Royal Ascot 2018 gets under way on June 19 and we've got all the information you need ahead of the five-day spectacular, including features and tips, race times and schedule plus the latest Sky Bet odds and offers.
CONTENTS
- Royal Ascot Schedule
- Royal Ascot Tips & Features
- Royal Ascot Odds
- Royal Ascot On TV
- Royal Ascot Videos
- Royal Ascot Dress Code
- Breeders' Cup Challenge Races
- Top Royal Ascot Trainers
- Top Royal Ascot Jockeys
1. Royal Ascot Schedule
- Click on each race for the full racecard
Day 1 - Tuesday June 19
2.30: Queen Anne Stakes (Group One)
3.05: Coventry Stakes (Group Two)
3.40: King's Stand Stakes (Group One)
4.20: St James's Palace Stakes (Group One)
5.00: Ascot Stakes (Handicap)
5.35: Wolferton Rated Stakes (Listed)
Day 2 - Wednesday June 20
2.30: Queen Mary Stakes (Group Two)
3.05: Queen's Vase (Group Two)
3.40: Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group Two)
4.20: Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group One)
5.00: Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap)
5.35: Jersey Stakes (Group Three)
Day 3 - Thursday June 21
2.30: Norfolk Stakes (Group Two)
3.05: Hampton Court Stakes (Group Three)
3.40: Ribblesdale Stakes (Group Two)
4.20: Gold Cup (Group One)
5.00: Britannia Stakes (Handicap)
5.35: King George V Stakes (Handicap)
Day 4 - Friday June 22
2.30: Albany Stakes (Group Three)
3.05: King Edward VII Stakes (Group Two)
3.40: Commonwealth Cup (Group One)
4.20: Coronation Stakes (Group One)
5.00: Sandringham Stakes (Listed)
5.00: Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)
Day 5 - Saturday June 23
2.30: Chesham Stakes (Listed)
3.05: Hardwicke Stakes (Group Two)
3.40: Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed)
4.20: Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group One)
2. Royal Ascot Tips & Features
More to follow including betting previews from Ben Linfoot, Simon Holt, Oli Bell, Alex Hammond, Donn McClean and more...
Alex Hammond's Royal Ascot tips - The Sky Sports presenter guides us through the action at Royal Ascot and picks out her best bets along the way.
King's Stand Stakes trends - Check out the key trends for Tuesday's feature race at Royal Ascot - the hugely entertaining King's Stand Stakes over the flying five furlongs.
Royal Ascot Podcast - Ed Chamberlin and Oli Bell join our regular racing team to look ahead to Royal Ascot - and between them they stumble across an over 3000/1 accumulator.
Royal Ascot: Super Sires - Ben Linfoot with 10 sires whose progeny could light up Royal Ascot 2018 as he looks at their meeting and overall course strike-rates in the build-up to the five-day festival.
Richard Fahey: My Ascot team - The top trainer takes us through his team for Royal Ascot with Sands Of Mali leading the raiding party.
Royal Ascot bankers - Get the best Royal Ascot bets from Oli Bell, Mike Cattermole, Ed Chamberlin, Richard Fahey, Alex Hammond, Simon Holt and our racing team.
Paul Hanagan on Ascot expectations - Ben Linfoot chats to the former champion jockey, with Commonwealth Cup hopeful Sands Of Mali one of his best rides at this year’s extravaganza.
Five clashes to savour - It's Royal Ascot and courtesy of QIPCO British Champions Series we focus on five mouthwatering clashes to look forward to.
Matt Brocklebank's Antepost Angle - Don't miss our long-range advice for six of the Group races at this year's big meeting.
3. Royal Ascot Odds
Sky Bet are offering Non-Runner No Bet on a wide range of Royal Ascot races ahead of the start of the summer spectacular and make Lockinge Stakes winner Rhododendron 3/1 favourite to win the opening Queen Anne Stakes on day one.
Order Of St George heads the betting in the Ascot Gold Cup, though he's closely followed by the highly progressive Stradivarius.
The firm have also priced up markets on Top Jockey and Top Trainer for the five days, with Ryan Moore (4/6) and Aidan O'Brien (1/2) the respective odds-on favourites.
4. Where to watch Royal Ascot on TV
During Royal Ascot, all 30 races will be broadcast live on ITV, totalling approximately 30 hours of live coverage across the week.
The Opening Show preview programme will be shown daily at 10am along with daytime coverage starting at 1.30pm.
Usually all races are shown on ITV1, however as it is a World Cup year, there have been some scheduling changes.
ROYAL ASCOT
Tuesday 19 June Royal Ascot:
The Opening Show 0930-1030 ITV4
Royal Ascot: Live Racing 1330-1525 ITV1 & 1520-1800 ITV4
Wednesday 20 June Royal Ascot:
The Opening Show 0930-1030 ITV4
Royal Ascot: Live Racing 1330-1800 ITV1
Thursday 21 June Royal Ascot:
The Opening Show 0930-1030 ITV4
Royal Ascot: Live Racing 1330-1800 ITV4
Friday 22 June Royal Ascot:
The Opening Show 0930-1030 ITV4
Royal Ascot: Live Racing 1330-1525 ITV4 & 1520-1800 ITV1
Saturday 23 June Royal Ascot:
The Opening Show 0930-1030 ITV4
Royal Ascot: Live Racing 1330-1525 ITV4 & 1520-1800 ITV1
5. Royal Ascot Videos
Ascot: Tales Of The Track
Explore The Royal Enclosure
Frankie Dettori and his 50 Royal Ascot wins
Yeats - The great Gold Cup hero
The jockey's perspective
The making of the Gold Cup
6. Royal Ascot dress code
The dress code set out below is designed to help racegoers to dress appropriately for the occasion. Please note that a different dress code applies for each enclosure.
