By Tony Calvin - 13 June 2026
You can pretty much tell within seconds, in certain instances anyway, whether a race holds any betting appeal for you – and the Queen Anne is one easily left alone for me.
The fact that the race has held up very well with nine runners is good for each-way punters – we only lost Aidan O’Brien’s Expanded at the overnight stage, and nine gives you the wriggle/wiggle room of a non-runner – but I think it is hard to have a strong betting view at the current prices.
We are used to having Ballydoyle setting the pace tempo with multiple runners in Group 1 runners – don’t they, John – but it is Charlie Appleby calling the speed tune here as well as providing the known class.
The 125-rated duo of Notable Speech and Opera Ballo are the form standard-setters, and it is widely expected that the latter will try to make all from the front, so what is their 66s chance First Conquest doing in here?
You assume he is in as a front-end spoiler rather than a pacemaker – he isn’t normally a forward-goer and why wouldn’t they allow Opera Ballo an uncontested lead? – but if that is the case then why would Ryan Moore MBE have agreed to take the ride.
He’d surely rather be putting his feet up and saving his energy than riding a seeming no-hoper.
It’s a curious one all, right.
I know you get a carpet or so for your troubles and he rides for Appleby a fair bit (38 times, if you want to know), as does his son Toby, but it is a very un-Moore like thing to do.
Perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye, and the horse has been working the house down and is running on his own merits.
I suspect Notable Speech is much the classiest horse on show here and he is pretty much [7/4] across the board but his two Ascot defeats, most recently when beaten over 2 lengths into fourth behind Docklands in this race last season, are obvious red flags at the price.
Like a few people in the lead-up to the race, I thought More Thunder, brushed aside by 2 lengths by Notable Speech in the Lockinge, was the obvious each-way angle in this and the [9/2] about him in a couple of places, effectively one outfit, may not last long.
In fact, it didn’t as when checking the prices on the final edit of this race preview, I see the [9/2] went at 8.19am.
William Haggas has done wonders with the horse since he took over its reins from Sir Michael Stoute, winning a handicap off 87 and then putting in that career-best effort at Newbury last time.
And common sense dictates that this stiffer mile should see him get closer to the Appleby horse here.
Newbury was the first time Haggas had run over him a mile and he stayed on strongly there, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise as Stoute campaigned him over 1m2f.
You sense the Haggas camp are expecting a very big run here – the owner’s racing representative Philip Robinson had a glint in his eye when Matt Chapman interviewed him on Saturday – but the general 4s is now a walkaway price.
And what are the Appleby camp cooking up with their three runners?
A slowly-run race to utilize Notable Speech’s push-button acceleration?
We shall see…
Arizona Raider is a NR (lame).
Minimising the guesswork when betting should help minimise losses at the very least, and that thought very much came into my thinking when looking at this 22-runner Coventry.
Sure, the speed and sectional specialists (the real ones, not those who rob their ideas and pass them off as their own – it does amuse me when some of the more unlikely TV pundits profess to own a stopwatch and actually use it) come into their own here.
Actually, I am one of the robbers, too….
But even the Time Bandits can’t factor in unknowns, such as the improvement likely to come from pretty much of all the runners here.
And the effect of the draw.
Half of the field have raced only once, and the most experienced in the line-up has raced just four times.
Plenty in here are going to step up considerably on what they have shown then, especially given the unique demands of the huge field and the frenetic pace, and frankly I am very confident that I want to sit this one out.
Of course, Aidan O’Brien is not a bad starting point for punters, as the winner of this race four times in the last 10 years – though Nando Parrado and Rashabar have won this contest at 150/1 and 80/1 in the same period – and he supplies the market leaders in Confucius and Great Barrier Reef at [9/4] and 7s respectively.
It may well be that Confucius is a class above these, and it looks like he posted the best speed figure in here by some way, in his heavy odds-on win at Naas last time too, but I can let him win all day long at [9/4].
If you want to have an interest, then maybe have a Nanda Parrado or Rashabar-type swing to minimal stakes at huge odds.
Quite what those types are in here, I have no idea.
