The Queen Alexandra Stakes is a conditions contest run over 2m5f. It takes place at 18:10 on Saturday 20th June, which is the fifth 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

7⁽²⁾

4630-7

Hipop De Loire

J: George Wood

T: Nick Scholfield

9-4

102

121

Has some back-class on the Flat but the wheels came off big-time over hurdles for Willie Mullins and, after moving on for 15,000gns, he was tailed off at 50-1 on yard debut at Goodwood (1m6f; blinkers returned).

2⁽⁹⁾

1-0116

Berkshire Sundance

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

9-4

112

Good strike-rate of 7-17 and he should have brighter prospects than some of staying this extreme trip given he wasn't stopping at the end of the Chester Cup over an extended 2m2f last time; has raised his game in cheekpieces (fitted in only his last two races) and he could outrun his odds if coping okay with fast ground.

10⁽⁸⁾

3434-2

Maxi King

J: Rowan Scott

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

9-4

103

118

Likeable 6yo who handles any ground and can usually be relied upon to give his running, as was the case when a close second to A Piece Of Heaven in the Chester Cup (2m2f, good); Toby Moore's claim meant the winner was giving him 8lb that day, so he looks to have his work cut out to reverse those placings; can run well but probably not well enough.

9⁽⁷⁾

51/2/3

Le Destrier

J: William Buick

T: W P Mullins

9-4

106

117

Has form in Poland, France and Germany, beaten only 7l in a 1m4f Group 1 in the last-named country in 2023; restricted to only three runs in the meantime, the latest after an absence of 691 days when a closing third behind Scandinavia in a 1m6f Group 3 at Leopardstown last month (good; won on good to firm in Poland) on his stable debut; trainer did have him in the Gold Cup and, not only is he one of the classier acts in this field, he could be one of the strongest stayers judged on that latest effort.

1⁽¹⁰⁾

/3-221

A Piece Of Heaven

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

9-4

105

122

Has very low mileage for an 8yo and has Flat form figures of 221 since the tongue-tie went on; unraced over this far but he looks all about stamina, having finished second in an Irish Cesarewitch (2m1f) and one better in last month's Chester Cup (2m2f, good; has run well on faster); that latest race went like clockwork from his low stall but he seems very uncomplicated, and this was nominated as his next target straight after that win; big player.

3⁽¹²⁾

1-2154

Carlton

J: Cieren Fallon

T: James Owen

9-4

All eight Flat wins have been on the AW, though he's won twice over hurdles at up to 2m4f; very capable at the right level but this isn't it; faces a mammoth task on all the figures.

11⁽¹⁾

22541-

Mr Hollywood

J: Billy Loughnane

T: W P Mullins

9-4

121

Like stablemate Columbus, he was a Group 3 winner on the Flat (1m2f, heavy; effective on good; never encountered quicker); bought for 80,000euros and gelded after winning over 1m4f in France last September; should pay his way under both codes for new connections, though he was 7.5l behind Columbus when both made their debuts for Willie Mullins over hurdles at Killarney last month.

5⁽⁴⁾

233254

Dallas Star

J: David Egan

T: Robson De Aguiar

9-4

101

118

Group 3 winner over 1m2f at three; his losing run of 13 includes a fading fourth in this last year (good to firm); likely flattered by his close proximity to Scandinavia in a 1m6f Listed race in April and hasn't fared so well since; even if back on song, this is a tough place for front-runners.

8⁽¹³⁾

227-36

Illinois

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-4

111

117

Finished runner-up in last year's Gold Cup here (good to firm) and second again in the Goodwood version (2m, good), only narrowly failing to concede 14lb to Scandinavia; crystal clear claims on these favourable terms if returning to that level of form but he wasn't at his best when bidding for a second Ormonde at Chester and ran abysmally in the recent Coronation Cup when under the pump from a worryingly early stage (unwise to blame the rain-hit ground when he has soft-ground form); hard to dismiss but in equal measure he's hard to trust.

