Royal Ascot continues into day two on Wednesday with another seven-race card, which will be covered in its entirety by ITV Racing, and the feature race of the day is the Group One Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
Brian’s seven selections cover the full Day 2 card. NAP is Ombudsman in the 16:20 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) — defending champion looking to retain his crown. NB is Victorious in the 14:30 Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) — Aidan O’Brien filly with Ryan Moore booked. Four each-way plays are Kon Tiki, Scoville, All Moonshine and Sale Shark.
| Time | Race | Selection | Bet Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) | Victorious | NB |
| 15:05 | Queen’s Vase (Group 2) | Limestone | Win |
| 15:40 | Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) | Kon Tiki | EW |
| 16:20 | Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) | Ombudsman | NAP |
| 17:00 | Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) | Scoville | EW |
| 17:35 | Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) | All Moonshine | EW |
| 18:10 | Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) | Sale Shark | EW |
Get a Free Bet for Royal Ascot Day 2
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. Royal Ascot is the meeting where BOG delivers the most cumulative value across the week, particularly across Wednesday’s seven-race 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 if your selection doesn’t run — particularly relevant for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes ante-post market.
14:30 Ascot — Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) Cl1 (2yo) 5f — NB
Aidan O’Brien won this twelve months ago and can repeat the feat with VICTORIOUS (5/1), who can take her record to 3-3 despite dropping back in trip here.
The Wootton Bassett filly has struck twice at Naas this term, latterly when getting the better of Controlla by a neck in a Group Three and there could be more to come from her given she still looked in need of the experience.
The drop back in trip shouldn’t prove too much of an issue given she ought to get a strong pace; while she hasn’t looked short of speed herself and a big run could be on the cards with Ryan Moore jocked up for this.
Selection: Victorious — Next Best
15:05 Ascot — Queen’s Vase (Group 2) Cl1 (3yo) 1m6f
LIMESTONE (7/2) battled back well to take Listed honours at Navan last month and Joseph O’Brien’s charge ought to relish this extra yardage which can see the New Bay colt win again.
Progressive over shorter trips last term, he has taken his form up a level since faced with a sterner test of stamina, winning on his seasonal return over an extended ten furlongs at Cork before stepping up to 1m 5f for his latest win over Asakir where the pair were clear of the rest.
Quicker ground is an unknown, while he takes a marked step up in class. However, he could still prove progressive and the extra yardage here can unlock further improvement.
Selection: Limestone to win
15:40 Ascot — Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies & Mares) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m — EW
KON TIKI (EW) (10/1) might just have been found out by a lack of race fitness late on at Goodwood on her return to action last month, but with that under her belt, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s charge can resume winning ways.
The Night Of Thunder filly won her first three starts, taking a Listed race at York last May before running a fair seventh at this meeting in the Coronation Stakes behind Cercene. That effort can be marked up as she was denied a clear run at a crucial stage, which cost her any chance, and she also found herself hampered late.
That represents some solid form, and she was far from disgraced on her reappearance last month, beaten less than one length by Blue Bolt where she was run down late having made Andrew Balding’s reopposing filly plenty to think about.
She can improve for that run, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if she were to get involved again at the finish.
Selection: Kon Tiki — Each-Way
16:20 Ascot — Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m2f — NAP
Arc winner Daryz might find this ground too quick, so last year’s winner OMBUDSMAN (11/8) takes the verdict here, and the Gosden runner can mount a successful defence of his crown.
The Night Of Thunder horse beat Anmaat in this race twelve months ago, later adding the Juddmonte International to his CV with a defeat of Delacroix. Having rounded off his campaign with a runner-up effort in the Qipco Champion Stakes here, he has won both starts since at Meydan and latterly Sandown when gaining a narrow verdict over Gethin in the Brigadier Gerard.
Arguably value for more than the official winning verdict, his trainer stated he would come on for the run, and so more can be expected on the back of that winning return. Quicker ground is no problem to him, and he’s expected to be tough to beat here.
Selection: Ombudsman — NAP
17:00 Ascot — Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+) 1m — EW
This is highly competitive, and a big-field scenario could be just what SCOVILLE (EW) (9/1) needs to help him settle in better.
William Haggas’ charge looked smart last term, winning his first two starts which include a wide margin victory at Newmarket. However, the Too Darn Hot gelding cut little ice in Graded company thereafter, disappointing at Deauville and then beating only one rival home back at Newmarket behind Beauvatier.
