Royal Ascot reaches its midweek feature with Gold Cup day on Thursday, the most famous race of the entire meeting and the championship test for staying thoroughbreds over 2 miles 4 furlongs.
Henry’s seven selections cover the full Day 3 card. NAP is Scandinavia in the 16:20 Gold Cup (Group 1) — Coolmore’s St Leger winner stepping up in trip. NB is Wechaad in the 16:50 Britannia Stakes (heritage handicap). Three each-way plays are Aperoll, Tierra Del Toro and River King.
| Time | Race | Selection | Bet Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | Chesham Stakes (Listed) | Aperoll | EW |
| 15:05 | King George V Stakes (Handicap) | Tierra Del Toro | EW |
| 15:40 | Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) | Legacy Link | Win |
| 16:20 | Gold Cup (Group 1) | Scandinavia | NAP |
| 16:50 | Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) | Wechaad | NB |
| 17:35 | Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) | Endorsement | Win |
| 18:10 | Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) | River King | EW |
Get a Free Bet for Royal Ascot Day 3
Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is available on all UK and Irish horse racing at the major bookmakers — if you take a price and the SP drifts to a bigger one, you’ll be paid out at the bigger price. Gold Cup day’s open handicaps (King George V Stakes, Britannia Stakes, Buckingham Palace Stakes) are exactly the races where BOG delivers meaningful value across a Royal Ascot card. Read our Best Odds Guaranteed guide for the bookmakers offering BOG.
For ante-post bettors backing horses ahead of declarations, the Non-Runner No Bet guide explains how NRNB protects your stakes — particularly relevant for the Gold Cup market where stayers can be late withdrawals on quicker-than-expected ground.
14:30 Ascot — Chesham Stakes (Listed) Cl1 (2yo) 7f — EW
The opener on Gold Cup day is the Chesham Stakes. A 2-year-old listed event over 7 furlongs.
The horse I like is APEROLL(11/1) EW. The once-raced Richard Hannon colt was an impressive debut winner at Newbury earlier this month. Newbury maidens very often work out well. He looks to have won that maiden a shade cosily, and Pat Dobbs certainly didn’t have to ask him for maximum effort. Aperoll looked very professional, and the money that came for him close to the off suggests connections were confident he was a good one. The yard, as we know, excels with 2-year-olds and this colt can improve again and go close in the opener.
Selection: Aperoll — Each-Way
15:05 Ascot — King George V Stakes (Handicap) Cl2 (3yo) 1m4f — EW
Next up is the competitive King George V Stakes. A handicap for 3-year-olds that is run over 1m4f.
I like TIERRA DEL TORO (15/2) EW in here for the Ralph Beckett stable. After a solid 2-year-old campaign, he made his reappearance in the competitive London Gold Cup last month, a race that always works out well throughout the season. He was a good third that day, and he looks sure to step forward with that run now under his belt. I think he’ll be well suited by this extra 2f and I’m expecting a bold bid for Wathnan Racing, who obviously target this meeting.
Selection: Tierra Del Toro — Each-Way
15:40 Ascot — Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) Cl1 (3yo) 1m4f
The 3:40 is the Ribblesdale Stakes, a Group 2 for the 3-year-old fillies over 1m4f.
Redemption awaits for LEGACY LINK (13/8) who is the best filly in this race on what we’ve seen to date. She comes here after a fine second in the Oaks at Epsom where she chased home the impressive Thundering On. That came after a good win in the Musidora Stakes at York, suggesting she’s going the right way. There is a slight concern this may come too soon after the Oaks, but John Gosden wouldn’t be running her if he wasn’t pretty sure she’s come out of that race well. If she runs to form, you’d expect her to be winning this Group 2.
Selection: Legacy Link to win
16:20 Ascot — Gold Cup (Group 1) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m4f — NAP
The feature comes up at 4:20, the Gold Cup. A Group 1 contest over the extreme 2m4f trip.
It’s hard to get away from SCANDINAVIA (13/8) NAP in this for me. The Coolmore Operation have such a fantastic record in the race, and there is a good chance this lad could be their next staying star. An unlucky loser here in the Queen’s Vase last season, he followed that up with five consecutive victories including the final classic of the year in the St Leger. He also beat his elders at Goodwood. He looks a strong staying sort who’ll thrive over this unique test the Gold Cup offers. He seems to only ever do enough, which is ideal in a race like this. Tough to beat for Ryan Moore.
Selection: Scandinavia — NAP
16:50 Ascot — Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo) 1m — NB
The 4:50 race is the Britannia Stakes, a heritage handicap over the straight mile.
