Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips 2026: Best Bets For Today's Packed Card

Royal Ascot 2026 gets underway with Day 1 featuring a packed card of elite racing, highlighted by the Coventry Stakes, the first two-year-old race of the week. A field of 22 juveniles has been declared for the Coventry, with Aidan O'Brien's hot favourite Confucius drawn in stall 20, while stablemate Great Barrier Reef is less favourably placed in stall 3. Tipster Billy Grimshaw has identified three best bets for the day, with draw and pace expected to be key factors in the juvenile contest.