Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips 2026: Best Bets For Tuesday’s Opening Card

A day packed with star power in the trainer, jockey and equine ranks; there is nothing quite like Day 1 of Royal Ascot! All the leading players will be itching to kick off their week in flying form and Billy Grimshaw is itching to find some winners. Here he details his three strongest fancies on the day and makes the case for the trio...

15:05 Royal Ascot - Coventry Stakes

The Queen Anne gets Royal Ascot under way 35 minutes before this contest, but the elite racing does not let up, with the Coventry giving us the first two-year-old race of the week. A field of 22 juveniles has been declared and the draw will again be part of the puzzle. A high berth is usually seen as a positive at Ascot, but pace can matter just as much as stall number, so it would be dangerous to rule out the lower-drawn horses entirely.

Aidan O’Brien has hot favourite Confucius beautifully drawn in stall 20, while stablemate Great Barrier Reef has been less fortunate in stall 3. Cut A Dash is also drawn high in 19, so plenty will naturally focus on that side, but I am not convinced low numbers should be completely dismissed. The last ten renewals have not seen a front-runner make all, yet plenty have gone close from prominent positions, and I am willing to chance SIOUXPERB for 2022 Coventry-winning trainer Archie Watson at 14/1.

This is a rapid juvenile and, if he breaks well, he should go forward from the off. That is exactly the type of horse I want to be backing from a potentially awkward draw, because he has the speed to take control of his own race rather than needing luck in behind. Four of the last ten Coventry winners have been favourites, but with 80/1 and 150/1 shocks also on the recent roll of honour, this is not a race to fear a bigger price.

Siouxperb still has to prove he belongs at this level after winning only a Yarmouth novice, but the impression he created was striking. Watson knows what is required in this race and his comment that this lad is as good as any horse they have sent to the Coventry was worth noting. He looks a sporting each-way play.

At a much bigger price, HIGH KING is also worth adding to the plan for small stakes. Donnacha O’Brien’s colt made a good impression at Fairyhouse and could easily outrun odds of 50/1 if taking another step forward.

15:40 Royal Ascot - King Charles III Stakes

There can be little doubt even from the most patriotic Brit that we on this island are languishing a fair way behind the cream of the crop globally in the sprinting division. This race has been plundered plenty of times over the years by international raiders, including three times in the last decade, and that record I suspect will be improved again by market leader from Down Under OVERPASS.

The Australians have won this with Asfoora and Nature Strip since 2020 and apparently this seven year old is more than up to the standard of the former, while perhaps not being in the class of the latter who demolished the field here in 2022. It took me a few goes - thanks ExpressVPN - but I have managed to watch his last few races now and Overpass looks almost tailormade for the test Royal Ascot will bring. He has won over further and so this trip with a stiff finish will bring no fear for him and connections and he has even acted on soft, or what the Aussies call soft anyway, so ground will be no problem.

His draw in 19 is also perfect and I think it could be a bit of a point and shoot job for rider Joshua Parr considering the sub standard batch of sprinters he'll be facing from the home team. Last year's winner American Affair won't go down without a fight but we know his ceiling and he would not have got anywhere near as close to the monstrous Ka Ying Rising as Overpass did in the Everest, The one horse I do fear slightly is Night Raider if he continues his upward curve from his facile Haydock win, but even if he does he's going to have to take a huge step up if he wants to compete with the favourite. He'd probably be my best bet on the card.

17:35 Royal Ascot - Wolferton Stakes

I'll be playing the muggy favourite's double in the two races prior to this one, with Bow Echo expected to confirm Guineas form in the St James's Palace Stakes and Reaching High in the Royal colours looking almost too obvious for Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore in the Ascot Stakes. In the Wolferton, I like one at a much bigger price than those two favourites will be sent off, albeit I do think my pick could well go off with the shortest SP in here. GHOSTWRITER is winless since all the way back in 2023, but his third in the Hardwicke of 2025 is the best form on offer in here and I would have fancied him to go close in that race again should that have been the target. Dropping down in class to this, he has no penalties to carry and is off level weights with plenty of horses that are quite frankly not fit to lace his boots at his peak.

Obviously a year off is not usually a positive, particularly for a free going sort like this lad, but with his switch to K P De Foy from Clive Co and with his owners being thirsty for Royal Ascot winners, I suspect this has been a long term plan. David Egan has his work cut out getting this lad to settle, but if he does he has potential to blow this field away and providing he shows no signs of rustiness, I think he can afford to run a bit free as he did in the Hardwicke last time out and still get minor honours. Obviously, we are hoping for all the marbles!

Haatem one suspects will be there or thereabouts once again after claiming this prize in 2025 and his tune up run at Goodwood should have put him spot on for this. He is a hardy sort and I don't want to see Ghostwriter getting in a battle with him as there'll only be one winner I suspect. Royal Rhyme is also interesting off the back of a promising Chester return in the Huxley, while Wimbledon Hawkeye is a horse that I've liked for some time but have had to give up on for this particular assignment.