The one for me is WECHAAD (9/1) NB. He was a progressive 2-year-old last season and appeared to be getting stronger and stronger as the year went on. He bolted up on his handicap debut before finishing a fine third at Group 3 level to end the campaign in the Horris Hill Stakes. His reappearance effort at Goodwood was full of further promise and that looks sure to have put him spot on for this contest. He’ll relish this quicker surface and stall 27 looks a good spot. A strongly run mile which he’ll get here will see a career best in my opinion. I’d be disappointed if he wasn’t going very close.
Selection: Wechaad — Next Best
17:35 Ascot — Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo) 1m2f
Next is the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over 1m2f.
It’s hard to get away from Aiden O’Brien’s ENDORSEMENT (9/4), who is the choice of Ryan Moore here. He brings a strong level of form having chased home the Derby winner Christmas Day on his season reappearance in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes. He then ran well again, finishing a close third in a Derby trial before making all last time out at Leopardstown, winning well. He looks better than a Group 3 horse to me, and I expect him to show that today.
Selection: Endorsement to win
18:10 Ascot — Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+) 7f — EW
The finale on Day 3 is the Buckingham Palace Stakes, a tricky handicap run over 7f.
It’s RIVER KING (11/1) EW for me here. A really consistent sort who has been hitting the frame throughout his career and yet to run a bad race. The 4-year-old is still unexposed, and he comes here off a great front-running display when bolting up at Newbury last time out. I think he’ll be even better when getting a lead and he’ll have that option today. Again, this straight track looks sure to suit, and I think he’s a big price given his current level of form, consistency and his ability to handle a race of this nature. Stall 14 gives Dobbs options, but the middle of the track appears to be fine on what we’ve seen.
Selection: River King — Each-Way
Royal Ascot Day 3 Selections Summary
| Time | Race | Selection | Bet Type | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | Chesham Stakes (Listed) | Aperoll | EW | Richard Hannon |
| 15:05 | King George V Stakes | Tierra Del Toro | EW | Ralph Beckett |
| 15:40 | Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) | Legacy Link | Win | John Gosden |
| 16:20 | Gold Cup (Group 1) | Scandinavia | NAP | Aidan O’Brien |
| 16:50 | Britannia Stakes | Wechaad | NB | — |
| 17:35 | Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) | Endorsement | Win | Aidan O’Brien |
| 18:10 | Buckingham Palace Stakes | River King | EW | — |
Royal Ascot Day 3 ITV Schedule — Thursday 18 June 2026
ITV Racing covers the entire seven-race Day 3 card from approximately 1:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. The feature race is the Group One Gold Cup at 16:20 — the championship test for staying thoroughbreds.
Thursday 18 June 2026 — full Royal Ascot Day 3 card on ITV:
- 14:30 — Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f, 2yo)
- 15:05 — King George V Stakes (Handicap, 1m4f, 3yo)
- 15:40 — Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2, 1m4f, 3yo Fillies)
- 16:20 — Gold Cup (Group 1, 2m4f, 4yo+) — feature race
- 16:50 — Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap, 1m, 3yo)
- 17:35 — Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3, 1m2f, 3yo)
- 18:10 — Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap, 7f, 3yo+)
The Gold Cup: Royal Ascot’s Championship Stayers’ Test
The Gold Cup is the oldest race at Royal Ascot, first run in 1807. Run over the extreme 2 mile 4 furlong trip, it’s the championship test for staying thoroughbreds and the race that defines a staying career. Recent winners include Stradivarius (three-time winner 2018-2020), Kyprios, and Courage Mon Ami — names that became household racing references thanks to this race alone.
Coolmore’s record in the Gold Cup is exceptional — they’ve won it multiple times across the last decade, with horses like Order Of St George (2016) and Kyprios (2022, 2024) showcasing their pipeline of stayers. Henry’s NAP Scandinavia continues that line — a St Leger winner stepping up in trip, with Ryan Moore booked. The 2m4f trip exposes any stamina weakness in seconds, but a horse with Classic-winning credentials over 1m6f stepping up here has the right pedigree for the test.
More Royal Ascot and Horse Racing Content
- ITV Racing Hub — daily ITV Racing previews and tips
- Best Odds Guaranteed Explained — BOG bookmakers and how it works
- Non-Runner No Bet Explained — NRNB guide for ante-post bettors
- Tom Segal Pricewise Tips — pricewise pundit picks for the major meetings
- Henry Gibbs’ Author Page — Henry’s full racing coverage
- Horse Racing Betting Sites — UK welcome offers for racing punters
- Each-Way Betting Explained — how each-way bets work
- Lucky 15 Betting Guide — multiple bet structures explained
Henry covers both flat and National Hunt racing at thatsagoal.com. Producing a daily NAP, each-way bet and lucky 15 tip throughout the year.