2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Preview & Tips – DS

by Dave Stevos | Jun 19, 2026

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Preview

Finally some relief on Friday. Our NAP Omni Man landed place money in fifth, as did Spicy Marg at 50s. Dave Stevos’ 2026 Royal Ascot Saturday preview is below.

2.30 – Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

I was very taken by Force Noir’s win second time up at Naas over 5f when trained by Robson De Aguiar. Beaten on debut on heavy ground by a head by Ruler’s Control, who ran a cracker in the Windsor Castle here earlier this week, this son of Persian Force is now trained by Kevin Phillipart de Foy.

The good ground at Naas suited him much better next time and he made all to score by over 4l, and while the second and third have let that form down since, the fourth home, The Scallionator, has since won a maiden in good style. The issue is that Force Noir has now shortened into 12/1 and in a race like this, that looks about right.

We found The Ridler who won this for Richard Fahey at 50/1 in 2022 and it seems to be a race he targets. He also won it in 2021 with Perfect Power, in 2023 he had the runner up Malc at 66/1 and I am going to back Mussab in the hope that he can go well at a price for Fahey this year.

Quick Ground

He’s by Ten Sovereigns, so he should be right at home on this quick ground, and he will have the assistance of Colin Keane in the saddle. On debut he was beaten by 1.75l at York over 6f on good ground. He travelled powerfully for 4f, went for home and just didn’t quite see out the trip.

The drop back to 5f looks a prudent move on the evidence of that debut effort and while the form hasn’t really worked out, I think there could be plenty more to come from this colt on just his second start, especially over this shorter trip. He’s also well drawn in stall 14 so at odds of 50/1, back Mussab e/w.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Tip: Mussab e/w @ 50/1 (4 places)

3.05 – Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

A cracking renewal. Our old pal Goliath is not 40/1 like when he won the King George for us but I’d love to see him do the business again. Santorini Star is slightly interesting at bigger odds but I’d just fear that this trip might be a touch short for her.

The one I will take a chance on at around 16/1 is the Ralph Beckett trained Amiloc. A winner over C&D at this meeting last year, he followed that up with superb efforts when runner up behind Al Riffa in the Irish Leger and it was arguably an even better run when he finished a 2.5l fourth behind Ethical Diamond over this trip on firm ground at the Breeders’ Cup.

Beckett’s charge failed to fire when odds on for his seasonal reappearance at York (14f, good) last month but he possibly didn’t handle the track and I am willing to forgive him that tame effort. The drop back to 1m4f on fast ground is a plus, as is the return to Ascot, and at 16/1, Amiloc is the each way selection.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Tip: Amiloc e/w @ 16/1

3.40 – Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)

We are already on Jasour at 66s for this sprint (full reasoning here) and he’s been holding steady at that price. I am a bit worried about how Clive Cox has fared at the Royal Meeting so far but he’s only really had one fancied runner (Coppull) and he wasn’t disgraced in the Commonwealth Cup on Friday.

The draw gods have been kind and the hood he’s been wearing has been discarded. If Rossa Ryan can somehow get Jasour to settle early doors and he expends his energy at the right time, hopefully he’ll be finishing off fast and late for the place money at least.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Tip: Jasour already advised e/w @ 66/1

4.20 – Jersey Stakes (Group 3)

Joseph O’Brien has had a week to remember so far and it could get even better for him here. Andab is 0-3 in listed over a mile this season but he has yet to run a bad race and I think the drop back to a stiff 7f in a strongly run race might enable him to get his head in front.

By Saxon Warrior, he’s finished behind Timeforshowcasing, Causeway and Talk Of New York in his three starts this term. Last time out, in the Heron Stakes at Sandown, he was dropped out early and produced late but by the time he got into top gear the leader had already flown and he was just denied second in the dying strides by the 107 rated Time To Turn.

His last win came over this trip at Dundalk in October, the last time he raced at 7f. He ran a huge race to finish fourth behind Gstaad in the Coventry at this meeting last year, so he ticks the course form book, and given how well he ran in that, surely this race has been on the radar for some time.

The first-time visor is an interesting addition and if that enables him to concentrate better in the early part of this race, Andab can go close here at odds of 22/1.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Tip: Andab e/w @ 22/1 (4 places) NAP

5.00 – Wokingham Stakes Handicap (Heritage)

The one I came down on here is the Kevin Ryan trained son of Coulsty, Hammer The Hammer. Yes, he is drawn in stall 7 but Libertango won from stall 3 over 6f here on Friday and Spicy Marg was drawn in 8 in the Commonwealth so it looks like the draw bias is not as severe as it was earlier this week.

This horse ran poorly on his seasonal return at York but he may have needed that run and it was also his first run after a wind procedure. It can take horses a run or two to realise they can breathe properly again after undergoing wind surgery so hopefully, he’ll be ready to rock now.

Ryan also sticks a tongue tie on him for the first time, so clearly, he’s got wind issues but that didn’t stop him from running an absolutely huge race in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse here last year when he was beaten a length into second off 100 and he is just 1lb higher here.

Hammer The Hammer was subsequently beaten just 1.75l in the Ayr Gold Cup off 104 last September, so we know he can go close off this mark and while there are clearly risks attached given his wind issues, I still think he is worth throwing a few quid at e/w at odds of 33/1.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Tip: Hammer The Hammer e/w @ 33/1 (6 places)

5.35 – Golden Gates Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

I’m going to take a chance on the rag here, the handicap debutant Sunset On Leros. Trained by Marco Botti, this son of Almanzor, who is out of the Rockfel winner Juliet Capulet, was last sighted running a fine race in the Italian 2000 Guineas at San Siro (1m, good) at the start of May.

In that contest he got caught in a bit of a pocket around 4f out, just as the pace was lifting. He had to switch to find daylight but by then, the leader had flown. He did stay on nicely enough for third though and on that evidence he looks well worth a shot at 1m2f. The winner of that race was beaten a neck by Venetian Prince in the Italian Derby next time so the form is solid.

That run, and Sunset On Leros’ staying on efforts at Doncaster and again at San Siro last year, suggested he was crying out for this sort of trip. His dam is from a speedy family but his sire Almanzor was a multiple G1 winner at 1m2f (including over this C&D) so hopefully this trip is going to eke out more improvement.

This colt finished close up behind Avicenna (rated 105) and Hankelow (now rated 114) in a Listed race at Donny last year so he could be very nicely treated off a mark of 97 and with odds of 40/1 on offer, Sunset On Leros is the each way pick.

2026 Royal Ascot Saturday Preview & Tips – DS