Royal Ascot 2023: running order, TV schedule and day-by-day guide to the big races

Excitement is building for Royal Ascot, the illustrious event that is steeped in history and showcases the best of world horseracing.

Kicking off on Tuesday, June 20 and concluding on Saturday, June 24, we can expect fireworks (of a racing kind) on Ascot's hallowed turf.

ITV and Sky Sports Racing will be broadcasting all 35 races live throughout all five days. The first six races each day will be broadcast on ITV's main channel, with the concluding contest moving over to ITV4. You can also watch all live races from Ascot through the Racing Post website and Racing Post app – all you need to do is log in to your bookmaker account and find the eligible races.

Here is our day-by-day guide to all the big races and the key horses set to dazzle.

Tuesday

A glorious week of racing kicks off with a stellar first day featuring three Group 1s – the Queen Anne (2.30), the King's Stand (3.40) and the St James's Palace (4.20).

The Coventry (3.05) will go a long way to determining the pecking order of the best two-year-olds over 6f, while the Listed Wolferton Stakes (5.35) and two handicaps, the Ascot Stakes (5.00) and Copper Horse (6.10), provide some punting puzzles for racegoers and those watching around the world.

The big race: The Queen Anne is one of the year’s premier races over a mile and has a stellar role of honour featuring Frankel and Baaeed, who strolled to victory 12 months ago. This time, Godolphin’s Modern Games arrives in top form after establishing himself at the top of this division with an impressive success in the Lockinge last month.

The big horse: Chaldean relished the testing conditions at Newmarket when running away with the 2,000 Guineas in May, and is looking to back that up in the St James’s Palace Stakes, where he will face the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington.

Will Frankie Dettori and Chaldean strike again at Ascot?Credit: Mark Cranham

Wednesday

The top action keeps coming on day two of the royal meeting. The feature Group 1 is the Prince of Wales's (4.20), which is supported by three Group 2s – the Queen Mary (2.30), the Duke of Cambridge (3.40) and the Queen's Vase (5.35).

The Windsor Castle (6.10), a Listed race for two-year-olds over the minimum distance of 5f, will be fast and furious, while the Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap (3.05) and the Royal Hunt Cup (5.00) are extremely competitive events.

The big race: The Prince of Wales's is a Group 1 open to horses aged four and older and traditionally features the best mile-and-a-quarter horses around. This year's running is shaping up to be a cracker, with 2021 Derby winner Adayar on course to meet Aidan O'Brien's Luxembourg, who comes here following victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, and Champion Stakes hero Bay Bridge.

The big horse: The 2021 Derby and King George winner Adayar is the star name in his bid for a third top-level success in the Prince of Wales's. He returned with an easy win in the Gordon Richards Stakes and the form has been franked. He will have to reverse last year's Champion Stakes form when second to the reopposing Bay Bridge.

Thursday

Day three features the Group 1 Gold Cup (4.20), the year's most prestigious prize for stayers, and is supported by two Group 2s – the Norfolk (2.30) and the Ribblesdale (3.40) – and one Group 3 in the Hampton Court (5.35).

The King George V (3.05) and the Britannia (5.00) are heritage handicaps are open to three-year-olds, while the card ends with the Buckingham Palace Handicap (6.10) over seven furlongs.

The big race: The Gold Cup is a race steeped in history and prestige. Won by the likes of Stradivarius, Estimate and Yeats, the Gold Cup is a true stamina test run over 2m4f. Coltrane, trained by Andrew Balding, bids to add his name to that illustrious list. It won't be an easy task, though, with last year's St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov and Dubai Gold Cup winner Broome heading a host of challengers.

The big horse: She has only raced twice but Al Asifah has already built a fierce reputation on the back of a stunning victory in a Listed race at Goodwood earlier this month. That performance convinced owners Shadwell to supplement her for the Ribblesdale, for which she is now odds-on favourite, and she has the potential to become another star filly for trainer John and Thady Gosden.

Friday

The quality continues on day four as two Group 1s – the Commonwealth Cup (3.05) and the Coronation Stakes (4.20) – are flanked by the Group 2 King Edward VII (5.35) and the Group 3 Albany (2.30).

Three enticing handicaps add further excitement to the day – the Duke of Edinburgh (3.40), the Sandringham (5.00) and the Palace of Holyroodhouse (6.10).

The big race: The Commonwealth Cup is a Group 1 sprint over 6f for three-year-olds, won last year by the Richard Fahey-trained Perfect Power, who was ridden by Christophe Soumillon. This season the headline act is Little Big Bear for trainer Aidan O'Brien following an impressive victory in the Sandy Lane at Haydock. He won the Windsor Castle at the royal meeting last year. Sakheer, Shaquille and Noble Style are just a few of the exciting challengers he could face.

Tahiyra and Mawj will battle again at Royal AscotCredit: Mark Cranham

The big horse: Tahirya. A commanding performance in the Irish 1,000 Guineas catapulted this daughter of Siyouni to ante-post favouritism for the Coronation Stakes. The Dermot Weld-trained filly was arguably unlucky not to land a Guineas double after a narrow defeat in a pulsating battle with Mawj at Newmarket. The rematch here should be something to savour.

Saturday

The final day's headline race is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee (3.40), which is supported by the Group 2 Hardwicke (4.20) and the Group 3 Jersey (3.05).

The Listed Chesham (2.30) and two further handicaps – the Wokingham (5.00) and the Golden Gates (5.35) – add further intrigue to the last day before the meeting concludes with the Queen Alexandra (6.10), a race won for the last two years by Stratum, trained by Willie Mullins.

The big race: The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee is run over 6f and open to four-year-olds and upwards. The Australian sprinter Artorius heads the market for this year's running after finishing third behind Naval Crown last year, with a host of international challengers and top European sprinters on course for a cavalry charge up the long Ascot straight.

The big horse: Hukum. He has moved to a new level since finishing third in the Hardwicke two years ago, winning six of eight starts in the meantime, and could return here after lowering the colours of Desert Crown at Sandown last month on his first start for almost a year. His last appearance before that saw him earn a maiden Group 1 in the Coronation Cup, and he looks sure to take high order in the middle-distance division this season.

2023 Royal Ascot betting offers

• bet365 have a new customer offer available if you sign up for an account here
• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers, and all you need is an account. Sign up here
• Sky Bet are offering new customers free bets when they sign up. You can get them, along with money-back specials and extra places, here
• Betfair have lots of offers, extra places and money-back specials. Sign up for a new account here
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from money-back offers here
• To get a free bet from Ladbrokes, simply sign up to a new account here
• Sign up for a new Coral account. They have an offer for new customers here
• If you're a new customer, Tote will give you a free bet. Sign up here to claim
• Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

Read more on Royal Ascot:

'She can gatecrash the party and 25-1 looks too big' - our experts provide their best bets for Royal Ascot 

'Punters think he's a good thing' - bookmakers reveal their biggest Royal Ascot liabilities 

Sharpen up for Royal Ascot and get 50% off Racing Post Members' Club 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more