Thursday 18th June 2026
We kick off our Thursday selections in the 3.05, which is a Heritage Handicap in the King George V Stakes over a mile and four furlongs. I’ve taken a chance on JOULANY here for the team of Ralph Beckett and Hector Crouch. Beckett has won this race twice in the last five years with Going The Distance and Surefire, and I think that he has another live challenger here. This three-year-old by Sea The Stars is still a maiden; however, he has some very solid form to his name, notably when second behind Queens Vase favourite Galiyan, as well as finishing half a length behind the likes of Maltese Cross and Look To The Stars. He’s been gelded since his Chester outing, and he could prove a big player on his first start within handicap company, as he looks sure to progress. This race is filled with unexposed types, and Charlie Appleby’s Into The Light, and recent Newbury winner Heyzoom are likely dangers to the selection at the top of the betting.
We move into Group 2 company at 3.40 for my second selection of the afternoon, and this is the Ribblesdale Stakes over a mile and four furlongs. I’m quite strong on one here, and that’s LEGACY LINK for John & Thady Gosden, who’s the mount of Juddmonte’s retained rider Colin Keane. She has a fairly quick turnaround here, following her excellent second in the Oaks to the exciting Thundering On, which suggests that she came out of the race well. Before her Oaks second, she won the Musidora Stakes at York, and there should be plenty more to come for a yard that has excelled with their fillies over the years. There should be more to come from the William Haggas-trained Earth Shot, who makes some appeal here, and this could also be said for Joseph O’Brien’s Johanna Walsh, who completes the shortlist.
The big one takes centre-stage at 4.15 on Thursday, which is none other than the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup over two miles and four furlongs. This is my best bet of the day, and it comes in the form of SCANDINAVIA for the powerhouse Ballydoyle team of Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He comes into the race having won his last five races on the spin, which included the Group 1 Goodwood Cup, as well as classic success in the St Leger at Doncaster. He returned to action this term with back-to-back victories when skinny prices Listed and Group 3 events, and whilst he didn’t set the world alight in those victories, he’s likely been holding a bit back. He should be primed for this particular assignment, and I think he could take a lot of beating. Last year’s winner, Trawlerman, has to be the main danger for the Gosdens. He dragged horses into deep water in last year’s race, and if he’s able to do that again this time around, he’s a big threat; however, he hasn’t run this term yet, and it could be difficult to race like that again without a prep. One that could run well at a bigger price is Caballo De Mar for George Scott and Oisin Murphy; he’s been highly progressive throughout his career, and tasted Group 1 success in France last time out.
My fourth and final selection of the day on Thursday comes within the 4.50, and this is the Britannia Stakes, a Heritage Handicap over the straight mile. As is the case with most of these big handicaps this week, this is highly competitive; however, I like the chances of WE’RE GOOSERS for Hugo Palmer and Oisin Murphy. I always like it when Palmer and Murphy team up, and I think they’ve got another big chance here with this three-year-old. He was committed to home too early on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket, when eventually finishing a length and a half behind Darn Hot Gallop after powering clear a furlong out; however, he decisively put that race behind him last time out when winning a handicap at that same track by nine and a half lengths. He’s been raised eleven pounds for that success; however, I think he could be a very nice horse, and the handicapper may not have done enough to stop him from following up here. The unexposed Organise is a big danger at the top of the market, as he could be the old “group horse in a handicap” here; he’ll be popular with punters, and another player is Wechaad for Roger Varian and Ray Dawson, who ran well when fourth in a competitive handicap at Goodwood last time out
Thursday Selections
Royal Ascot (Day 3)
18/06/2026
3.05 Ascot
JOULANY – (10/1) (Each-Way) (5 places)
3.40 Ascot
LEGACY LINK – (11/4) (Win) (NB)
4.15 Ascot
SCANDINAVIA – (13/8) (Win) (NAP)
4.50 Ascot
WE’RE GOOSERS – (8/1) (Each-Way) (6 places)
