Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips

First run in 1843, this is the meeting’s third Group 2 race for two-year-olds, following the Coventry and Queen Mary Stakes, and its distinguishing feature is that it is open to both sexes over the minimum distance of five furlongs. The last five years have thrown up some high-priced winners. Perfect Power (14-1) and The Ridler (50-1) won in 2021 and 2022 for Richard Fahey. That was followed by Valiant Force (150-1), the highest priced winner of the Norfolk Stakes and then Shareholder (12-1) in 2024. However, last time out it went to the favourite Charles Darwin (8-13) for Aidan O'Brien.

First run at Royal Ascot in 1948, this is a fascinating yet tricky 1m4f handicap for three-year-olds, open to fillies as well as colts and geldings. Since Cosmic Sun scored at 66-1 in 2009, nine of the sixteen winners have come from the top four in the betting. Of the last ten winners only Baghdad had won over 1m4f prior to the King George V, until the favourite Merchant won last time out.

First run in 1919, this 1m4f highlight is the meeting’s premier race for middle-distance fillies from the Classic generation and often draws runners who have competed in the Oaks or at least the trials. Only one of the last nineteen winners was outside the top five in the market, with ten of them in the top two.

Founded in 1807, this is one of the crown jewels of Royal Ascot and at two and a half miles is the premier staying race of the British Flat season. Fancied runners have an excellent record. Only three of the 26 winners since 2000 were outside the top four in the market, 17 were in the top two, and 14 were the favourite. 23 horses have won this race more than once, and trainers Aidan O'Brien and John Gosden (now training in partnership with his son Thady) have been dominant, winning nine of the last twelve between them - including alternate races over the last four years.

First run in 1928, this contest over the straight mile is the second of Royal Ascot’s three heritage handicaps and is open to three-year-old colts and geldings. Six winners since 2010 were sent off at 14-1 or bigger and there has been only two successful favourites in that time, Fast Or Free in 2012 and Docklands in 2023.

This Group 3 race for three-year-olds was added to the programme when Royal Ascot was extended to five days in 2002 and upgraded to its current level in 2011. Most winners had done enough to take high rank in the betting, with nine of the last 12 coming from the top two and none of the 12 bigger than 7-1. 2025 winner Trinity College continued that trend, winning as the 5/2 favourite.

Originally introduced to the expanded royal meeting in 2002, this big-field seven-furlong handicap for three-year-olds and upwards was removed after 2014 to make room for the new Group 1 Commonwealth Cup but reinstated in 2020 as part of the extended race programme. There had never been a successful favourite in 17 runnings until English Oak won as the 100-30 favourite in 2024, followed by 4-1 favourite Never So Brave a year ago. Prior to that, the only winners not at double-figure odds were 8-1 shots Unscrupulous (2004) and Jedburgh (2005).