Royal Ascot 2026: Selections for Tuesday, June 16

The most prestigious summer festival of all starts with a bang on Tuesday, as Royal Ascot stages three Group 1s and a Group 2 for juveniles who ultimately have top-level ambitions.

Royal Ascot tournaments are here! Also check out the Royal Ascot bet back offer! Opt in and receive a Bonus Bet up to $10 back on your first single horse Win wager if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd in selected races at the Royal Ascot from Tuesday, June 16th, 2026, through Saturday, June 20th, 2026.

Race 1, 9:30 a.m. ET: Queen Anne (G1), WAYI for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1)

Top selections:

• #7 Opera Ballo (4-1)
• #6 Notable Speech (3-2)
• #5 More Thunder (4-1)
• Each-way value: #9 Zeus Olympios (8-1)

Reigning Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) champion #6 Notable Speech is favored after his impressive victory in the key prep, the Lockinge (G1) at Newbury. But the concern is that the Godolphin homebred has been tamer than fiery in both prior Royal Ascot appearances. If it’s not necessarily a conclusive body of evidence, it’s enough to give pause at a cramped price.

Preference goes to his stablemate from the Charlie Appleby yard, #7 Opera Ballo, whose racing mentality is beginning to match his raw physical ability. Just as sire Ghaiyyath improved with maturity to become a world champion, the talented Opera Ballo is poised to make his mark on the big stage. His only two losses have come down the straight Rowley Mile, but he’s won on the straightaway over Newmarket’s July Course. We’ll trust the wunderkind Billy Loughnane to guide the exuberant traveler here, as William Buick sticks with Notable Speech.

#5 More Thunder was a rattling second in the Lockinge. His experience over the Ascot course and his progressive profile for William Haggas make him the most logical threat to the Godolphin pair. But the best value play is #9 Zeus Olympios off his sneaky third in the Lockinge, where he fared best among those in proximity to the pace. Conqueror of Opera Ballo in last fall’s Joel (G2), the Karl Burke pupil has a big one in him eventually. 

Defending champion #3 Docklands always runs well here, and returns in even better form, but it’s a tall order to repeat. #2 Damysus has loads of class, and the stiffer track can help him improve from his Lockinge sixth, but his future lies over further. 

Race 2, 10:05 a.m. ET: Coventry (G2)

Top selections:

• #5 Confucius (3-2)
• #15 Night in Vegas (6-1)
• #14 Mrair (20-1)
• #18 Siouxperb (10-1)

In a field of 22 promising juveniles, #5 Confucius could be either a woeful underlay or the latest budding star for 11-time Coventry winner Aidan O’Brien. The opposition is both worthy and plentiful, but it’s difficult to have enough confidence in anyone in particular to nail the colors to the mast against the favorite. While stablemate #10 Great Barrier Reef (9-2) is the most obvious alternative, his Marble Hill (G3) score left more questions than answers, and it’s been 10 years since a colt turned the double in the Coventry. 

Confucius is still on the learning curve, but as Ballydoyle two-year-olds tend to do, he improved from his near-miss debut to stretch clear second time out. The nearly $2.4 million Tattersalls October yearling is bred to be precocious, as a son of No Nay Never and 2019 European champion juvenile filly Millisle, by Starspangledbanner. 

#15 Night in Vegas is 2-for-2 for Eve Johnson Houghton, looking stylish in his course-and-distance debut and disposing of a potentially tricky situation at Goodwood. The only quibble is that in years past, the Lucky Vega colt might well have opted for Wednesday’s Windsor Castle S. instead of taking the Coventry plunge. But a change in the race conditions (involving the sire) has made him ineligible for the Windsor Castle. 

Of the pricey two-year-olds in training sales grads, the nearly $1.2 million Goffs buy #14 Mrair holds the most intrigue. Odds-on in both starts for George Scott, he totally missed the break when a good second to Godolphin’s talented Al Hudaiba at Newmarket. Mrair made no mistake at Lingfield next time, and the Mehmas colt figures to have learned plenty. 

I’ve forced #18 Siouxperb into the mix, not only because of his convincing debut score for the ever-dangerous Archie Watson, but also because that triggered a private purchase by Valmont. The Sioux Nation colt won well despite not being as forward physically, hinting that there’s a lot more to come as he strengthens. 

Richard Hannon’s #6 Cut a Dash (15-1), and James Ferguson’s #9 God Given Talent (20-1) both oozed quality in their debut victories, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if either jumps up on the class hike. The same applies to expensive breeze-up purchases #16 Royal Heritage and #17 Ruler’s Pride, who could be anything for the burgeoning Wathnan operation. Royal Heritage might have been rated higher if not for a post-Arqana hiccup that delayed his debut, putting him on a very tight timetable. Ruler’s Pride got a form boost from his five-furlong maiden romp, but it would’ve been preferable to see him over six. 

