Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips 2026: Two Additional Bets On Gold Cup Day

The halfway marker of the huge week that is Royal Ascot is hit on Thursday, but still there is so much elite racing to look forward to! As well as previewing the big race of the day, the Gold Cup, Billy Grimshaw has two more recommended bets that have caught his eye on the card...

15:05 Royal Ascot - King George V Stakes

Ralph Beckett is hunting a third win in six years in this race and his Wathnan owned TIERRA DEL TORO is a strong fancy in a race that looks absolutely tailormade for this strapping Lope De Vega gelding. His run in the London Gold Cup last time out cried out of a horse who was itching to go further, with his third placed effort no mean feat considering the two who beat him look speedier types. Ascot, a mile and a half with a stiff finish is ideal for this lad on what we've seen thus far and given Beckett's excellent strike rate of late in this contest, one suspects this has been circled in the calendar for some time for Tierra Del Toro.

I don't mind his draw in the middle of the pack as he is tactically versatile, but I would like James Doyle to make plenty of use of him as even though he's untested running this far I am almost certain he'll relish the new stamina test. I would not be surprised to see a Beckett 1-2 here as his Joulany also looks to have outstanding claims, Those claims could be enhanced even further if his Chester conqueror Galiyan wins on Wednesday (I pen this piece before racing kicks off for day 2) but even if that horse does not prevail, there is no doubting this lad will also relish the step up in trip on the evidence of his fast finishing on the Roodee. His draw in 2 is a bit of a negative, however.

Favourite Into The Light of course has a big chance and is drawn next to my fancy, which is never a bad thing when assessing a race. Godolphin again did not hit the winner's enclosure on Tuesday but had plenty run well and this Charlie Appleby trained Dubawi colt did get closer to Lost Boys than Tierra Del Torro managed. However, that doesn't tell the full story as he got a clear run at the winner whereas Tierra Del Torro met traffic. Both will be suited by this step up in trip but at the prices and watching both runs back again, I am confident our pick will be the strongest stayer in here.

17:35 Royal Ascot - Hampton Court Stakes

NAP of the day time here in the penultimate race. I cannot see how ENDORESMENT isn't nearer to even money and will gobble up any 9/4 floating around for this. Aidan O'Brien won this last year with Ryan Moore in the saddle with Trinity College and the combination have tasted victory in this three times in the last decade, always with horses at north of 5/1. In some races through the flat season and indeed at Royal Ascot it's worth taking Ryan's judgement on if you have a strong fancy - see Great Barrier Reef in the Coventry - but this is not one such race and I do believe this could be a simple job for Moore onboard the jolly.

He ran with credit in the Leopardstown Derby Trial on his penultimate start, just behind odds on favourite and stablemate Pierre Bonnard who looked like challenging for a long way int he Derby before weakening into seventh. The horse that beat both that day, James J Braddock, of course ran a stormer for third at Epsom and we can deduce that was a strong bit of form. What Endoresment did next time out, however, is why I am so bullish on his chances here. 

Admittedly, he was the 1/4 favourite for a Listed contest, but he could hardly have been more impressive in firing out from the gates and going wire to wire, winning an eased down seven lengths. Perhaps that will not be the best piece of form in the fullness of time, but the performance oozed class and grit. Admittedly, that was over further and on soft ground so maybe he is vulnerable to one with more zip here dropping in trip and on faster ground, but he is bred to have the speed for ten.

The danger could be Morshdi for William Haggas, who flopped in the Dante last time out but before that had looked a nice prospect prior to that when winning the Fielden. At both York and Newmarket he showed signs of greenness and will need them to have been expunged to live with the favourite who will almost certainly attempt to make all, but he is undoubtedly talented. Oxagon is another with clear ability, albeit I don't think he will relish this if it's turned into a stamina test by my NAP of the day.