The Buckingham Palace Stakes is a handicap run over 7f. It takes place at 18:10 on Thursday 18th June, which is the third day of Royal Ascot 2026. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

Predict the Winner

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

25⁽¹⁷⁾

212-06

Hickory

J: William Carver

T: Jamie Osborne

9-2

113

8⁽²⁰⁾

-45078

Vafortino

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: Charlie Fellowes

9-8

101

113

2⁽²⁹⁾

0/39-1

The Wizard Of Eye

J: Neil Callan

T: Tom Clover

9-11

104

114

27⁽²⁷⁾

441609

Brasil Power

J: Grace McEntee

T: George Boughey

9-1

112

19⁽¹⁵⁾

9-3100

Mirsky

J: Rossa Ryan

T: David O'Meara

9-2

115

12⁽¹⁸⁾

-41306

Apiarist

J: Jack Callan

T: Kevin Ryan

9-5

114

5⁽²²⁾

1-7248

Golden Mind

J: Oisin Orr

T: Richard & Peter Fahey

9-10

103

113

3⁽¹⁰⁾

20-116

English Oak

J: Faleh Bughenaim

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-10

103

113

18⁽¹⁶⁾

4/9-01

Colombier

J: Ryan Moore

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-3

115

9⁽²³⁾

40-032

Great Acclaim

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

9-7

100

115

NR⁽⁵⁾

42875-

Room Service

T: Jamie Osborne

9-12

105

114

10⁽³⁾

185-31

Arctic Dawn

J: Zac Lloyd

T: Daniel & Claire Kubler

9-7

100

111

7⁽²⁴⁾

815-11

Royal Velvet

J: William Buick

T: William Knight

9-9

102

113

23⁽¹³⁾

-U52P2

Stratusnine

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Hugo Palmer

9-2

111

21⁽¹⁴⁾

231-21

River King

J: Pat Dobbs

T: Richard Hannon

9-2

116

11⁽²⁸⁾

25/60-

Blue Brother

J: James Doyle

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-5

115

17⁽²⁵⁾

3-6602

Storm Star

J: Alfie Redman

T: Andrew Balding

9-3

113

26⁽⁷⁾

35-067

So Darn Hot

J: Ashley Lewis

T: Ed Walker

9-1

113

20⁽¹⁹⁾

8550-0

Pellitory

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O'Meara

9-2

114

22⁽¹²⁾

6-4155

The Fingal Raven

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

9-2

109

24⁽¹⁾

6-0001

Rock Of Cashel

J: Jamie Spencer

T: Niels Petersen

9-2

112

4⁽⁶⁾

72214-

Fondo Blanco

J: Ray Dawson

T: Roger Varian

9-10

103

111

13⁽⁴⁾

-12134

The Lost King

J: P J McDonald

T: Andrew Balding

9-4

114

16⁽⁸⁾

249-10

Defence Minister

J: James McDonald

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-3

112

6⁽³¹⁾

761-44

Elarak

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Charles Hills

9-10

103

111

29⁽¹¹⁾

156-07

Nizam

J: Cieren Fallon

T: Ian Williams

9-1

112

15⁽²⁾

230-15

Dance In The Storm

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

9-3

116

14⁽²⁶⁾

1124-1

Cosi Bello

J: Paddy Bradley

T: Charlie Fellowes

9-4

114

28⁽³⁰⁾

127-13

Mezcala

J: Tom Marquand

T: Jack Channon

9-1

115

RACING POST TIP

River King

High draws have generally held sway in this race since its reintroduction to this meeting six years ago but outright conclusiveness is tempered by the tendency of changeable results across all contests on the straight course here. Those complications aside, the suggestion is RIVER KING who looks interesting dropped back further in distance and may have plenty of further improvement in him. Arctic Dawn, another runner who scored in great style last time and plausibly hasn't reached his ceiling yet, is second pick ahead of Cosi Bello who should continue to do well. Royal Velvet, who brings excellent stats, is fourth choice.

Royal Ascot Free Bets

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Past 10 Winners (no runnings from 2015-2019)

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2025	Never So Brave [28]	4	9-12	4/1F	Andrew Balding	Oisin Murphy
2024	English Oak [26]	4	9-8	100/30F	Ed Walker	James Doyle
2023	Witch Hunter [24]	4	9-10	50/1	Richard Hannon	Jamie Spencer
2022	Inver Park [2]	4	9-1	12/1	George Boughey	Ben Curtis
2021	Highfield Princess [31]	4	8-11	18/1	John Quinn	Jason Hart
2020	Motakhayyel [26]	4	9-3	14/1	Richard Hannon	Jim Crowley
2014	Louis The Pious [29]	6	9-4	33/1	David O’Meara	Silvestre De Sousa
2013	Lightning Cloud [32]	5	8-13	25/1	Kevin Ryan	Neil Callan
2012	Eton Forever [11]	5	9-8	14/1	Roger Varian	Neil Callan
2011	Manassas [29]	6	9-0	12/1	Brian Meehan	Martin Dwyer

Key race stats 2026

Key trends (Removed from the meeting after 2014; Reintroduced in 2020)

At least one top-three finish within last three starts 7/7
Officially rated 92 to 99, 5/7
Carried no more than 9st 4lb, 4/7
Aged four, 6/7
Won in a field with at least 11 runners, 5/7
Distance winner, 5/7

What happened in the Buckingham Palace Stakes last year?

There were five winning favourites on day three last year, with Never So Brave sending favourite backers home happy by landing the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes. On his second start for Andrew Balding, having joined from the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute, Never So Brave did not get an entirely clear run but still won in good style by two and a quarter lengths under Oisin Murphy in the 7f handicap.

Buckingham Palace Stakes

18:10 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Royal Ascot Free Bets

Past 10 Winners (no runnings from 2015-2019)

Key race stats 2026

What happened in the Buckingham Palace Stakes last year?

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