Over to you.
This 26-runner 5f Group King Charles III Stakes will be straightforward to many.
Back the Australian sprinter Overpass at [10/3]. He could easily blitz out and make all here.
If he can reproduce his best form then he is the one to beat, especially over this 5f trip – and his trainer Bjorn Baker did himself plenty of favours with a barnstormingly entertaining performance on Luck On Sunday at the weekend – but he is hardly a win machine, for all he has probably been mixing it with far better sprinters than this.
In fact, he has.
But this dual Group 1 winning 7yo has lost his last seven races and who knows how he will take to this challenge in his advancing years.
I don’t.
In its way, this is probably much harder than the Coventry as we know all the others in here – and we know that anything can win a UK Group 1 sprint.
I was surprised I managed to get £50 ew on Getreadytorumble at 80s in one fell swoop on Sunday, though I suppose , against that, he currently trades at [130.0] on the exchange and five places is probably nothing flash in field of this depth.
And his draw in one is far from ideal, with Overpass in 19, though he does have pace around him.
Well, I hope it is ideal, but I’d be lying if I said I liked it.
But, all things considered, I do think he has a better chance than those lofty prices suggest (though that fixed-odds 80s has become 66s, with five places available with six firms at that price).
He clearly needs to improve a stone to get into the reckoning here, but I like his profile and I am willing to forgive him a seemingly moderate run last time.
His form took off last season after an inauspicious debut at 50s at Kempton last May, including a good run in defeat here, and he caught everyone’s eye when an unlucky losing third behind Mission Central at Naas in late April.
He would surely have won with a clear run, yet the winner is a general 10s chance and he is nearly seven times the price.
The reason is he is because the improvement bubble was apparently burst behind Night Raider in the Group 2 Temple Stakes last time (beaten 4 1/2 lengths), but I take a more charitable view of that run because he was drawn widest there and that was not the place to be.
I have pressed up win-only today at three figures, very small (tiny in fact but I am in the queue, too) and I hope that I at least get a shout at some stage.
Probably as they are going into the stalls, and not in the race itself, but as John Gosden famously said back in 2004 (he gets a fair airing on the podcast this week, by the way), “you’d have to be a bit of wanker” if not occasionally rolling the big dice.
Two 1s is more likely than a brace of 6s here, granted, and that draw is a big concern (see going stick readings, too).
Of the others, I thought Rumstar was okay at 20s+ win-only but this is a crap shoot.
And I’m usually a crap shot in sprints.
It’s a pity that French 2,000 Guineas winner Rayif was pulled out on Sunday morning due to spiking a mild fever – he was actually confirmed on the BHA site and then withdrawn about an hour later – because he would have added another layer of excellence to an already absorbing race.
As it is, we have the Guineas 1-2 Bow Echo and subsequently Curragh winner Gstaad going at it again, with Talk Of New York, who oozed Group 1 potential when winning at Sandown, a very dangerous floater.
And dual Group 1 winner Puerto Rico is clearly no-hoper, though will he be used to set the race up for his stablemate? (Power Blue, himself a Group 1 winner at tw0, could also force it).
Only O’Brien could think about effectively using such a quality animal as a pacemaker, though that is how 2023 St Leger winner Continuous ended his racing days.
It’s a ruthless game at the top table when you can’t cut it any more.
I won’t be having a bet here but, if Bow Echo is as good as he looked at Newmarket and can handle a different racing environment here , then the [10/11] with AKBets is not a bad price. A good one, in fact.
But I see no need to have a bet myself.
The Baby-Faced Assassin.
No, not “Yon Baby Face” Barry Taylor in Auf Wiedersehen Pet , but the Ascot version, Joseph O’Brien.
He confirmed seven of the 20 for this race, which ensured a whole host of fancied horses were balloted out (full list below – get your money back on these).
He has proved a hope killer to many here, has Joseph.
I’ll come back to the TBFA’s septet shortly, but the starting point has to be Willie Mullins’ Reaching High, looking to atone for a luckless passage when [11/4] for this race last season.
