Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup
Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Ascot – 8th August 2026 It may have only been 6 races on Saturday afternoon at Ascot, but the 2026 Shergar Cup served up some superb performances from some of the best riders in the world. In their own way, each race served to highlight the unique set of skills […]
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot – 25th July 2026 “When I wrote a preview of this race for TPD, I highlighted that we had several of the World’s best racehorses all in one place. I was slightly dismissive of Kalpana and for that I feel I should apologise. She has reversed the […]
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Preview
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Preview Ascot – 25th July 2026 It’s time to find out. Is Calandagan the world’s best racehorse? Will he uphold the form from the Japan Cup with Masquerade Ball? Can he give weight away to the best of this year’s Classic generation? Can he still give 3 lbs […]
Juddmonte Summer Mile Stakes
Juddmonte Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2) Ascot – 11th July 2026 The round course at Ascot can present some very different challenges when compared to the straight mile that is used for the Queen Anne Stakes in June. Just ask the connections of More Thunder. I’m going to start with the beaten favourite because I […]
Royal Ascot 2026 The 2-year-olds
Royal Ascot 2026 The 2-Year-Old Review I certainly wasn’t short of material when it came to choosing a topic for this week’s column for TPD. Royal Ascot was fantastic and 35 highly competitive races presented a wealth of data that could be used to create some interesting angles. Scandinavia and Trawlerman producing a Gold Cup […]
Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes (Group 1) Ascot – 19th June 2026 The original plan for Friday’s content had been a review of the Commonwealth Cup. For what it’s worth, I thought Venetian Sun was superb and she finished her race in the manner of a horse who is dominant in her division. However, as good as Karl […]
The Gold Cup
Gold Cup (G1) Ascot – 18th June 2026 If ever a race summed up the magic of Royal Ascot, it was this year’s Gold Cup and the battle between Trawlerman and Scandinavia in the straight. We can spend all week looking at 3-year-old form, studying 2-year-old pedigrees and trying to spot an improver or pouring […]
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (G1) Ascot – 17th June 2026 It’s hard to equate how many column inches, TV broadcasts and podcast minutes have been devoted to the argument over who is the world’s best racehorse? Every racing fan, in every country around the world will have their own opinion and great cases can be […]
St James’s Palace Stakes
St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) Ascot – 17th June 2026 This race was billed as a match between the best of this year’s 3-year-old Colts and it turned out to be exactly that. Bow Echo and Gstaad are a pair of extraordinary talents and they served up one of the best renewals of the St […]
Royal Ascot 2026 – Key Data Talking Points
Royal Ascot 2026 – Key Data Talking Points I have a new strategy for Royal Ascot this year. The plan is to focus on the proven performers in the Group 1 races and then hope to be on the right side of the draw with the 2-year-olds and the handicappers. I’ll come to the handicaps […]