Royal Ascot 2026 reaches its middle day on Thursday, and punters have got another competitive card to sink their teeth into.
The Ascot Gold Cup headlines the schedule, which also features a couple of pattern races and some interesting handicaps. Here are our free betting tips for day three of Royal Ascot 2026.
Royal Ascot 2026 Day 3 Card
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 2:30pm | Chesham Stakes (Listed Race) 7f |
| 3:05pm | King George V Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 1m4f |
| 3:40pm | Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) 1m4f |
| 4:15pm | Gold Cup (Group 1) 2m4f |
| 4:50pm | Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 1m |
| 5:35pm | Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) 1m2f |
| 6:10pm | Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) 7f |
Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips - Thursday 18th June 2026
2:30pm Ascot - Chesham Stakes Tips
The Chesham Stakes has been moved from day five to the opening slot on day three. Aidan O'Brien, as he does with most of the juvenile races at Royal Ascot, boasts an exceptional record in this contest, and Aix La Chapelle looks a worthy favourite based on his debut victory at the Curragh.
Fillies often outrun their odds in the Chesham, with the fairer sex winning three of the last nine renewals. SEA VENTURE (11/2) was impressive when winning on debut at Haydock, and I fancy she'll improve again for this step up to seven furlongs.
George Scott's filly was forced to bide her time on the rail, as the leaders set some fairly strong opening fractions. Danny Tudhope had to angle his mount sharply left to make her challenge, but Sea Venture put the race to bed in a matter of strides and was allowed to coast home once she established a three-length lead.
This Sea The Stars filly is a full sister to two winners over a mile, and Scott isn't worried about her ability to handle quicker ground. Danny Tudhope is a jockey that I like to follow during the Royal meeting, and Sea Venture looks to be his best chance of the week.
3:05pm Ascot - King George V Stakes Tips
A typically high-quality renewal of this excellent handicap. Godolphin, Wathnan and Qatar Racing all boast strong chances, but I think ARC OLE OLE (12/1) could run another cracker for small-time owners, Gee Gees Racing and Partner.
Dylan Cunha's colt finished fifth on debut at Newmarket last October, before a comfortable triumph at Bath seven days later. Arc Ole Ole made a winning handicap debut at Doncaster in March, before following up at York during the Dante Festival.
Cunha's colt ran keen for much of that contest, but powered home in the closing stages to win by three widening lengths. Rowan Scott won't be unhappy with his draw out in stall 20, as the last three winners of this handicap were drawn in 18 or wider. Arc Ole Ole saw out this distance really strongly at York, and his progression shows no signs of slowing down.
3:40pm Ascot - Ribblesdale Stakes Tips
Despite a potentially tricky draw down in stall one, LEGACY LINK (7/4) is the complete stand-out in this year's Ribblesdale Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden's filly did well to win the Musidora on her reappearance, considering reports from the parade ring suggested that she'd improve plenty for the run. Colin Keane then held his mount up from stall one in the Epsom Oaks, and Legacy Link looked to be coming with a winning challenge, but Thundering On thundered home under Dylan Browne McMonagle to claim an impressive victory.
The Gosdens and Aidan O'Brien have monopolised the Ribblesdale in recent years, and Aidan's sole contender this year is the out-of-form Composing. Unless that run in the Oaks has taken more out of her than connections thought, she should be winning this race pretty comfortably.
4:15pm Ascot - Ascot Gold Cup Tips
Read our free guide to the 2026 Ascot Gold Cup to find out who we've backed in Thursday's feature.
Visit our Ascot Gold Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any race at Royal Ascot on a mobile or tablet.
4:50pm Ascot - Britannia Stakes Tips
It's been eight years since Jamie Spencer rode back-to-back winners of the Britannia Stakes, but he looks to have a good chance of ending that drought with LAUREATE CROWN (14/1).
Hugo Palmer's three-year-old won his maiden on fast ground here at Ascot, and returns to Berkshire looking to complete a handicap hat-trick. Laureate Crown won nicely at Wolverhampton in March, before following up in a valuable three-year-old handicap at Sandown, coming from off the pace to beat Organise by half a length.
I think it was more his awful low draw than the ground that caused Palmer to take his challenger out of the rearranged Silver Bowl Handicap at Carlisle. Organise tops the betting for this handicap, and Laureate Crown was only raised five pounds for defeating that rival in the Esher Cup.
CAPALL RASA (66/1) went into the Esher Cup on the back of two all-weather wins during the winter. Tom Dascombe's charge was forced to make the running, and although he was passed by three talented rivals, I thought he kept on well to finish a three-length fourth.
