Royal Ascot 2026: Selections for Thursday, June 18

Day 3 of Royal Ascot has a slightly different look this year, for me anyway.

The Norfolk (G2), a five-furlong two-year-old race I've had some success selecting over the years, has switched places with the longer Chesham S. and will now be run on Saturday. But the 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (G1) remains the centerpiece of the Thursday program.

After a somewhat rough weekend at Epsom earlier this month, the British betting bankroll stands at $645.30 from a starting point of $500. I will wager 5% of the outstanding balance to win on my top selections in the following races, beginning with a $32 play.

Race 1: Chesham S., 9:30 a.m. ET

Selections: 15-1-4

Fillies have won two of the last three editions of this race and also get a five-pound weight allowance from the boys, a couple of minor reasons to think #15 Sea Venture (9-2) might be able to reproduce her eye-catching debut win at Haydock in this more testing spot.

Trapped behind rivals on the near-side rail inside the final furlong or two, jockey Danny Tudhope shifted Sea Venture left, and it wasn't long before the filly darted into the lead with a tremendous turn of foot and won by three lengths. She'll catch faster ground this time, but I don't envision it being an issue.

Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien have won this feature a lot over the years, and #1 Aix La Chapelle (3-2) looms as the obvious horse to beat following a 1 1/2-length debut win over this distance at the Curragh. His dam won the Coronation (G1) here, and he's a Justify half-brother to top-level talents Henri Matisse and Tenebrism.

I was tempted to really go outside the box with #4 On Just Terms (20-1), a son of Justify who has yet to start. From the family of Coronation winners Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star, he's bred to love this layout. My main reservation was not his lack of a previous run but his tardiness leaving the stalls in a barrier trial at Naas last month. He came on to finish third there, but I fear a similarly slow beginning might compromise him too much.

#13 Aperoll (10-1) and #6 Revels (10-1) both had strong-looking debuts, and neither would be a surprise were they to hit the frame, or better.

Race 3: Ribblesdale (G2), 10:40 a.m. ET

Selections: 4-9-5

#4 Earth Shot (6-1) won well in her season debut, a 10-furlong maiden at Newmarket, and then was just edged in the Height of Fashion S. at Goodwood by Inis Mor, who came back last week to finish a respectable third in France's Oaks, the Prix de Diane (G1).

An unexposed daughter of Time Test, who won at this meeting in 2015, she's out of a mare that won over 1 3/4 miles, thus the step up to a mile and a half should be in her wheelhouse. And aside from the favorite, whom I will write of next, this is not a vintage Ribblesdale.

By virtue of her runner-up finish in the Oaks (G1) at Epsom, #9 Legacy Link (8-5) is the logical one to beat. She was cut down late by the supremely impressive Thundering On over testing ground while finishing six lengths clear of her next-closest rival.

Will she be as effective coming back in 13 days? Did she simply handle the soft and undulating conditions at Epsom better than most? A lot of questions to answer at such a short price, and frankly I wasn't wowed by her Musidora (G3) win two back.

In addition to Legacy Link, Juddmonte is also represented by the France-based #5 Gilded Prize (5-2). Her Prix Cleopatre (G3) win in April looked smart, but she was rather dull last time in the Prix Saint-Alary (G2). If it was largely the softer ground she didn't handle, you can draw a line through it.

Coolmore/O'Brien have won the last three runnings of the Ribblesdale with fillies starting at 6-1 or higher, but even I have a hard time warming up to #2 Composing (15-1) in their search for a four-peat. She fared even worse in the Saint-Alary, trailing the field of six.

Race 4: Gold Cup (G1), 11:15 a.m. ET

Selections: 10-9-6

For the better part of the past year, #10 Scandinavia (7-5) has given off the vibe of being the next staying king of Europe. Along the lines of former stablemate Kyprios and the brilliant Stradivarius, who, like Scandinavia last summer, began his reign winning the Goodwood Cup (G1) as a three-year-old.

The Goodwood Cup was the second of five consecutive wins entering the Gold Cup for Scandinavia, and while he typically doesn't win by more than he has to, he's become quite the reliable sort, especially when he looks a rival in the eye and dares them to try and beat him. The last half-mile of the Gold Cup will be completely unknown to him, but I think he has it in him to prove his obvious class.

#9 Rahiebb (5-1) will be a popular choice among those trying to beat Scandinavia, especially since little separated them at the finish of the St Leger (G1) in September. His sharp season debut win in the Yorkshire Cup (G2) bodes well for his future in this division.

Would love to have picked #6 Trawlerman (7-2) to repeat after his record-setting score here last summer, but there appear to be too many variables. He hasn't run since October, has reportedly developed a serious eye condition (a sort of sun allergy, which is a bummer given the forecast), and might have more company up front this time with Caballo De Mar in the field.

#2 Al Riffa (15-1) seems to run best at the Curragh, but was coming on at the end of the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G1) at Longchamp last month and might be good enough to hit the frame.

Race 6: Hampton Court (G3), 12:35 p.m. ET

Selections: 4-3-7

A gelded son of Kameko with not too many miles under his belt yet, #4 Generic (8-1) might be the kind to produce a breakout performance in this 1 1/4-mile test. He won well first time on grass back in April, and then was tossed into the Dee S. at Chester. Someone had to run second to subsequent French Derby (G1) winner Constitution River in that stakes-record performance, and Generic duly did so in a surprise step forward. Third-place Golden Story came back to win the Cocked Hat S. at Goodwood, so the form has held so far.

No one in the field possesses better company lines than #3 Endorsement (9-2), who, at this writing, is taking far more money than stablemate Italy and won't be anything close to the price listed. Before his recent seven-length romp in the King George V Cup, he was beaten a half-length by eventual Derby (G1) winner Christmas Day in the Ballysax (G3) and a neck by Derby third James J Braddock in the Leopardstown Derby Trial (G3). He seemed to very much like the step up to 12 furlongs last time, thus the cut back to 10 here might make him a little vulnerable despite his imposing class credentials.

#7 Maho Bay (6-1) had the look of a late arrival onto the Derby picture when impressively taking a Newmarket novice by more than three lengths in mid-April, but his Epsom dreams went up in smoke when a well-beaten fourth in the Lingfield Derby Trial, won by Derby runner-up Maltese Cross. This course might be more to his liking, as might the cutback to 10 panels.

#10 My Love is King (10-1) and #9 Mountain Cat (15-1) are others to consider if going deep in the vertical exotics.