We haven’t seen him since (have they really been that deliberately patient with Chuck and Cammy’s horse?) and the Mullins-Moore axis in staying races at Royal Ascot is a formidable one, but at [9/4] it is a no, and thrice no.
He surely has to drift, no?
O’Brien has nearly managed to compile a Union Jack number of rivals against them, and his Puturhandstogether is the shortest of the lot at a general 6s and [11/2].
But the one of his that interested me most was Glenroyal at 18s in a place and 16s, fixed-odds, though personally I will look to back him win-only on Betfair at 20s+ (currently 46.0 as at 10.26am, Tuesday).
I am playing win-only because his 2m4f stamina is far from assured, as a horse that has not gone beyond 1m5f before.
But he is a full brother to 2m1f Irish Cesarewitch winner Magellan Strait and an Australia half-brother to Lagostovegas, who won this very race in 2018. So I’d bet odds-on he will improve for going up in trip, even if you can’t be blase about him fully seeing out an extra 7f.
That’s a fair bit of uncharted territory.
On the face of it, his recent hurdles run was moderate enough too and this may be the quickest ground he has encountered – it was good to firm when he was third at Tipperary last season – but he was without his usual cheekpieces when held up at Killarney last month (they are back on here) and I suspect he will be ridden more prominently from trap one.
It’s a bit of a guess-up but the horse to beat easily, giving 6lb, over 1m2f+ at Roscommon on his most recent Flat start is now rated 100 after successfully pot-hunting in Bahrain this year, and Glenroyal can race off 93 here.
He is worth a spin but I am happy to go in two-handed, win-only here, and I am playing on the exchange once again.
My second dart is Paddy Twomey’s Ismahane, though hands up I have backed Lavender Hill Mob at [75.00] too, tiny, as Owen has an excellent record with first-time visors (see below).
Ismahane is best at 22s fixed-odds, but I am looking to get filled at 25s+ on that faltering machine (currently 38.0 as at 10.26am Tuesday).
He is similar to Glenroyal in that he is unproven over the trip, the ground could be a bit lively, he comes here via a spin over hurdles and cheekpieces are back on (albeit for the first time for Twomey, who has a good record with this headgear – see below).
And they even race off the same mark.
But I thought he shaped very well at Ballinrobe last month against a Mullins debutante – that run looked a means to this end – and surely he is off a fighting weight on the evidence of his Italian St Leger second , his last Flat start for his previous handler.
The excellent Twomey doesn’t waste too many darts.
And the toughies just keep on coming, with the Wolferton [13/2] the field on the Oddschecker grid.
There are so many horses you can make a case for in here it is untrue, so any bet I have is going to be minimal.
In fact, I have been nibbling away at Ancient Wisdom on Betfair for the past 24 hours.
I thought the 25s fixed-odds was big enough but he has been matched at [55.0] and is [50.0] as I hit publish on this race preview – normal liquidity observations and limitations apply clearly – and I just don’t get it (he is just 22.0 as at 10.26am Tuesday).
The fact that William Buick rides stablemate Arabian Light doesn’t bother me at all.
Formwise, Ancient Wisdom is a match for any of these on a few of his efforts – most notably when splitting Al Aasy and Almaqam when second in last year’s Gordon Richards Stakes – and this is his optimum trip.
One of his other better efforts was when splitting Naqeeb and Saddadd when second at Goodwood in September. Again, form that makes him a major player here.
Of course, it is a concern that we haven’t seen him yet this season, and maybe he would appreciate easier ground – there is a chance they pull him out I guess if they think it is too rapido, but it is money back if they do – but the first-time cheekpieces are viewed as a big positive for me (Appleby’s record with headgear is second to none) and he simply is too big from a form perspective.
I’ve taken my chance to small stakes win-only (£42.66 at an average of 36.38 if you must know), as a blow-out could easily be on the cards given the absence
I missed the bigger prices such as 20s, but I have also played Royal Rhyme small here win-only.
A couple of his Group 1 efforts in defeat (and other performances in this kind of grade) make him one of the form picks and I was pretty filthy at the tender ride he was given when fifth in the Huxley Stakes last time, when a big, big drifter.
