The Queen's Vase is a Group 2 contest run over 1m6f. It takes place at 15:05 on Wednesday 19th June, which is the second day of Royal Ascot 2024. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

NR⁽⁶⁾

131-3

Grosvenor Square

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

106

117

Half-brother to Santiago, who won this race in 2020 shortly before his Irish Derby triumph; won 8.6f maiden at Galway last September and easily made all in 1m1f Group 3 at Leopardstown, with a creditable third in Group 2 Beresford in between; reappearance in the Chester Vase (1m4f, good; favourite) was underwhelming on the face of it, but he may have come on markedly from that run and could prove well suited by this stamina test.

4⁽⁵⁾

13-32

Illinois

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

106

117

Half-brother to Arc and King George winner Danedream; Curragh maiden winner (1m1f, soft) and close third in Saint-Cloud Group 1 (1m2f, very soft); back to form from the front in Lingfield Derby Trial (11.6f, good) when racing awkwardly in the penultimate furlong and put in his place by the subsequent Derby second, but keeping on well to see off the rest headed by Meydaan; leading form contender who looks sure to be suited by this extra yardage.

9⁽¹⁾

2-430

Mr Hampstead

J: David Egan

T: Dominic Ffrench Davis

9-2

101

Minor honours first three starts, outgunned by Mina Rashid when third in a Chester maiden (1m4f, good to firm) on final run for Roger Varian; 80-1 when remote in the Derby 18 days ago and this also looks a stiff task.

12⁽¹⁰⁾

4-14

The Equator

J: Declan McDonogh

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

101

107

Sole run as 2yo was in July; strode out well to assert in another maiden at Leopardstown (1m2f, heavy) in April and although he never threatened a serious blow in Group 3 at the Curragh (good to yielding; 11-2) last month, a slow start didn't help and he looked far more of a candidate for 1m6f than that 1m2f; lowest rated of the four O'Brien runners but should improve.

6⁽⁴⁾

133914

Lavender Hill Mob

J: Callum Shepherd

T: Michael Bell

9-2

106

Best on last two of his eight races, both at Goodwood when winning a 1m2f handicap (heavy) and fourth of seven in a 1m3f Listed race (good); while the latter developed as he was waiting for room, it's still rather hard to see him finding the near 4l he needs to turn the tables on Meydaan.

8⁽¹²⁾

36-1

Mina Rashid

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

9-2

104

17-2 and hooded when showing vast improvement in five-runner maiden at Chester (1m4f, good to firm; Mr Hampstead third) last month, outpaced over 4f out but knuckling down and eventually finishing best to get up in the final 1f; others have achieved more but this extra distance will surely suit.

3⁽²⁾

Highbury

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

110

Beaten nearly 3l by Birdman when they made their debuts at Cork (1m4f, soft) in April; much improved when justifying 11-10 favouritism in nine-runner maiden at Leopardstown (1m4f, good) 16 days later, always close up and drawing well clear in the final 2f, form which has been boosted; looks sure to make further progress and although he's one of three for Aidan O'Brien in this, he is one to take seriously.

5⁽⁹⁾

1-26

Imperial Sovereign

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

9-2

106

From a fine family that has served his owner well; winning debut when 8-11 at Newcastle (1m) in December and rallied very well when pipped at Kempton (1m3f) in another AW novice in March; however, beaten nearly 12l in the Lingfield Derby Trial (11.6f, good) last time, behind two of these.

7⁽⁸⁾

1-531

Meydaan

J: William Buick

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

9-2

104

114

Moved into third late on in the Lingfield Derby Trial (11.6f, good) but Illinois comfortably held him off for second; winning a Listed race at Goodwood (1m3f, good) two weeks later was further improvement, albeit lucky given he got first run on an exciting prospect who closed to a neck; needs to raise his game again but 1m6f makes appeal and he's one to consider.

10⁽¹¹⁾

3-165

Pappano

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: John & Thady Gosden

9-2

101

Won 1m4f AW novice in April on second start; last in the Chester Vase (1m4f, good) next time and although he settled rather better with a more prominent ride in Listed race at Goodwood (1m3f, good) 17 days later, the four who put him firmly in his place included two of today's rivals; while he should stay 1m6f in time, others look far more ready for this Group 2 test.

11⁽³⁾

421

See The Green

J: Jim Crowley

T: Owen Burrows

9-2

Runner-up at Ripon (1m4f, heavy) in April on second start; while his performance at Catterick (1m4f, soft) four weeks ago in another maiden suggested that he'd be suited by longer trips, that scrambled win at 4-9 is no recommendation for a race like this.

1⁽⁷⁾

Birdman

J: Shane Foley

T: Mrs John Harrington

9-2

101

110

Too strong late on for his rivals in a 1m4f maiden at Cork (soft) and a four-runner, 1m5f Listed race at Navan (good to yielding); while that's not the best form in this line-up, he's promising and looks sure to stay.

RACING POST TIP

Illinois

Aidan O'Brien has endured three years without a Queen's Vase win but looks to be going all out to reassert his dominance, fielding four runners, three of whom look strong candidates and ILLINOIS looks particularly strong. Ryan Moore's mount has two pieces of good form, including the Lingfield Derby Trial which suggested that he has the call over leading British hope Meydaan and will relish this longer trip. Grosvenor Square could sweep his Chester Vase form aside and Highbury makes a fascinating step up in class while coming face to face again with the unbeaten, Jessica Harrington-trained Birdman (second choice) who shows that O'Brien has by no means a monopoly on Irish interest.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2023	Gregory [5]	3	9-2	EvensF	John & Thady Gosden	Frankie Dettori
2022	Eldar Eldarov [3]	3	9-2	5/2	Roger Varian	David Egan
2021	Kemari [3]	3	9-0	15/2	Charlie Appleby	William Buick
2020	Santiago [5]	3	9-0	100/30	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2019	Dashing Willoughby [6]	3	9-0	6/1	Andrew Balding	Oisin Murphy
2018	Kew Gardens [7]	3	9-0	100/30	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2017	Stradivarius [9]	3	9-0	11/2	John Gosden	Andrea Atzeni
2016	Sword Fighter [4]	3	9-3	33/1	A P O’Brien	Colm O’Donoghue
2015	Aloft [12]	3	9-3	5/2F	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2014	Hartnell [2]	3	9-3	7/2	Mark Johnston	Joe Fanning

Key race stats 2024

Key trends

Top-three finish last time out, 9/10
By a sire with a stamina index in excess of 1m2f, 8/10
Adjusted RPR of at least 108, 8/10
Won within last two starts, 7/10
Rated within 8lb of RPR top-rated, 7/10 (exceptions rated 12lb to 18lb off top)

Other factors

The only trainers to have won this since 2000 are Sir Michael Stoute (three times), Saeed bin Suroor (twice), Mark Johnston (seven), Aidan O’Brien (seven), John Gosden (twice), Andrew Balding, Charlie Appleby and Roger Varian (all once).

Five winners ran in a Listed or Group race last time out.

What happened in the Queen's Vase last year?

GREGORY was unraced at two but had looked a fine prospect in winning both starts this season. Always likely to be suited by the extra 3f, Dettori had to use up a bit of juice early and the gallop he set was rather stop-start. But once in line for home, he just kept grinding, with the rail to help. Saint George, a winner from a mark of 84 over this trip at Doncaster, took the rise in grade in his stride, picking up well under a perfect ride to briefly look a huge threat to the winner. Chesspiece went through this like a good horse, just running out of puff late.

Queen’s Vase

15:05 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats 2024

What happened in the Queen's Vase last year?

All Races