Flat Racing column: 2026 Royal Ascot 2026 ante post insight, betting tips

Last week, in a special edition of his Focus On The Flat column, Races Now's Adam Smith started taking a look ahead to what many racing fans believe to be the highlight of the year – Royal Ascot. Check that first part out HERE!

In this second section, Smido picks up where he left off, continuing to rattle through the week's key clashes from an ante post perspective. Again, he offers up three wagers.

Royal Ascot 2026 ante post preview

The highest quality race of Royal Ascot week is often produced by the Prince Of Wales's Stakes. Ten furlongs for older horses, in the height of summer.

As usual, the early entries this year do not disappoint. Arc winner Daryz (5/4), last year's winner Ombudsman (5/2), the world's best turf horse Calandagan (10/1), recent first time Group One winner Almaqam (10/1), triple Group One winner and Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk (16/1), and further three top level winners amongst the twenty four entered at this stage. The average field since 2010 is 8.06, so clearly some of those stars listed won't run, but lets hope many of them do.

No bet for me in the Prince Of Wales's at the moment given the potential for the field to cut up between now and mid-June. One thing I would say, though – I'd prefer to back Ombudsman at 5/2 than Daryz at 5/4 given the proven course and distance form the defending champion holds. Ombudsman is due to run at Sandown this Thursday (28th May), where he'll be odds on.

Another year, another short price Aidan O'Brien runner in the Gold Cup ante post market. In 2026 it's the turn of Scandinavia (6/4). And who could argue his position as favourite? Goodwood Cup winner at three, St Leger winner thereafter and two wins in the traditional Ballydoyle Gold Cup trials in Ireland already this year. Then you add into the mix that last years winner Trawlerman (10/1) "is not a definite runner in the Gold Cup at this stage" having taken longer to come to hand now an eight-year-old. 

As usual for any Gold Cup debutant, we'll find out on the day if Scandinavia and St Leger second Rahiebb (5/1) will stay the trip. George Scott trained Caballo De Mar (8/1) is the only other horse at a single figure price at this point, having won one of the newest Group Ones in the calendar in France last week. The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier will have gone under the radar of many a British racing fan as it was ran at Longchamp on a Thursday evening. As it happened, the visitors had the 1, 2, 3 in Caballo De Mar, Santorini Star and Al Riffa.

I've long thought Al Nayyir (33/1) has it in him to go close in a staying Group One. A somewhat disjointed career to date, given he didn't arrive in the UK until August as a six year old, but there are some sprinkles of quality in his form book. A first (Group Three) and third (Group Two) in Meydan earlier this year read pretty well and his run at York (second behind Rahieeb) was full of promise given he didn't get a clear run at a key point. 

With Ascot's two mile five furlongs in mind, the fact he is yet to win at a trip of two miles or more in nine attempts is of course a worry, but he has been runner up in three of those. In a year where the three at the top of the market have never tried the trip and 2025 winner Trawlerman appears unlikely to run at all, I think Al Nayyir is worth a small investment at 33/1.

Next, a pair of Group Ones on Royal Ascot Friday, starting with the Commonwealth Cup for three year old sprinters. Venetian Sun is the only horse at a single figure price following her Sandy Lane romp at Haydock last weekend. Part of me thought 2/1 for the Commonwealth wasn't short enough, then then the other part of me thought it could be about that price on the day given the average field size is nearly 15.5 and 21 ran last year. 

It's a shame Coppull didn't run in the Sandy Lane after the drainage shambles at Haydock. I thought he won the Commonwealth Cup trial in good order and there is certainly some juice in his current price of 14/1. Albert Einstein (12/1) is prominent in the market but certainly more hype than substance on his three showings this year so far. Havana Anna (12/1) is a big contender on her form behind True Love last year and a perfectly fair return effort when winning a Naas Group Three earlier in May.

No bets for me at this stage here though. Venetian Sun, Coppull and Havana Anna top a quite obvious shortlist. 

Aidan O'Brien dominates the Coronation Cup market for the three year old fillies over a mile. Precise just smashed up the Irish 1,000 Guineas but might be stretched out for the Oaks and miss Ascot. True Love won the 1,000 Guineas but still might not stay well enough for the Ascot stiff finish, while Diamond Necklace was mega impressive in the French Guineas but is intended for the French non-Oaks next.

If there was a three runner Coolmore only Coronation Stakes running this afternoon, I'd back both Precise and Diamond Necklace to beat True Love. But it is True Love who appears most likely to run at this stage. It's a tricky ante post puzzle, Precise and or Diamond Necklace will win if they turn up. If they don't, True Love is opposable. Watch this space.

The final Royal Ascot Group One is usually my least favourite, the Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs. Similar to the King Charles III Stakes on day one, it is the international contenders that top the market. Joliestar (2/1) has won her last three Down Under, Satono Reve (6/1) was second in this last year and has already ran really well in Japan and Hong Kong in 2026, Lugal (12/1) is another Japanese hope and current third favourite.

The likes of Flora Of Bermuda (14/1), Lake Forest (14/1) and Kind Of Blue (20/1) lead the British charge currently. The one angle I am using is the bad draw bias in the Minster Stakes at York in mid-May, where half the field had absolutely no chance of winning from the wrong part of the track. That would bring the likes of Time For Sandals (50/1), Aramram (66/1) and Quinault (100/1) into the reckoning. Clearly the latter is much more exposed than the two former.

Time For Sandals is a bet here. A Group One course and distance winner in the Commonwealth last year, he backed that up with a very good run against his elders at Goodwood thereafter, then had absolutely no hope from stall two in the Sprint Cup (15, 19, 16 and 13 filled the first four). And this year, we've had an excusable first time out effort at Newmarket and then again at York, where he was on the wrong part of the track as detailed above. 

Although Aramram was drawn closer to where you needed to be at York than Time For Sandals, he actually ran nearest to what turned out to be the unfavoured stand side than any other horse, running with all sorts of credit in the process. Clearly Aramram has graduated from sprint handicaps to open company, is a course and distance winner and now has three really good runs under his belt so far this year. Again, he's worth a tickle at a big price.

Smido's ante post 2026 Royal Ascot best bets

0.5pts EW - Al Nayyir (Ascot Gold Cup) - 33/1 (1/5 3 places)

0.5pts EW - Time For Sandals (Jubilee Stakes) - 50/1 (1/5, 3 places)

0.5pts EW - Aramram (Jubilee Stakes) - 66/1 (1/5, 3 places)

Total staked - 3pts

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