Royal Ascot 2026 day 1 tips (Tuesday 16th June 2026)

Jun 15, 2026 - 14:30

Royal Ascot 2026 gets underway on Tuesday with a blockbuster opening card featuring three Group 1 contests and some of the best horses from Britain, Ireland and beyond.

The five-day meeting is regarded as the crown jewel of the Flat racing season and punters can look forward to top-class action in the Queen Anne Stakes, King Charles III Stakes and St James’s Palace Stakes on a day packed with quality from start to finish.

I always attend the opening day and it also includes the fiercely competitive Coventry Stakes and the traditional staying handicap, the Ascot Stakes, ensuring plenty of betting opportunities throughout the card.

If you’re looking for Royal Ascot tips, best bets, horse racing predictions and expert betting advice for Tuesday’s card, you’ve come to the right place. With huge fields, international challengers and some of the most prestigious races of the season, finding value is never easy, but there are opportunities to get ahead of the bookmakers.

I’ve gone through every race on the opening day card and picked out the horses I believe offer the strongest winning chances, alongside a few bigger-priced selections capable of outrunning their odds at Royal Ascot 2026.

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Royal Ascot 2026 day 1 (Tuesday) quick tips

2.30 Notable Speech – 46/25 with SBK NEXT BEST
3.05 Confucius – 9/4 with Coral
3.40 Rayevka – 9/1 each way with SBK
4.20 Bow Echo – 5/6 with Coral NAP
5.00 Reaching High – 9/4 with Betfred
5.35 Nahraan – 8/1 each way with BetVictor
6.10 Daiquiri Bay – 7/1 each way with BoyleSports

Joe’s best horse racing betting tips for Royal Ascot 2026 day 1 (Tuesday 16th June 2026)

Find my top tips for Tuesday 16th June 2026 racing with odds from the best horse racing bookies below:

Royal Ascot 2.30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) (Straight) 1m

8 of the last 12 winners were aged 4
7 of the last 12 winners were favourite and 8 of 12 top 3 in the betting
5 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before
7 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win in a Group 1 race

This looks a stronger renewal than 12 months ago which saw Docklands come out on top. He has a terrific record at Ascot so has to be respected again but I’ll be surprised if he manages to defend his crown.

NOTABLE SPEECH is comfortably the best of these on a going day. That turn of foot he showed to win the Lockinge was frightening and if he manages to utilise it again here then he will come out on top.

More Thunder chased him home the last day and is a very smart horse himself. This straight mile will suit and he should strip fitter so I see him as the danger but I still think he’ll struggle to live with that potent turn of foot the favourite has.

Of the rest Opera Ballo has tons of potential and shouldn’t be ignored either but they might all be playing catch-up.

Bet on NOTABLE SPEECH To Win at 46/25 with SBK

Royal Ascot 3.05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f

6 of the last 12 winners were favourites or joint favourites and 7 of 12 top 3 in the betting
10 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before
9 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run over 6f
12 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 run that season

Aidan O’Brien has won two of the last three renewals of the Coventry and I expect him to dominate this race again. CONFUCIUS very much ‘could be anything’ and after looking unlucky on debut he improved again despite still looking a little rough around the edges to win handsomely at Naas last month.

He will take another step forward here and should be spot on and I’m looking forward to seeing a big performance.

Stablemate Great Barrier Reef is yet to taste defeat having won both starts to date and with more to come can chase the favourite home and give Ballydoyle a 1-2.

Cut A Dash has plenty of size and scope and impressed winning readily at York on debut and if he improves again as expected he could get competitive for Richard Hannon who has hit form at the right time.

Bet on CONFUCIUS To Win at 9/4 with Coral

Royal Ascot 3.40 King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) 5f

8 of the last 12 winners were aged between 4 and 6
1 of the last 12 winners were favourites but 9 of 12 top 3 in the betting
9 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Ascot
11 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 111 or higher

The Aussies send over Overpass and he would have to be feared especially if getting to the front as he has speed to burn. The age trend is massively against him though and I have a feeling he might be opposable. RAYEVKA is over from France and this Blue Point filly has a bit of a reputation.

She was back to winning ways at Longchamp last month and comes here with confidence high. She has good form at the track having finished third in the Commonwealth Cup as a 3yo and again acquitted herself well on Champions Day. She is largely being underestimated in the betting.

Night Raider has rediscovered his form this season winning at Newmarket and then beating last year’s winner American Affair at Haydock. His Ascot record did make me look elsewhere though. American Affair and Mission Central completed the shortlist in what looks a fiercely competitive renewal this year.

