Queen Anne Stakes Day (18 Jun)
Queen Anne Stakes
(Rank 24 in 2023 The World’s Top 100 G1 Races for 3YO and Upwards)
The Queen Anne Stakes is always the opening race of Royal Ascot, and the first G1 of the meeting. This is a race for the best milers aged four and above and this year will be worth a total of £750,000.
Reference Races
Lockinge Stakes (18 May 2024)
- A race that has produced the winner of this contest five times in the last 10 years, with 2022 winner BAAEED, 2021 winner PALACE PIER and 2017 victor RIBCHESTER all having run in and won the Lockinge on their previous run.
- In recent year’s the form of the Lockinge Stakes has worked out particularly well, so the winner of that race, AUDIENCE, is of strong interest, as is runner-up CHARYN, and sixth place finisher BIG ROCK underperformed in that contest.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/05/2024 | Lockinge Stakes (G1) | Newbury, Great Britain |
1600m | AUDIENCE |  |
- Key Contenders
| Queen Anne Stakes (S1-1) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Lockinge Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AUDIENCE | 1 |
| 5 | CHARYN | 2 |
| 10 | HI ROYAL | 5 |
| 6 | BIG ROCK | 6 |
Prix d’Ispahan (26 May 2024)
- Run in late May, ParisLongchamp’s Prix d’Ispahan is a key French trial and one that produced 2014 winner of this race, SOLOW.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26/05/2024 | Prix d’Ispahan (G1) | ParisLongchamp, France |
1800m | MQSE DE SEVIGNE | |
- Key Contenders
| Queen Anne Stakes (S1-1) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Prix d’Ispahan |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | DOLAYLI | 4 |
Other Reference Races
- Other races that have produced winners of this contest include the Dubai Turf, run over 1800m at Meydan in late March.
- The Sandown Mile Stakes and Ascot’s Paradise Stakes have both produced winners.
- French raider FACTEUR CHEVAL, who won the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, is a fascinating contender.
- Second home in the Listed Paradise Stakes, DOCKLANDS, over this course and distance in April is also worthy of strong consideration.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/05/2024 | Paradise Stakes (Listed) | Ascot, Great Britain |
1600m | QUDDWAH | |
| 26/04/2024 | Sandown Mile Stakes (G2) | Sandown, Great Britain |
1600m | CHARYN | |
| 30/03/2024 | Dubai Turf (G1) | Meydan, UAE |
1800m | FACTEUR CHEVAL | |
- Key Contenders
| Queen Anne Stakes (S1-1) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Dubai Turf |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | FACTEUR CHEVAL | 1 |
| Queen Anne Stakes (S1-1) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Sandown Mile Stakes |
| 5 | CHARYN | 1 |
| 12 | POKER FACE | 2 |
| Queen Anne Stakes (S1-1) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Paradise Stakes |
| 6 | DOCKLANDS | 2 |
King Charles III Stakes
Renamed the King Charles III Stakes this year, having been formerly known as the King’s Stand Stakes, this is traditionally the second G1 of Royal Ascot.
Reference Races
Palace House Stakes (4 May 2024)
- Three of the last 10 winners have made their seasonal reappearance in the G3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket.
- Close second VADREAM would be an interesting contender if getting her favoured soft ground.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/05/24 | Palace House Stakes (G3) | Newmarket, Great Britain |
1000m | SEVEN QUESTIONS | |
- Key Contenders
| King Charles III Stakes (S1-3) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Palace House Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | SEVEN QUESTIONS | 1 |
| 11 | VADREAM | 2 |
| 7 | TWILIGHT CALLS | 4 |
Temple Stakes (25 May 2024)
- Australian raider ASFOORA is a runner in the former and is likely being prepped for a run at Royal Ascot.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/05/24 | Temple Stakes (G2) | Haydock, Great Britain |
1200m | KERDOS | |
- Key Contenders
| King Charles III Stakes (S1-3) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Temple Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | KERDOS | 1 |
| 15 | SEVEN QUESTIONS | 3 |
| 8 | ASFOORA | 4 |
Other Reference Races
- Last year’s Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner at Santa Anita, BIG EVS, looks a serious contender this year.
- The Duke Of York Stakes, Al Quoz Sprint and Abernant Stakes are other races that can provide strong form lines for this race.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/05/24 | Duke Of York Stakes (G2) | York, Great Britain |
1200m | MILL STREAM | |
| 30/03/24 | Al Quoz Sprint (G1) | Meydan, UAE |
1000m | CALIFORNIA SPANGLE | |
- Key Contenders
| King Charles III Stakes (S1-3) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Duke of York Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DILIGENT HARRY | 3 |
| King Charles III Stakes (S1-3) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Al Quoz Sprint |
| 1 | DILIGENT HARRY | 3 |
St James’s Palace Stakes
(Rank 50 in 2023 The World’s Top 100 G1 Races for 3YO and Upwards)
The St James’s Palace Stakes is the final G1 on the opening day of Royal Ascot and is run over 1600m on the round course.
Reference Races
2000 Guineas (4 May 2024)
- Following the English, French and Irish 2000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stake is often the next stop for the top 3YO milers and is a race that has seen its fair share of famous winners over the years.
- FRANKEL triumphed following his 2000 Guineas demolition in 2011, while in recent year DAWN APPROACH, GLENEAGLES, GALILEO GOLD, POETIC FLARE and COROEBUS also won Newmarket’s 2000 Guineas before following up in this race.
- In total six of the last 10 winners of this race have run in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and this year’s first and second from that race, NOTABLE SPEECH and ROSALLION, are both likely to be strongly fancied if turning up here.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/05/2024 | 2000 Guineas (G1) | Newmarket, Great Britain |
1600m | NOTABLE SPEECH | |
- Key Contenders
| St. James’s Palace Stakes (S1-4) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in 2000 Guineas |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | NOTABLE SPEECH | 1 |
| 7 | ROSALLION | 2 |
Poule d’Essai des Poulains (12 May 2024)
- 2022 winner POETIC FLARE ran in the English, French and Irish Guineas before turning up for this race.
- METROPOLITAN, champion of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, France’s equivalent of the 2000 Guineas, last time would be an interesting runner if lining up here.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/05/2024 | Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) | ParisLongchamp, France |
1600m | METROPOLITAN | |
- Key Contenders
| St. James’s Palace Stakes (S1-4) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Poule d’Essai des Poulains |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | METROPOLITAN | 1 |
| 4 | HENRY LONGFELLOW | 8 |
Irish 2000 Guineas (25 May 2024)
- The Irish 2000 Guineas is also a race that informs the betting for the St James’s Palace Stakes, with four of the last 10 winners taking in that contest at the Curragh before arriving at Ascot.
| Date | Race (Grade) | Racecourse | Distance | Winner | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/05/2024 | Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) | Curragh, Ireland |
1600m | ROSALLION | |
- Key Contenders
| St. James’s Palace Stakes (S1-4) Horse No. | Horse Name | Finishing Position in Irish 2000 Guineas |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | ROSALLION | 1 |
| 8 | UNQUESTIONABLE | 4 |
