Home / News / Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 2026: Runners, racecard and race preview

    Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 2026: Runners, racecard and race preview

    Joe Napier
    Joe Napier
    October 13, 2026, 11:33
    Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 2026: Runners, racecard and race preview

    The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is the mile highlight of Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, and 13 horses remain in the Group 1 after Monday’s confirmation stage. Two of them were added at the last minute, and they head a wide-open betting market alongside French Classic winner Rayif. Here are the main storylines.

    The supplementary entries: Talk Of New York and Constitution River

    Godolphin paid £70,000 to add Talk Of New York, and the bookmakers immediately made him favourite. Charlie Appleby’s colt was third behind Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes, but his career-best came in the Joel Stakes at Newmarket last month, when he won by four-and-three-quarter lengths at 4/9. “We have always felt that Talk Of New York was going to develop into a G1 horse,” said Appleby afterwards.

    The other late addition is Constitution River, who has the best form in the race. Aidan O’Brien’s colt won the French Derby and the Coral-Eclipse, but he has finished third in the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes since. He is also confirmed for the Champion Stakes, and O’Brien has yet to decide which race he will run in. If he drops back to a mile, he is a major player.

    Rayif fresh with Soumillon on board

    Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rayif is the one they all have to beat on form at a mile. The dual Group 1 winner won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains in May and the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in August, where he beat Zeus Olympios by a neck. A string of minor setbacks means this will be only his fourth start of the season, and his first at Ascot.

    Christophe Soumillon takes over from the suspended Mickael Barzalona, and connections are not worried. “He’s had a very light campaign so he’s fresh,” said Aga Khan Studs’ racing manager Nemone Routh. “Christophe knows Ascot very well so we’re looking forward to it and we think he’s going to run well.”

    Ten Bob Tony leads the home defence

    Ed Walker’s Ten Bob Tony shocked the Queen Anne field at 50/1 at Royal Ascot, and he has proved it was no fluke since. He was second in the Prix du Moulin last time, finishing ahead of Gstaad, and he returns to the scene of his biggest win.

    The Queen Anne runner-up, William Haggas’ More Thunder, comes here off a win in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, while Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri won the Celebration Mile at Goodwood last time out. Gstaad, who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas, is also entered in the Champion Stakes.

    Queen Elizabeth II Stakes racecard

    15:20 Ascot

    Good

    Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1)

    • Flat Turf
    • Turf
    • 1m 0f 0y
    • Class 1
    • 13 runners
    • First Prize: £623,810
    • 2nd: £236,500
    • 3rd: £118,360
    • 4th: £58,960
    • 5th: £29,590
    • 6th: £14,850
    ITV
    Ascot

    Runners: 13 runners

    Type: Flat Turf

    Surface: Turf

    Weather: Partly sunny

    Win% is implied from the betting forecast
    1 Dancing Gemini uniform Dancing Gemini 42 days W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Colt
    T: Roger Teal
    OR: 114 RPR: 126 Form: -64556
    GG Racing Score 20% Ability 2.5/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 0.8/10 Course 0/10 Distance 4/10
    2 Docklands uniform Docklands 80 days W: 9st 6lb Age: 6 yo Colt
    T: Harry Eustace
    OR: 115 RPR: 125 Form: -13768
    GG Racing Score 49% Ability 1.3/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 5/10 Course 10/10 Distance 7/10
    3 More Thunder uniform More Thunder 35 days W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Colt
    T: William Haggas
    OR: 119 RPR: 129 Form: -22451
    GG Racing Score 38% Ability 5.4/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 6.3/10 Course 1.3/10 Distance 0.5/10
    4 Ten Bob Tony uniform Ten Bob Tony 41 days W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Gelding
    T: Ed Walker
    OR: 121 RPR: 130 Form: 811442
    GG Racing Score 56% Ability 7.5/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 1.7/10 Course 6.3/10 Distance 5/10
    5 Zeus Olympios uniform Zeus Olympios 62 days W: 9st 6lb Age: 4 yo Colt
    T: K R Burke
    OR: 119 RPR: 129 Form: -33412
    GG Racing Score 63% Ability 5.4/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 2.5/10 Course 8.1/10 Distance 10/10
    6 Constitution River uniform Constitution River 35 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: A P O’Brien
    OR: — RPR: 136 Form: -11133
    GG Racing Score — Ability 10/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 8.8/10 Course — Distance —
    7 Gstaad uniform Gstaad 41 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: A P O’Brien
    OR: — RPR: 132 Form: -21223
    GG Racing Score 76% Ability 9.2/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 8.8/10 Course 8.1/10 Distance 3/10
    8 Hawk Mountain uniform Hawk Mountain 35 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: A P O’Brien
    OR: — RPR: 128 Form: -12367
    GG Racing Score 58% Ability 3.8/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 8.8/10 Course 3.8/10 Distance 9/10
    9 Needle Match uniform Needle Match 42 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: William Haggas
    OR: 106 RPR: 112 Form: 1-4027
    GG Racing Score 17% Ability 0/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 6.3/10 Course — Distance 0.5/10
    10 Puerto Rico uniform Puerto Rico 13 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: A P O’Brien
    OR: — RPR: 125 Form: -46063
    GG Racing Score 34% Ability 1.3/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 8.8/10 Course 3.8/10 Distance 2/10
    11 Rayif uniform Rayif 62 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: F-H Graffard
    OR: — RPR: 130 Form: 13-151
    GG Racing Score — Ability 7.5/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 4.2/10 Course — Distance —
    12 Talk Of New York uniform Talk Of New York 22 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    T: Charlie Appleby
    OR: 120 RPR: 130 Form: 311321
    GG Racing Score 60% Ability 7.5/10 Draw — Jockey — Trainer 3.3/10 Course 3.8/10 Distance 8/10
    13 Zavateri uniform Zavateri 49 days W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt
    J: Charles Bishop T: Eve Johnson Houghton
    OR: 118 RPR: 128 Form: 4-2551
    GG Racing Score 37% Ability 3.8/10 Draw — Jockey 5/10 Trainer 0/10 Course — Distance 6/10

    Terms and conditions

    *Odds displayed on this page are sourced directly from online bookmakers. Please check all details before placing your bet(s). 18+ only.

    Betting Forecast

    Dancing Gemini, Docklands, More Thunder, Ten Bob Tony, Zeus Olympios, Constitution River, Gstaad, Hawk Mountain, Needle Match, Puerto Rico, Rayif, Talk Of New York, Zavateri

    Non-runners

    Rogue Diplomat, Bow Echo, Cercene

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