Fancied on his reappearance at Thirsk, he was far too keen for his own good and disappointed in finishing eighth. However, there’s a suspicion he’s better than he’s been showing and the application of a tongue-tie in the wake of wind surgery could help him find some improvement.
Fast ground suits him well, and a switch to handicapping where a mark of 98 might prove lenient, he could find this big field to his liking where he can post a much better performance this time around.
Selection: Scoville — Each-Way
17:35 Ascot — Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) Cl2 (4yo+ 0-105) 1m — EW
ALL MOONSHINE (EW) (14/1) makes her turf debut, but the Oasis Dream filly has shown tremendous progress on the all-weather and can take the switch in her stride to continue her winning spree.
Andrew Balding’s charge has won her last three on the all-weather, most recently beating Summer Heat in a handicap over this trip at Kempton, making all the running and finding plenty when asked for her effort to pull clear.
That bare form might not amount to much, but the runner-up did win next time and an opening mark of 87 on her first try on turf could underestimate her potential for further improvement. She does have to find improvement, but she is certainly going the right way, and she’s still unexposed after just four runs.
Assuming a switch to turf doesn’t prove an inconvenience, she can deliver a big performance here.
Selection: All Moonshine — Each-Way
18:10 Ascot — Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (2yo) 6f — EW
SALE SHARK (EW) 9/1 did well to overcome positional bias when making a winning debut at Hamilton last month and Hugo Palmer’s charge can improve for the experience upped in class.
The Bayside Boy colt won by the thick end of three lengths over five furlongs at the Scottish track, beating Jaijai readily and showing a decent turn of foot in the process. This additional furlong ought to prove no issue given how strongly he finished up Hamilton’s punishing hill, and there’s surely further improvement to come.
He looked a potentially exciting sort in that debut, and while this will undoubtedly be a much tougher test stepping into Listed company against a big field of similarly promising rivals, he could nevertheless make his presence felt, and a big run wouldn’t come as a shock.
Selection: Sale Shark — Each-Way
Royal Ascot Day 2 Selections Summary
| Time | Race | Selection | Bet Type | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) | Victorious | NB | Aidan O’Brien |
| 15:05 | Queen’s Vase (Group 2) | Limestone | Win | Joseph O’Brien |
| 15:40 | Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) | Kon Tiki | EW | Jane Chapple-Hyam |
| 16:20 | Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) | Ombudsman | NAP | John Gosden |
| 17:00 | Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) | Scoville | EW | William Haggas |
| 17:35 | Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) | All Moonshine | EW | Andrew Balding |
| 18:10 | Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) | Sale Shark | EW | Hugo Palmer |
Royal Ascot Day 2 ITV Schedule — Wednesday 17 June 2026
ITV Racing covers the entire seven-race Day 2 card from approximately 1:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. The feature race is the Group One Prince of Wales’s Stakes at 16:20.
Wednesday 17 June 2026 — full Royal Ascot Day 2 card on ITV:
- 14:30 — Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2, 5f, 2yo Fillies)
- 15:05 — Queen’s Vase (Group 2, 1m6f, 3yo)
- 15:40 — Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2, 1m, 4yo+ Fillies & Mares)
- 16:20 — Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1, 1m2f, 4yo+) — feature race
- 17:00 — Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap, 1m, 3yo+)
- 17:35 — Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap, 1m, 4yo+ 0-105)
- 18:10 — Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 6f, 2yo)
Best Odds Guaranteed for Royal Ascot Day 2
Royal Ascot Day 2 includes one of the most competitive sprint markets of the week (Queen Mary Stakes, big 2yo field) and a hugely competitive heritage handicap (Royal Hunt Cup) where prices drift through the morning is common. Take morning prices on Henry’s selections and BOG bookmakers pay you out at the bigger SP if it drifts.
For the full list of bookmakers offering BOG and how the promotion works, see our Best Odds Guaranteed guide.
More Royal Ascot and Horse Racing Content
- Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips Tuesday 16 June 2026 — Henry’s Day 1 selections including NAP Bow Echo
- Royal Ascot Day 1 Trends and Stats — historical patterns for the Day 1 card
- 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
18+. Odds correct at time of publishing. Best Odds Guaranteed applies at participating bookmakers on UK and Irish horse racing — see our BOG guide for details. Each-Way terms vary by bookmaker. New customers only at each bookmaker. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org | GamCare.org.uk
Brian joined the team a couple of years ago but he has a long background in writing horse racing content and betting tips. Having worked for a number of publications in the past, such as RacingTips, Brian made the move to thatsagoal and is the main content writer across flat and National Hunt racing.