Bet on RAYEVKA Each Way at 9/1 with SBK

Royal Ascot 4.20 St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) (Round) 1m

6 of the last 12 winners were favourite or joint favourites and 11 of 12 top 3 in the betting
8 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before
9 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 110 or higher
8 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous Group 1 win

I was mega confident on Field Of Gold in this last year and he delivered the goods. I would say I am even more confident this time around in BOW ECHO. I have been with this horse every step of the way and he was an emphatic winner of the Guineas on reappearance.

He readily brushed aside Gstaad and his trainer George Boughey thinks he has progressed again and strengthened up since which is music to my ears.

I think the pair will fight it out as the betting suggests but we are looking at the best miler in training and a horse who could become one of the greats in time.

Gstaad is an extremely talented horse in his own right and I can see him progressing again. He won the Irish Guineas in good style and we know this track suits so he should definitely emerge as the danger.

Talk Of New York was impressive at Sandown but this is tougher and he needs to prove he can settle again in a smaller field.

Bet on BOW ECHO To Win at 5/6 with Coral

Royal Ascot 5.00 Ascot Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) 2m4f

8 of the last 12 winners were aged between 5 and 7
2 of the last 12 winners were favourites and only 4 of 12 top 3 in the betting
9 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 91 or higher
0 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win in a Group race

I know favourites don’t have the best record in this but I backed REACHING HIGH in this 12 months ago and I thought he was given a shocker.

He was repeatedly denied a run and it just didn’t happen on the day. They have kept him fresh and off an unchanged mark will be looking for compensation this time around. He remains unexposed as a stayer and could have quite a bit in hand off his current mark.

Puturhandstogether was given a poor ride in the Chester Cup but did finish off well beaten around six lengths at the line. He has first-time cheekpieces and if getting better luck here could take a sizeable step forward and emerge as the danger.

Beylerbeyi should appreciate stepping back up in trip and could be best of the rest as there isn’t a great deal of strength in depth here.

Bet on REACHING HIGH To Win at 9/4 with Betfred

Royal Ascot 5.35 Wolferton Stakes (Listed) 1m2f

10 of the last 12 winners were aged 4 or 5
2 of the last 12 winners were favourites or joint favourites and only 3 of 12 top 3 in the betting
1 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before
10 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 106 or higher

Haatem obviously won this last year and takes his chance again. He should run well as just shaped like he needed the run at Goodwood but I do think NAHRAAN looks better value at the time of writing.

The latter has only had four starts and he has won three of them. That was a tough ask in Group company in France on final start behind Croix Du Nord and Daryz but he ran well. He has more to come as a 4yo and I expect him to be bang in the mix.

Ghostwriter was third behind Rebel’s Romance in the Hardwicke Stakes when last seen nearly a year ago. If he settles on debut for his new yard he could surprise a few and run well.

King’s Gambit looked a bit unlucky in this 12 months ago finishing a closing third and looks decent value to hit the frame again.

Bet on NAHRAAN Each Way at 8/1 with BetVictor

Royal Ascot 6.10 Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) (Class 2) 1m6f

6 of the last 6 winners were aged between 4 and 6
3 of the last 6 winners were favourites or joint favourites and 4 of 6 top 3 in the betting
3 of the last 6 winners won on their last run before
5 of the last 6 winners had a rating of between 99 and 101

Valiancy looks really progressive now and I think he’ll go close again here but at the prices I’ve got to try and oppose.

DAIQUIRI BAY also looks on an upward curve and I was impressed with the way he beat Gamrai at Newmarket on reappearance. He is 4lb higher so he’ll need to come forward again but he has plenty of size and scope and at the prices I’m keen to keep him on side.

Gamrai looked good winning at Kempton and did nothing wrong behind the selection at Newmarket so obviously has a big shout in this as well.

Sing Us A Song has more to come over staying trips and gives Wathnan a strong hand here with Ernst Blofeld also taking his chance.

Bet on DAIQUIRI BAY Each Way at 7/1 with BoyleSports

My top tip for Royal Ascot 2026 Day 1 on Tuesday

What a day ahead!

I have backed NOTABLE SPEECH to display that potent turn of foot again that saw him win the Lockinge and doubled him up with star-miler BOW ECHO who should confirm form over Gstaad and win the St James’s Palace Stakes for George Boughey.

Bet a Win Double on NOTABLE SPEECH and BOW ECHO at 4/1 with bet365

About the author

Joe Norris

I’m Joe Norris, co-founder and Director of GetYourTipsOut (GYTO), which I launched in 2009 to provide daily sports betting tips, with the main focus on horse racing. Over the years, I’ve earned a reputation for offering reliable and profitable tips, which led to being named “Best Sports Betting Tipster” in 2023. Alongside my work at GYTO, I also contribute predictions to platforms like Oddschecker, allowing me to share my insights with a wide community of sports enthusiasts and bettors.

Find Joe on X: @JoeNorrisGYTO

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