This weekend sees the conclusion of another memorable Royal Ascot, with two more days of top-class racing still to come. Friday's highlights include the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes.
Saturday brings the curtain down on the meeting, with the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes taking centre stage. The latest forecasts suggest the going is likely to remain on the quick side, with conditions expected to be good to firm for the closing day of the festival.
Ascot is not the only notable fixture this weekend. In Northern Ireland, Down Royal stages the Ulster Derby. Saturday's domestic action also includes meetings at Ayr, Newmarket, Doncaster and Nottingham. Haydock had been due to race but the fixture has unfortunately been cancelled.
Sunday has a quieter feel after the excitement of Royal Ascot, with meetings from Pontefract, Brighton and Hexham, while attention further afield turns to Sha Tin in Hong Kong. The Premier Cup and Premier Plate headline the card.
The early part of next week sees racing from Musselburgh, Windsor, Catterick and Ballinrobe on Monday, followed by Beverley, Ffos Las and Ballinrobe on Tuesday. The programme remains relatively steady before building towards another important weekend.
Looking slightly further ahead, attention will soon begin to switch to The Curragh, where the Irish Derby takes place on 28 June. One of the highlights of the Irish Flat season, it promises to bring together many of the leading middle-distance three-year-olds seen in action at Epsom earlier this month.
Big races this week
3:05pm Ascot, Friday (ITV)
Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
6f, Flat Turf
4:20pm Ascot, Friday (ITV)
Coronation Stakes (Group 1)
1m, Flat Turf
4:33pm Down Royal, Saturday (RTV)
Ulster Derby
1m5f, Flat Turf
12:05pm Sha Tin, Sunday (SKY)
Premier Cup
7f, Flat Turf
1:15pm Sha Tin, Sunday (SKY)
Premier Plate
1m1f, Flat Turf
*All races above are listed in UK time.
Race Notes
3:40pm Queen Elizabeth Stakes - Royal Ascot
The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes has developed a reputation as one of Royal Ascot's most unpredictable Group 1 races. While many renewals have gone to well-fancied runners, recent history shows there can be tremendous value lurking further down the betting. Winners such as Naval Crown at 33/1 and Khaadem, who scored at 80/1 in 2023 before following up at 14/1 a year later, are reminders that this six-furlong sprint can produce major surprises.
Since the introduction of the Commonwealth Cup in 2015, the race has been restricted to older horses, although the occasional Southern Hemisphere-bred three-year-old has been eligible. Most winners tend to come from the four and five-year-old age bracket, suggesting a blend of speed, experience and maturity is often the ideal combination for this demanding test.
Recent trends point towards proven class being an important factor. The vast majority of winners arrived with official ratings between 111 and 120, while most had already won at Group 1 level before their Ascot success. Race fitness also appears important, with nearly every winner in the last decade having had at least one run earlier in the season.
This year's market is headed by Australian star Joliestar, who brings top-level sprint form and a formidable turn of foot to Berkshire. Her profile matches many of the key trends associated with recent winners, and she arrives with the credentials of a horse capable of adding her name to an honour roll that includes some of the best sprinters seen at Royal Ascot in recent years.
Even so, the Jubilee Stakes has a habit of producing shocks when least expected. With a large field charging down Ascot's straight six furlongs, making it one of the most fascinating betting races of the entire meeting.
Selection: Joliestar (Win), Sayidah Dariyan (E/W)
Antepost Watch
Despite suffering terrible luck at Epsom when becoming entangled in the starting stalls before the race, Benvenuto Cellini remains the horse punters want to be with for the Curragh showpiece on 28 June. The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt has been installed as the 5/2 favourite, with many believing he never had the chance to show his true ability in the Derby itself.
One horse who did benefit from Benvenuto Cellini's misfortune was stablemate Christmas Day. Having started the Derby as an outsider, his strong performance at Epsom has seen bookmakers slash his Irish Derby odds from 20/1 into 3/1, making him one of the biggest movers in the market.
With several leading Derby contenders expected to head to the Curragh later this month, the betting is likely to change again, but for now Benvenuto Cellini and Christmas Day are firmly at the head of the Irish Derby picture.
Racing Syndicates
Pompey Ventures have added another interesting youngster to their team: a filly by Twilight Son out of Fellbeck, who will be trained by Ollie Sangster at Manton House.
She was bought at the Goffs Orby Book 2 Yearling Sale for €21,000 and is qualified for the Goffs €2 Million Series, which gives her a useful early target. She is also expected to be aimed at Band D restricted races, giving connections a sensible route as she develops.
On paper, there is plenty to like. Her dam has a good record of producing useful fillies, with 50% of her previous female offspring rated 8us0 or higher, while the wider family includes smart black type performers.
Pompey Ventures felt she was well bought at the price, but the real appeal came when they saw her in person. Their describe her as an eye-catching physical with real potential, noting her size and movement. Trainer Ollie Sangster was also keen during the bidding, which helped make her a must-have addition for Team PV.
Interest in learning more, click here.
Betting Offers
Betfred will be active again around the major racing action, with promo offers, extra places on selected races, and regular racing specials available throughout the week.
Away from racing, Betfred also has a full range of promotions planned around the FIFA World Cup.
18+ Please gamble responsibly. #ad Need help? contact GambleAware.org
Racing News
Here are a few racing updates that caught the eye this weusek.
Racing Legends - Secretariat
The 98th Preakness Stakes took place at Pimlico on 19 May 1973. Secretariat arrived in Baltimore after winning the Kentucky Derby in a record 1 minute 59⅖ seconds, becoming the first horse to complete the race in under two minutes.
His Preakness performance appeared to be just as fast. The problem was that nobody could agree on the exact time.
Thanks for reading! Let’s catch up again next week.
Regards
The Newsletter Team
Recommend Racing Newsletters
