Can Bow Echo Extend His Winning Run at Royal Ascot?

Royal Ascot kicks off on Tuesday with an exciting renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes and a battle of the Guineas winners in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

2.30 Royal Ascot – Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)

Notable Speech, who has five Group One winners to his name, headlines Royal Ascot’s opening Queen Anne Stakes, kicking off another enthralling week of action from the Royal racecourse.

Charlie Appleby’s runner arrives in superb form after claiming a Group One victory at Newbury in May. He was heavily supported in the market and backed it up by travelling smoothly before storming away from the pack in impressive style. Four of that pack will line up next to him today, so there’s every reason to believe in Notable Speech’s chances of winning the Queen Anne today. Last year the colt found himself short of room in the closing stages and was unlucky throughout the race. William Buick will be eager to rectify that this year and get to the post first.

It was Docklands who got the better of him in last year’s renewal and Harry Eustace’s popular runner will return to the course where he has achieved major success. He has two wins under his belt at Royal Ascot with another coming at the racecourse. He landed the Doncaster Mile in April before finishing a respective third in the Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Opera Ballo will be partnered with Billy Loughane is another one that is heavily backed in the market with the 4-year-old being the highest rated horse in the field after victories in both the Group One Jebel Hatta and the Bet365 Mile.

William Haggas also brings an intriguing contender with More Thunder set to run in the blue and yellow colours. Connections will be quietly confident that Tom Marquand can bring him home at 7/2 and kick the Festival off in style.

3.40 Royal Ascot – King Charles III Stakes

Overpass has made the huge journey from Australia to Ascot in pursuit of the King Charles III Stakes where 26 runners will battle it out for the top prize of £396,970. It is the biggest field we have seen since 2006.

Bjorn Baker’s seven-year-old arrives in top form and will line up in a Group One for the 15^th time, winning three times at the level. Despite not winning one of his most impressive performances was in last year’s Everest, where he finished fourth behind the excellent Ka Ying Rising.

American Affair romped home in last year’s race but has faced a frustrating spell following his Royal Ascot success. He finished second to the impressive Night Raider in his latest outing at Haydock, who is unbeaten in his last two starts. Karl Burke’s runner is expected to compete towards the front and has every chance to go back-to-back.

Australian connections have fond memories of this race following Asfoora’s victory in 2024, and Overpass will attempt to continue that recent success story. He faces another competitive field, with several talented sprinters standing in his way, including Rayevka, Big Mojo and Rumstar. Asfoora herself also returns to the spotlight and will be hoping to recapture the form that saw her claim this prize twelve months ago.

4.20 Royal Ascot – St James’s Palace Stakes

The St James’s Palace Stakes headlines the opening day of racing at the Royal meeting where 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo and Irish 2000 Guineas victor Gstaad go head to head once again in what promises to be one of the highlights of the racing season.

Bow Echo comes into the meeting in impeccable form after extending his winning run to four, remaining unbeaten since his debut. His most recent performance at Newmarket last month was arguably the best by any three-year-old at any meeting this season. After romping home in the 2000 Guineas he was handed a rating of 126, placing amongst the best horses in the world.

Gstaad finished three lengths behind his rival at Newmarket but it wouldn’t be silly to think that the 9/4 runner can close the gap. Aiden O’Brien has an impressive record at Ascot and his horse bounced back after Newmarket to comfortably win the Irish 2000 Guineas with connections confident he can beat Bow Echo for the very first time.

Lurking in the background is Talk Of New York, one of the most intriguing runners in the field. He has raced only four times but has won three of those starts, including an emphatic success in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown. His ceiling remains unknown and, if he continues on his current trajectory, he could have a major say in the outcome.

Best of the rest

Ballydoyle duo Confucius and Great Barrier Reef head the betting for the Group Two Coventry Stakes at 3.05pm, with debut winner Royal Heritage also in situ in the Wathnan Racing silks. Night In Vegas is also a big contender, despite being drawn in stall 21.

HM The King and Queen are represented through Reaching High, who tops the market for the 5pm Ascot Stakes. Fresh from being awarded an MBE last week, Ryan Moore takes the ride. Later on the card, Haatem bids to go back to back in the Listed Wolferton Stakes before Valiancy goes for gold in the Copper Horse Stakes for Haggas.