6⁽⁶⁾

150-35

French Master

J: James Doyle

T: John & Thady Gosden

9-4

108

122

First-time blinkers when he was a very taking winner of last year's Copper Horse Stakes (1m6f, good to firm) at this meeting in which he came from well behind to win going away; gelded and, in no headgear, returned to that level of form when third in Group 2 at Newmarket (1m4f) on reappearance, only to then finish last of the five in new cheekpieces (retained) in the Group 3 Aston Park at Newbury; however, the first two home at Newbury were Group 1 horses, and on reflection it wasn't that bad a run; the burning question is whether he'll stay.

4⁽³⁾

24536-

Columbus

J: Colin Keane

T: W P Mullins

9-4

109

122

Three wins in France included a Group 3 over 1m7f in September 2024 and he was even better in defeat last year, finishing close up in a German Group 1 (1m4f, good to soft; has won on good; unraced on faster); after joining Willie Mullins for 400,000euros (then gelded) he was runner-up in the same Killarney novice hurdle (2m4f) which Sober won on his debut for Mullins en route to winning this last year; this 5yo is firmly in calculations.

13⁽¹¹⁾

7985-7

Pivotal Days

J: George Downing

T: Syd Hosie

9-3

7f winner for previous yard but very minor form under both codes for this one and it would be the shock of all shocks if he won this.

12⁽⁵⁾

255-19

Aajej

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Richard Phillips

9-3

Signed off for the Crisfords with a 1m6f win on the AW in a Class 4 handicap, in first-time blinkers; well held over 2m here on yard debut (tried cheekpieces) and this is highly ambitious on all the figures.

RACING POST TIP

Columbus

As is tradition, Royal Ascot closes with the Flat season's longest race and many of these will be into unknown territory a good way from home. The glaring concern with last year's Gold Cup runner-up Illinois is the rotten run in the Coronation Cup only two weeks ago when his battery was flat from a worryingly early stage on rain-hit ground that shouldn't have bothered him. Le Destrier will be popular for Willie Mullins who is seeking a sixth win in the race, but his stablemate COLUMBUS is no less interesting when he is marginally the superior of the two on Flat form and geared up for this in a 2m4f hurdle race at Killarney that the yard's Sober took en route to winning this last year. The Irish would appear to be sitting pretty with Chester Cup hero A Piece Of Heaven - Joseph O'Brien's sole runner from an entry of five - also among their ranks, though French Master is hugely respected in his bid to go back-to-back at this meeting.

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Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2025	Sober	6	9-7	4/5F	W P Mullins	Ryan Moore
2024	Uxmal [6]	5	9-4	2/1F	Joseph O’Brien	Dylan Browne McMonagle
2023	Dawn Rising [10]	6	9-4	2/1F	Joseph Patrick O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2022	Stratum [3]	9	9-7	10/1	W P Mullins	William Buick
2021	Stratum [20]	8	9-2	4/1	W P Mullins	Ryan Moore
2020	Who Dares Wins [3]	8	9-2	EvensF	Alan King	Tom Marquand
2019	Cleonte [10]	6	9-2	7/2	Andrew Balding	Silvestre De Sousa
2018	Pallasator [1]	9	9-2	11/2	Gordon Elliott	Jamie Spencer
2017	Oriental Fox [3]	9	9-5	10/1	Mark Johnston	Joe Fanning
2016	Commissioned [15]	6	9-2	12-1	Gordon Elliott	Adam Kirby

Key race stats 2026

Key trends

Officially rated 90-plus, 10/10
Aged six to nine, 9/10
Contested a Group or Listed race since last season, 8/10
Top-six finish in race over 2m2f-plus, 7/10
Adjusted RPR at least 113, 7/10

Other factor

Trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ryan Moore have won the race three times in the last five years with two of those victories recorded together.

Only two winners had been successful on the Flat that season.

Four winners had won or been placed in a field of at least 16 runners.

What happened in the Queen Alexandra Stakes last year?

It was a procession in the final race of the meeting, with Sober landing the odds for the potent combination of Ryan Moore and Willie Mullins. Winning by five lengths, the former Andre Fabre-trained gelding swooped through on the bridle and was a class apart. Scoring at 4-5, the winner had warmed up for this with a victory in a Killarney maiden hurdle. Samui completed a one-two for jumps-based trainers, while Wild Waves took third for Andrew Balding.

Queen Alexandra Stakes

18:10 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Royal Ascot Free Bets

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats 2026

What happened in the Queen Alexandra Stakes last year?

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