Race 3, 10:40 a.m. ET: King Charles III (G1), WAYI for Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1)

Top selections:

• #21 Rayevka (4-1)
• #9 Overpass (2-1)
• #8 Night Raider (5-1)
• Each-way value: #22 Rosy Affair (15-1)
• Exotics bomb: #4 Cover Up (60-1)

#9 Overpass is the one to beat as an Australian with world-class form to his credit, including a close fourth to the all-conquering Ka Ying Rising in last October’s Everest (G1) at Randwick. The caveat is that he doesn’t win very often, and his career highlights have come around the left-handed turn at the other Ascot – in Western Australia. Trainer Bjorn Baker has even commented on the stiff straightaway here, quipping about a “hill.” So it’s easy to cheer for Overpass while also looking for another win candidate.

French filly #21 Rayevka just demolished her prep in the manner of a sprinter coming of age and finding her right trip. Representing the high-profile tandem of the Aga Kha Studs and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, she was a terrific third in last summer’s Commonwealth Cup (G1) over six furlongs. But Rayevka has blossomed on the cutback to five. Although it’s been two decades since France last lifted this prize, her sire Blue Point was a two-time winner. 

#8 Night Raider flopped as my top selection last year, but he’s 2-for-2 since being gelded, and his newfound consistency makes him a real threat. My only hesitation about sticking with him on top again is that this British division is too evenly matched for anyone to win three in a row. If he makes me regret it, it won’t be the first time I was a year early and bailed when I shouldn’t have. 

I nearly tabbed #22 Rosy Affair in my longshots piece, but when #4 Cover Up was listed at four times her price, he had to get the spotlight treatment. Still, Rosy Affair has a strong case.

An upwardly mobile type who nearly upset the high-class Flora of Bermuda, Rosy Affair has run very well in the same two stepping stones used by #16 Frost at Dawn en route to her near-miss here a year ago. Interestingly, trainer George Boughey thought about sending Rosy Affair to the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on Dubai World Cup night before deciding to bring her along more gently. He and jockey Loughnane have been plotting to drop her back to five furlongs.

One can’t dismiss the chances of the past two winners, Australian expat #13 Asfoora and defending champion #2 American Affair. Note that #12 Starlust, a close fourth here last year, will be making his second start back from stud duty. The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) hero is entitled to come on a bundle from his tune-up.

Race 4, 11:20 a.m. ET: St James’s Palace (G1)

Top selections:

• #2 Gstaad (5-2)
• #1 Bow Echo (4-5)
• #5 Puerto Rico (10-1)

If unbeaten #1 Bow Echo is to confirm the form of his smashing 2000 Guineas (G1) victory over #2 Gstaad, he will have to do so on a different sort of track. The change of venue from the straight course at Newmarket to the turning mile at Ascot introduces a different race geometry, and that could be the decisive factor.

Although both were making their seasonal reappearances in a fast-run Guineas, the way the race unfolded down the Rowley Mile played more to Bow Echo's strengths. It is also arguable that Gstaad was in greater need of his first run off the bench.

Gstaad underscored his effectiveness around a bend in his recent stakes-record victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas (G1). O’Brien commented on the colt’s need to wind up and lengthen stride, holding out the possibility of stretching out in trip. He also emphasized the importance of a robust pace, and that dynamic could unfold in a manner more advantageous to Gstaad here. 

In the all-important rematch with Bow Echo, Ballydoyle will employ tactics to give Gstaad the most beneficial race shape while exposing any vulnerability in Bow Echo. They’ve got a Group 1-winning front runner in #5 Puerto Rico, who is sure to move forward off his comeback fourth in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) (G1). 

I’m imagining that Puerto Rico will roll forward, and Gstaad will pick up the baton coming off the turn. If he can get enough of a break on Bow Echo at that juncture, he can stay on too strongly for him to catch in the stretch.

The possible fly in the ointment is Gstaad’s drawing the rail on this round course, but ace rider Ryan Moore will figure out how to avoid being trapped. 

Note that rival power Godolphin’s #6 Talk of New York (4-1) also stands to benefit from a strong pace. This is his acid class test though. Unless Puerto Rico exhausts himself, he has the class to hang on for a minor award. 

Stay tuned for Race 5, the heritage handicap called the Ascot S., and be sure to follow Alastair Bull's wagering strategy!