Presumably he will be asked for more effort here, even if connections would have ideally wanted more juice.
Everything looks in place for Valiancy to win this 1m6f Copper Horse Handicap – and I am not that much against his price of 2s.
Certainly, I’d rather back him at 2s than Reaching High at [9/4].
He has drawn well in 14 and he was hugely impressive when overcoming trouble in running to win at Hamilton last time. I had backed the runner-up there and thought I had him for a moment, only for James Doyle to finally get a clear run and quickly disabuse that notion.
The bare form possibly makes an 8lb rise harsh enough, but the eyes say it was justified, if not the clock.
However, I won’t be backing him here. Punting 2s pokes in 16-runner handicaps, in which you may need luck in running, is not in my betting DNA.
Fellow Wathnan Racing-owned Sing Us A Song has been put back on track by a gelding operation and I think he is the best each-way option against the favourite at 8s – one firm is five places at that price and that looks a cracking each-way bet if you can access – and [15/2].
He went off 100/30 for two decent handicaps at this meeting and Goodwood last season but temperament got the better of him on both occasions.
Nuts off, he then beat Klassleader over this 1m6f trip at Haydock in September and he has shaped well in defeat over 1m4f twice this season.
In fact, he was second to Klassleader at York last time and went up 2lb for it, but that winner is going big places (probably the Ebor) and Plage De Havre, 2 1/2 lengths away in third, is also a well-handicapped horse, too.
The way he stuck on doggedly at York strongly suggests 1m6f is his optimum and I’d like to see another attacking ride from stall seven.
I am not that happy to see James McDonald on board – the ride he gave Blue Brother in the Hunt Cup last season was one of the worst I have ever seen from a top jockey at a big meeting (think “corpse strapped on a horse” in a Western) – but a competent ride ought to see this horse finish in the first four or five at the very least.
Hopefully anyway, as I have backed him each-way.
He is easily my best bet of a pretty quiet opening betting day.
Don’t mess up, J-Mac….
Sing Us A Song each way at 8s and [15/2] in 6.10pm – get the best each-way terms your accounts allow (five places is obviously preferable as one NR and we are into traditional 1,2 3 each-way terms – one firm are going six places but I am not taking the piss here).
Going: Good to firm
Going Stick – Stands side: 8.6, Centre: 8.6, Farside: 8.3. Round: 7.6 (Tuesday 8.30am)
Soil Moisture: 38%
Going stick and soil moisture readings will be taken daily by 8.30am
Tuesday morning course update: Dry overnight to Tuesday morning 0.4mm rain on Monday. 5mm rain recorded through the past 7 days to Tuesday. Dry warm day is forecast. It is forecast to be generally dry through the week, an occasional light shower is possible on Wednesday and Friday. Max temp expected to be between 22 and 26 to Thursday when they could increase further. For access to our live weather station and for the latest Going info please go to www.ascot.com/thegoing
Watering: Watered Round Course 3mm overnight to Monday and 4mm overnight to Sunday. Watered Straight Course 10mm on Sunday and 10mm on Thursday
yr.no weather (6.53am Tuesday): dry, sunny spells, 24 degrees
5pm: Hipop de Loire, Dallas Star, Delta, Valedictory, Square Necker, Moon Over Miami, Kilmeaden, Zanndabad, Ride The Thunder, Kingstonian, Aqwaam, Synergism, Mont St Michel, Pole Star, Alphonse Le Grande, Alrazeen, Shrimp Shady, Believitanducan, Ballyadam, Scottish Anthem, Maxident, Arc Zoosve, Dallas Star
