The first of five days of Royal Ascot takes place on Tuesday afternoon, with television coverage on Virgin Media 1 (1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) and Virgin Media 2 (5:20 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.), Sky Sports Racing and ITV.
A total of £2,765,000 is available across six races on the opening day.
First day races, history and statistics
2:30 p.m. The Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) 4+ £800,000 Straight mile
The Queen Anne Stakes, a race founded in 1840 in honor of the British monarch who first established the race at Ascot in 1711. The race generally attracts Europe’s best older milers and achieved the highest three-year average rating of any Group 2 race in Britain from 1999 to 2002. This saw the race elevated to Group 1 status from 2003, is a Breeders’ Cup “win and you’re in” competition for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and notable previous winners include Cape Cross (1999), Goldikova (2010), Frankel (2012), Tepin (2016) and Baaeed (2022).
Irish-trained horses have won the race seven times: Southbourne (1952), Upadee (1954), Imperial March (1975), Ad Valorem (2006), Haradasun (2008), Declaration of War (2013) and Circus Maximus (2020).
Your trip report per day #RoyalAscot
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– Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 15, 2026
3:05 p.m. The Coventry Stakes (Group 2) £2,200,000 Six furlongs
The six-furlong Coventry Stakes is the highlight of the early season for two-year-olds. First held in 1890, it regained Group 2 status in 2004, having been Grade 3 since 1984. It is the premier group race for two-year-olds in Britain each year. Notable past winners include The Tetrarch (1913), Mill Reef (1970), Chief Singer (1983) and Canford Cliffs (2009).
Solinus (1977), Verglas (1996), Harbor Master (1997), Fasliyev (1999), Landseer (2001), Statue of Liberty (2002), Henrythenavigator (2007), Power (2011), Dawn Approach (2012), War Command (2013), Caravaggio (2016), Arizona (2019), River Tiber (2023) and Gstaad (2025).
Aidan O’Brien has 11 wins in the race, Ryan Moore five, while the Coolmore partnerships have claimed 11 wins since 1977.
3.40pm The King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) 3+ £700,000 Five furlongs
This race, originally called the Royal Stand Plate, became known by its current name in 2023. It is a “win and you’re in” Breeders’ Cup competition, offering a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Dayjur (1990), Choisir (2003) and Blue Point (2019) are notable past winners.
Ireland has had eight hits since 1946, with Sound Track (1950), Cassarate (1952), Abergwaun (1973), Godswalk (1977), Solinus (1978), Bluebird (1987), Sole Power (2013 & 2014).
We’re all set for a blockbuster clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes
Watch it live on Sky Sports Racing at 4.20pm tomorrow.
– At the Races (@AtTheRaces) June 15, 2026
4.20 p.m. The St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) 3 colts £700,000 Round (old) mile
First run in 1834, many Epsom Derby winners have won the St James’s Palace Stakes, including British Triple Crown winners Ormonde (1886), Rock Sand (1903) and Bahram (1935). Nowadays, the St James’s Palace Stakes usually features colts who have won or been placed in the Irish, English or French 2,000 Guineas, with the race having Group 1 status since 1988.
Some of the competition’s notable past winners include Brigadier Gérard (1971) and Frankel (2011).
There have been 17 winners trained in Ireland since 1946: Chevastrid (1957), Thatch (1972), Jaazeiro (1978), Dara Monarch (1982), Brief Truce (1992), Giant’s Causeway (2000), Black Minnaloushe (2001), Rock Of Gibraltar (2002), Azamour (2004), Excellent Art (2007), Henrythenavigator. (2008), Mastercraftsman (2009), Dawn Approach (2013), Gleneagles (2015), Circus Maximus (2019), Poetic Flare (2021) and Paddington (2023).
Aidan O’Brien is the most successful modern trainer with 9 victories, while former Ballydoyle driver Mick Kinane has six successes to his name. The colors of the Coolmore partnership have been flown to victory on nine occasions: Giant’s Causeway (2000), Black Minnaloushe (2001), Rock of Gibraltar (2002), Excellent Art (2007), Henrythenavigator (2008), Mastercraftsman (2009), Gleneagles (2015), Circus Maximus (2019) and Paddington (2023).
Arc Echo
Gstaad
Which side are you on in the St James Palace Stakes?
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– ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 14, 2026
5:00 p.m. The Ascot Stakes (Handicap) 4+ £120,000 Two miles four furlongs
Founded in 1839, the two and a half mile handicap is one of four races at Royal Ascot in which the field passes the winning post twice. Trainers with a primary focus on steeplechasing have had great success in racing, including Martin Pipe (5 wins) and Willie Mullins (4 wins).
Junior (2010), Simenon (2012) – last horse to achieve the Ascot Stakes/Queen Alexandra Stakes double, and Coltrane (2022) are among the most famous former winners of the race, which Ireland has won 10 times since 1977, along with San Sebastian (1998), Barba Papa (2000), Leg Spinner (2005), Simenon (2012), Domination. (2014), Clondaw Warrior (2015), Jennies Jewel (2016), Thomas Hobson (2017), Lagostovegas (2018) and Ascending (2025).
5.35pm The Wolferton Stakes (listed) 4+ £125,000 One mile, two furlongs
The race became a listed competition rather than a listed handicap in 2018. The one and a quarter mile competition for older horses was won by Contributer (2014), Addeybb (2019) and Royal Champion (2023). There have only been two Irish winners of the race, In Time’s Eye (2003) and Sir Isaac Newton (2016).
6.10pm The Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) 4+ £120,000 One mile, six furlongs
Run over a mile and three quarters, this handicap for children aged four and over was introduced as part of the improved racing order for Royal Ascot in 2020. Notable winners include future Ebor winner Fujaira Prince (2020) and Vauban (2023), who now race in Australia.
The position Royal Ascot 2026: program for the first day appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.
