plenty of whom will be trackside. He loves the 1400m and still appears well treated by the handicapper. BLUE BROTHER hasn’t raced since the Royal Hunt Cup last year but he has been gelded since and is one to be wary about. FONDO BLANCO is another making his seasonal debut who is capable of performing well.

Numbers: 24-14-11-4

Suggested Bet: Rock Of Cashel EACH WAY

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