5.35pm: Naqeeb, Certain Lad, Crown Of Oaks, High Stock, Savvy Victory, Tuscan Hills, Yabher
6.10pm: Too Soon, Fouroneohfever, Dancing In Paris, Hipop de Loire, Dallas Star, Siempre Arturo, Bahadur, Ghaiyya, Westminster Moon, Valedictory, Asgard’s Captain, Square Necker, Dancingwithmyself, Fierce Fortitude, Ndaawi, Majestic, Goblet Of Fire, Zanndabad, Ride The Thunder, Peaky Blinder, Pole Star, Alfred Boucher
James Owen visor; Aspect Island 3.40pm & Lavender Hill Mob, 5pm; 20-71
Joseph O’Brien, blinkers; Defiantly, 4.20pm; 15-141 (since 2016)
Joseph O’Brien cheekpieces; Puturhandstogether, 4.20pm; 29-318 (2016)
Paddy Twomey cheekpieces; Ismahane; 5pm; (1st time cheekpieces for Twomey – only wore them once in France); 5-14 (2020) – Proform has him at 7-19
Charlie Appleby cheekpieces; Ancient Wisdom, 5.35pm; 43-146 (2016)
F-H Graffard cheekpieces; Map Of Stars, 5.35pm; No access to French stats, soz
Michael Bell hood; Yashin, 6.10pm; 8-76 (2012)
Michael Bell blinkers; Yashin, 6.10pm; 3-21 (2009)
2.30pm: Opera Ballo (drawn 7), First Conquest (2)
3.05pm (limited evidence – run-styles may change): Ruler’s Pride (17), Siouxperb (6), Jaan Ki Tukri (22), Bull Shark (4), Adaay Of Scarlett (15), Confucius (20) – Arizona Raider is a NR (lame)
3.40pm: Jakajaro (23), Night Raider (6), Overpass (19), Rosy Affair (11), Aspect Island (20), Behike (8), Frost At Dawn? (3), Mission Central? (24)
4.20pm: Power Blue, (5) Puerto Rico (4)
5pm: Barnso (3), Lavender Hill Mob (2), Ismahane (4), Kizlyar (6) – all pace drawn low
5.35pm: Adelaide River (14), Ancient Wisdom (3), Galen (15), Gaucher (12), Haatem (2)
6.10pm: Hallejulah U (15), Gamrai (2), Green Cape (9), Duraji (17), Sing Us A Song (7)
Good: John And Thady Gosden, Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby, William Haggas, Ed Walker, Richard Hannon, Hamad El Jehani, James Ferguson, Michael O’Callaghan, William Knight, Tracy Waggott (1 runner; 1 winner), James Owen, Alan King, Gordon Elliott, Andrew Balding
Fair: Charles Hills (fair/good), Harry Eustace, Karl Burke (fair/good), Hugo Palmer, Michael Mulvany, Michael Bell (fair/good – winner on Sunday), Donnacha O’Brien, Clive Cox (stable beginning to come right at right same), Jack Jones, George Scott, Eve Johnson Houghton (fair/good), Joseph O’Brien, Jim Goldie (11-1 winner on Monday), Mick Appleby, Simon and Ed Crisford, Jack Channon (5-1 winner on Sunday), Robert Cowell, F-H Graffard, Henry De Bromhead (13-2 winner on Sunday), Daniel and Claire Kubler, Denis Gerard Hogan (7-2 winner on Sunday), M Seror, Charlie Johnston, Julie Camacho, Newland and Insole, Harry Charlton (4-1 winner on Sunday), David O’Meara, Iain Jardine (hitting form with recent winners – double on Monday), Richard Hughes (10-1 winner at Windsor on Monday night), Gary and Josh Moore, Ralph Beckett (fair/good – winner on Sunday), Paddy Twomey (1-2 chance beaten on Sunday), George Boughey (better upgrade him now after Bow Echo)
Moderate: Brian Meehan (small sample and three have run well enough so maybe harsh), Archie Watson, Charlie Fellowes , Kevin Ryan, John and Sean Quinn, Jonathan Portman, Ed Bethell (evens winner on Monday), Mario Baratti, Ian Williams, Willie Mullins fair/moderate (poor for him though – 11/2 winner on Sunday though), Tony Martin, Warren Greatrex, Kevin Philippart De Foy, Amanda Perrett
Don’t know: Henry Dwyer, Bjorn Baker, Robson Du Aguiar (15-2 winner on Sunday), Mohammed and Santos
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