It's a massive day for the Gosden yard at Ascot on Thursday - we rank their chances in each race

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Thursday of Royal Ascot has often been a fruitful day for the Gosden yard. In 2019, John linked up with Frankie Dettori on a day that threatened to mirror the 'Magnificent Seven' in 1996.

Races such as the Ribblesdale, Gold Cup and King George V all suit a yard that tends to get the best middle-distance stock around, with the exception of Ballydoyle. Here our experts rank the six [check! there's a reserve] races with Gosden runners according to how likely they are to go back to Clarehaven.

6= Chesham Stakes (2.30)

This one was easy. There is no Gosden runner in the Chesham, as has been the case since 2022.

6= Buckingham Palace Stakes (6.10)

Mudbir, who otherwise would have had a good chance, failed to get in as a reserve.

5. King George V Stakes (3.05)

Guildmaster has the classic King George V profile as a handicap debutant, owned by Godolphin and with a smart middle-distance pedigree. He is also drawn in stall 15 of 20, and in this race wide has often proved the place to be. It is not all upside, though. The Teofilo colt will wear blinkers for the first time today and, while his maiden form is solid, he ran in the Dante last time and saw his mark rise from 92 to 100 after finishing a nine-length seventh of eight. He would have been a lot more interesting off his pre-Dante mark.

4. Hampton Court Stakes (5.35)

One Gosden-trained Hampton Court winner since 2000 is a below-par return considering the type of horses they have run. They have had two beaten favourites in the past four seasons and Detain, who was a 3-1 chance for the 2025 running, went backwards from his close third in the Prix du Jockey Club.

Oxagon was last seen in the Jockey Club as well, but raced too keenly on his first attempt at middle distances. That will need to change if he is to fulfil his potential over this trip and he is penalised for his Craven win.

My Love Is King rates a more intriguing long-term prospect and it is interesting to see an opening handicap mark of 96 being jeopardised. That would have looked exploitable in the Golden Gates, although he has plenty on to repel Ballydoyle pair Endorsement and Italy.

3. Britannia Stakes (4.50)

The Gosdens have three in this. Runman is a Frankel half-brother to two Group-race winners and makes his handicap debut, while Wise Prince was a Derby contender at one point and will find this easier than the tasks he has faced.

This is all about Organise, though, who could go off favourite. He was odds on in the Esher Cup last time and ridden with huge confidence by James Doyle. However, his inexperience let him down under pressure, he hung both ways, but still ran a big race to finish second and has room to improve further.

Sweet William: set for Sandown next week

Sweet William: Gosden second string in Gold Cup but capable of a big runCredit: Getty Images

2. Gold Cup (4.20)

The Gosden team have won five of the last eight runnings of the Gold Cup and return with another strong hand. Not only is last year's hero Trawlerman back and 2lb clear on Racing Post Ratings, but they also have Sweet William, whose form figures at Ascot read 23332421 and who has twice made the frame in this race.

If it were not for a strange preparation, with no prep run because of a well-publicised eye condition, Trawlerman would probably be close to favourite to regain his crown. He was so impressive when he won last year that a reproduction of that might prove enough.

But don't discount Sweet William. He is quirky, but just the sort who could produce an out-of-the-blue performance.

1. Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40)

If the Gosden team come away empty handed from this then they might be inclined to think it's just not their day.

Their biggest hope of the afternoon has to be Legacy Link, who finished second in the Oaks at Epsom last time. That is the best form on offer according to Racing Post Ratings – and not just a little bit better, it's 6lb higher than anything else has achieved.

A lot will be made of the quick turnaround after what was potentially a hard race at Epsom and many will see that as a negative, but it should be seen as a positive. The Gosden yard is 6-20 with runners who ran in a British or Irish Group 1 last time out and then returned to the track within two weeks, for a £1 level-stake profit of £4.93. That suggests they know that they are doing when turning one back out again quickly and Legacy Link is their banker of the day.

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