Kicking off on Thursday, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will undoubtedly dominate the headlines in the weeks to come. However, the North American bonanza is far from the only spectacular sporting show on offer. For fans of horse racing, next week sees one of the most prestigious meetings of the year get underway, as Ascot opens its doors for Royal Ascot 2026.
Going under starter’s orders on Tuesday, 16 June and concluding on Saturday, 21 June, Britain’s best-dressed meeting crams Royal processions, international flavour, and 35 exceptional contests into its five-day schedule.
With the final fields now beginning to take shape, the prices for just under half of those 35 contests have been released, enabling punters to begin making more precise punting plans. Among those 16 priced-up races, the following five runners, in particular, are receiving the utmost respect from the odds compilers.
Precise – Coronation Stakes
- General Odds – Evens
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Group 1 Wins – Moyglare Stud Stakes, Fillies’ Mile, Irish 1,000 Guineas
With a week to go before the meeting begins, the shortest-priced favourite at Royal Ascot 2026 is this year’s Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine. A star of the juvenile scene, with four wins, including a Group 1 double, Precise started as the 9/5 favourite in the 1,000 Guineas at HQ on her seasonal return. While not running poorly, a seventh-place finish represented a disappointment for a filly who had hinted at superstar potential in 2025. Had she not trained on? Was a mile beyond her as a three-year-old? Or did she simply need the run?
Precise provided her answers to those questions when producing an electric turn of foot to land the Irish 1,000 Guineas next time out – pulling two and a half lengths clear of her English 1,000 Guineas-winning stablemate, True Love. Back in the groove, Precise is no bigger than even money to hand O’Brien a first Coronation Stakes win since Winter in 2017.
Bow Echo – St. James’s Palace Stakes
- General Odds – Evens
- Trainer – George Boughey
- Group 1 Wins – 2,000 Guineas
The shortest-priced British runner of the week is also found in the three-year-old mile division, as George Boughey’s Bow Echo bids to extend his unbeaten record to five. Climbing the juvenile ladder with wins in maiden, Listed, and Group 2 company, the son of Night Of Thunder was pitched straight into the 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) on his seasonal return.
Only the third choice in the market behind Gstaad and Distant Storm, Bow Echo delivered on his juvenile promise in emphatic style. Coming home almost three lengths clear of Gstaad, with an eight-length gap back to Distant Storm in third, he looked like a colt out of the very top drawer. With Gstaad and Distant Storm since finishing first and second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Newmarket form looks typically solid. Reported to have improved physically since his Classic success, Bow Echo could be very tough to beat.
Daryz – Prince of Wales’s Stakes
- General Odds – 11/10
- Trainer – Francis-Henri Graffard
- Group 1 Wins – Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Prix Ganay, Prix d’Ispahan
France provides the next name on the list in a race which is shaping up to be one of the standout contests at the meeting. Defending champion Ombudsman, Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam, and the 2025 dual Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk are all included in the current entries, but it’s the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Daryz who the market suggests is the one to beat.
A relatively unconsidered 166/10 chance in the 2025 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Daryz shot to the head of the 1m4f division with a tenacious success over Minnie Hauk. Showing his versatility with Group 1 wins over 1m1f and 1m2f in 2026, he adds significant stardust to this field. Those supporting the French raider will hope he fares better than on his only previous visit to Britain, which resulted in a last-of-six effort in the Juddmonte International.
Scandinavia – Gold Cup
- General Odds – 5/4
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Group 1 Wins – Goodwood Cup, St Leger Stakes
Already the most successful trainer in the history of the Ascot Gold Cup, Aidan O’Brien is a warm favourite to register a record-extending tenth win in 2026. The horse tasked with taking O’Brien to double figures is the 2025 St Leger hero, Scandinavia.
Boasting a record of five wins from six starts since stepping up to staying distances, the four-year-old son of Justify heads to Ascot on a five-race winning streak, including two starts in 2026. The 2m4f trip poses a new question and he managed only fifth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot 2025 but has since improved by a stone according to the official handicapper. St Leger runner-up Rahiebb and defending champion Trawlerman lurk among the opposition in what promises to be a cracking renewal.
Notable Speech – Queen Anne Stakes
- General Odds – 13/8
- Trainer – Charlie Appleby
- Group/Grade 1 Wins – 2,000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes, Woodbine Mile, Breeders’ Cup Mile, Lockinge Stakes
The first of the meetings’ warm favourites lines up in the opening race on Day One. Now a five-time winner at the highest level, Notable Speech is among the leading lights at the star-studded yard of Charlie Appleby. Looking as good as ever when sprinting clear in the Lockinge Stakes in May, he bids to hand Godolphin a first win in this race since the Richard Fahey-trained Ribchester in 2017.
Undoubtedly among the most talented runners in the field when at his best, Notable Speech doesn’t have a great record at Royal Ascot. Losing his unbeaten record when sixth in the 2024 St James’s Palace Stakes, he then finished only fourth in the 2025 edition of this race. Could it be a case of third time lucky for the five-year-old?