Royal Ascot 2026: Day One

Royal Ascot 2026 Day One features three Group 1 races — the Queen Anne Stakes, King Charles III Stakes, and St James's Palace Stakes — alongside the Group 2 Coventry Stakes. Lockinge winner Notable Speech is the Queen Anne favourite, while Godolphin's Opera Ballo arrives on the back of three consecutive Group-level wins, most recently a three-length victory over Field Of Gold at Sandown. In the Coventry Stakes, Aidan O'Brien — who holds a record 11 wins in the race — is represented by market leaders Confucius and Great Barrier Reef, the latter unbeaten in two starts including a Group 3 win at The Curragh.