ROYAL ENCLOSURE
LADIES
Ladies are kindly reminded that formal day wear is a requirement in the Royal Enclosure, defined as follows: Dresses and skirts should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer.
Dresses and tops should have straps of one inch or greater. Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should still comply with the Royal Enclosure dress code.
Trouser suits are welcome. They should be of full-length to the ankle and of matching material and colour.
Jumpsuits are welcome. They should be of full-length to the ankle, with regulations matching that for dresses.
Hats should be worn; however a headpiece which has a solid base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.
Ladies are kindly asked to note the following: Strapless, off the shoulder, one shoulder, halter neck, bardot and spaghetti straps are not permitted. Midriffs must be covered.
Fascinators are not permitted in the Royal Enclosure; neither are headpieces which do not have a base covering a sufficient area of the head (4 inches / 10cm).
GENTLEMEN
Gentlemen are kindly reminded that it is a requirement to wear either black or grey morning dress which must include: A waistcoat and tie (no cravats). A black or grey top hat. Black shoes. A gentleman may remove his top hat within a restaurant, a private box, a private club or that facility’s terrace, balcony or garden.
Hats may also be removed within any enclosed external seating area within the Royal Enclosure Garden.
The customisation of top hats (with, for example, coloured ribbons or bands) is not permitted in the Royal Enclosure.
CHILDREN (admitted on Friday and Saturday only)
Girls (aged 10-17) should be dressed in accordance to the Ladies’ dress code. However, they may wear a headpiece or a fascinator as an alternative to a hat, without any size restrictions.
Boys (aged 10-17) should either dress in accordance with the gentlemen’s dress code or alternatively may wear a dark-coloured lounge suit with a shirt and tie.
OVERSEAS VISITORS
Overseas visitors are welcome to wear the formal National Dress of their country or Service Dress.
SERVING MILITARY PERSONNEL
Serving military personnel are welcome to wear Service Dress or equivalent.
QUEEN ANNE ENCLOSURE
LADIES
Ladies within the Queen Anne Enclosure are encouraged to dress in a manner as befits a formal occasion.
Ladies are kindly asked to take particular note of the following: A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times. Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted.
Please note our definition of strapless includes off the shoulder, bardot style and one shoulder dresses.
Trouser suits and jumpsuits must be full-length and worn with a top that adheres to the guidelines above (i.e. strapless or sheer strap tops are not permitted).
Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should still comply with the Queen Anne Enclosure admission dress code. Midriffs must be covered. Shorts are not permitted
GENTLEMEN
Gentlemen are required to wear a full-length suit with jacket and trousers of the same colour and pattern with a shirt and tie.
Socks must also be worn and should cover the ankle.
Gentlemen are kindly asked to wear a tie at all times and to note that bow ties and cravats are not allowed. Trainers are not permitted.
VILLAGE ENCLOSURE
LADIES
Ladies within the Village Enclosure are encouraged to dress in a manner as befits a formal occasion and ladies are kindly asked to take note of the following: A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times.
Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted. Please note our definition of strapless includes off the shoulder, bardot style and one shoulder dresses.
Trouser suits and jumpsuits must be full-length and worn with a top that adheres to the guidelines above. Midriffs must be covered. Shorts are not permitted.
Please note, the Village Enclosure is largely an outdoor area and ladies should consider their hat size and choice of shoe accordingly. Smaller hats or fascinators and wedges are recommended in place of larger hats or stilettos.
GENTLEMEN
Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket, full-length trousers, collared shirt and tie.
Jeans and trainers are not permitted. Bow ties and cravats are not permitted. Socks must also be worn and should cover the ankle.
7. Breeders' Cup Challenge Races
In its continuing international expansion of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the Breeders’ Cup, in conjunction with Ascot Racecourse, announced that winners of this year’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1), Queen Anne Stakes (G1) Norfolk Stakes (G2) and Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at the Royal Ascot meeting, will be awarded automatic “Win and You’re In” berths into the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs.
All four races will be televised live and streamed in the US as a part of NBC Sports Group’s live coverage of the Royal Ascot meeting.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is an international series of more than 80 graded/group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will be run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge races at the 2018 Royal Ascot meeting are as follows:
The Queen Anne Stakes, June 19, for 4-year-olds and older at one mile on turf, will give the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Queen Anne Stakes winners Barathea (IRE) and Goldikova (IRE) also won the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes, June 20, for 4-year-olds and older at 1 mile, two furlongs on turf, will give the winner an automatic berth into the 1 1/2 mile Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Prince of Wales’s Stakes winners Fantastic Light and Highland Reel (IRE) also won the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The Norfolk Stakes, June 21, for 2-year-old males and fillies at five furlongs. The winner will receive a free berth into the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5 ½ furlongs.
The Diamond Jubilee Stakes, June 23, for 4-year-olds and older at six furlongs on turf, awards the winner with an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), which will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs.
8. Top current trainers at the Royal meeting
Name Total number of wins
Sir Michael Stoute 75
Aidan O’Brien IRE 61
John Gosden 43
Mark Johnston 41
Saeed bin Suroor 36
Paul Cole 21
Mick Channon 18
Dermot Weld IRE 17
David Elsworth 15
Luca Cumani 11
James Fanshawe 10
The above table features currently licenced trainers
9. Top current jockeys at the Royal meeting
Name Total number of wins
Frankie Dettori 56
Ryan Moore 48
Jamie Spencer 24
William Buick 20
Olivier Peslier 16
The above table features currently licenced jockeys