Dascombe then stepped Capall Rasa up in trip for the London Gold Cup at Newbury, where he failed to find any racing room at the rear of the field and finished a little one-paced in ninth place. Dropping back in trip should suit a horse that had shown plenty of pace on the all-weather. Richard Kingscote, back from Hong Kong for the week, will reprise his long-standing partnership with Tom Dascombe, and they'll be quite happy with a wide draw in stall 30.
5:35pm Ascot - Hampton Court Stakes Tips
Ryan Moore won this Group Three from the front aboard Trinity College 12 months ago, and he'll attempt to execute similar tactics aboard the favourite Endorsement, who seems the most likely winner on this season's form. Generic shaped well behind Constitution River at Chester, and My Love Is King is another who warrants respect.
I'm going to roll the dice and back GLACIUS (33/1) at a massive price. Hugo Palmer had hoped to run this son of Too Darn Hot in a Derby Trial, but connections have been forced to wait until Royal Ascot to get this talented colt back out on the track.
Glacius beat some decent rivals to make a winning debut on the July course last August, before finishing four lengths short of Bow Echo in the Ascendent Stakes. Billy Loughnane's mount then bumped into Hankelow in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket, but finished his race well to secure a podium finish ahead of two rivals rated in the low 100s.
On breeding, Glacius should be better over this ten furlong distance, and the fact that the team are happy to throw this son of Too Darn Hot straight in at Royal Ascot without a prep-run suggests that they think he's pretty smart. I'm happy to take a gamble on Glacius at 33/1.
6:10pm Ascot - Buckingham Palace Stakes Tips
We've seen six runnings of the Buckingham Palace Stakes so far, and five of the winners have been drawn in stall 24 or wider. The high side is definitely the place to be, and I like two each-way contenders with potentially favourable draws.
ELARAK (16/1) bolted up from the front in a valuable handicap at Newmarket on his final three-year-old outing. Charlie Hills' four-year-old has finished fourth on both starts this season, firstly in a strong conditions race at Thirsk, before attempting to race solo on the inside rail in the Nifty 50 Handicap at Newmarket.
A lack of pace in this race should make it fairly easy for Billy Loughnane's mount to break quickly from stall 31 and grab the stands' rail. Elarak remains lightly raced in handicap company and could yet prove himself to be a stakes-level performer.
Charlie Fellowes will be represented by former Victoria Cup winner VAFORTINO (33/1), who'll be having his third attempt at this handicap. Fellowes' eight-year-old has recorded 10th and 11th-place finishes in this race off similar marks, and managed to finish sixth in the Wokingham at last year's Royal Ascot.
Despite finishing down the field in those contests, Vafortino wasn't beaten particularly far. Fellowes' globe-trotter has spent much of the last couple of seasons switching between trips, and between handicaps and pattern races. A large-field handicap is what Vafortino likes best, and seven furlongs is undoubtedly his optimum trip. Christophe Soumillon takes the ride on Thursday, and he's certainly classy enough to contend at a massive price.
Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips Recap
| Time | Track | Tip 1 (Price Taken) | Tip 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30pm | Ascot | Sea Venture (11/2) | |
| 3:05pm | Ascot | Arc Ole Ole (12/1) | |
| 3:40pm | Ascot | Legacy Link (7/34 | |
| 4:15pm | Ascot | Carmers (20/1) | |
| 4:50pm | Ascot | Laureate Crown (14/1) | Capall Rasa (66/1) |
| 5:35pm | Ascot | Glacius (33/1) | |
| 6:10pm | Ascot | Elarak (16/1) | Vafortino (33/1) |
Royal Ascot 2026 Day 3 FAQs
- When does Royal Ascot Day 3 take place?
The middle day of Royal Ascot 2026 takes place on Thursday, June 18. The first race is the Chesham Stakes at 2:30pm, with the final race scheduled to start at 6:10pm.
- What races are run on Royal Ascot Day 3?
Royal Ascot Day 3 features seven races, including the Chesham Stakes, King George V Stakes, Ribblesdale Stakes, Gold Cup, Britannia Stakes, Hampton Court Stakes and Buckingham Palace Stakes. It is traditionally regarded as one of the strongest days of the entire meeting.
- What is the Ascot Gold Cup?
First run in 1807, the Gold Cup is Royal Ascot's oldest race and one of the meeting's most iconic events. The race forms part of the British Champions Series and attracts the leading staying horses from Britain, Ireland and beyond.
- Where can I watch Royal Ascot Day 3 live?
Royal Ascot Day 3 will be shown live on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, while Racing TV will provide comprehensive coverage of every race from Ascot. Visit our website for live streaming information.