The Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is the centrepiece of British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday. Eleven runners have been declared for the £1.1 million contest over the straight mile, and it looks one of the most open renewals in years.
Classic winners Rayif and Gstaad take on the supplemented Talk Of New York, while Queen Anne hero Ten Bob Tony and Celebration Mile winner Zavateri fly the flag for the older brigade and the home team. Here is our full preview, with the runners, the racecard and the key trends, and you can back your QEII fancy on Matchbook.
2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Runners
Talk Of New York heads the market after Godolphin paid £70,000 to supplement him this week. Charlie Appleby’s colt won the Joel Stakes at Newmarket last time by four and a half lengths, and before that he was third behind Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes over this course and distance. He is a hold-up horse who has shown signs of greenness, and the Joel was hardly a vintage renewal, so he has to prove he belongs at the very top.
Rayif is the class act among the three-year-olds on Group 1 wins. Francis-Henri Graffard’s colt landed the French 2,000 Guineas on very soft ground in May and, after a below-par fifth in the Prix Jean Prat, came back to his best to win the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. He is two from two at a mile, Graffard won this race with The Revenant in 2020, and any rain would be no concern.
Gstaad is the top-rated runner on 125. The Irish 2,000 Guineas winner has been second in the 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes, where he went down by only half a length to Bow Echo. He was a below-par third in the Prix du Moulin last time and is seeking his first win since May.
Ten Bob Tony knows exactly what it takes to win over this course and distance. Ed Walker’s gelding sprang a 50/1 shock in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and has run well in defeat since, finishing fourth in the Sussex Stakes and second in the Prix du Moulin, where he beat Gstaad.
Zavateri makes his final start before heading to stud. The National Stakes winner at two had a frustrating Classic season after an early setback, but he was hampered when fifth in the Sussex Stakes and then bounced back to cruise home by three and a half lengths in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on rain-softened ground.
Zeus Olympios came closest to beating Rayif in the Jacques le Marois. Karl Burke’s colt quickened into the lead inside the final furlong on his first try at Group 1 level, only to be collared late. He has been freshened up for this since and has every chance of reversing that form.
More Thunder has been knocking on the door all year. William Haggas’ five-year-old was second in the Lockinge and the Queen Anne before winning the Park Stakes at Doncaster last time. Sure to be storming home in the final furlong, he will want the gaps to come before trying to scythe to the front.
Aidan O’Brien’s second string Hawk Mountain has Colin Keane up but needs to step up on recent runs. Course winner Docklands, Dancing Gemini and the lowest-rated runner Needle Match all look up against it.
2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Racecard
Check out the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes racecard here…
15:20 Ascot
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1)
- Going Good
- Distance 1m 0f 0y
- Class Class 1
- Race Type Flat Turf
- Surface Turf
- Runners 11
- 1st £623,810
- 2nd £236,500
- 3rd £118,360
- 4th £58,960
- 5th £29,590
- 6th £14,850
Runners: 11 runners
Type: Flat Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Mostly sunny
Dancing Gemini 42 days 
Docklands 80 days 
More Thunder 35 days 
Ten Bob Tony 41 days 
Zeus Olympios 62 days 
Gstaad 41 days Hawk Mountain 35 days Needle Match 42 days 
Rayif 62 days 
Talk Of New York 22 days 
Zavateri 49 days 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
66/1 Dancing Gemini, 25/1 Docklands, 10/1 More Thunder, 7/1 Ten Bob Tony, 9/1 Zeus Olympios, 9/2 Gstaad, 40/1 Hawk Mountain, 66/1 Needle Match, 7/2 Rayif, 5/2 Talk Of New York, 13/2 Zavateri
Non-runners
Rogue Diplomat, Bow Echo, Cercene
Verdict
Rematches abound, as most of the runners have met previously. Talk Of New York has pulled hard at times and Rayif needs to show he can deliver outside France but they are otherwise improving colts who command plenty of respect, while Gstaad (second choice) has been a rock-solid performer in the main and would be a multiple Group 1 winner but for unbeaten Bow Echo being one of his contemporaries. A strong hand for the 3yos is completed by ZAVATERI who is peaking at the right time, remains particularly unexposed over 1m and may provide Eve Johnson Houghton with a first success in a race that her father Fulke landed three times. Back at the scene of his Queen Anne win, Ten Bob Tony could well prove best of the older runners.[Steve Boow]
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Trends 2026
Here are the key trends to follow ahead of Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
- Three-year-olds have won six of the last ten runnings, and there are seven in this year’s field
- Older horses have won the last two, though: Charyn (2024) and Cicero’s Gift (2025)
- Only three favourites have won in the last ten years: Minding (2016), Roaring Lion (2018) and Charyn (2024)
- Shocks happen: Cicero’s Gift won at 100/1 last year and Bayside Boy at 33/1 in 2022
- Minding (2016) is the only winner since 2006 to have finished outside the first two last time out, which counts against Gstaad
- Six of the last ten winners were landing their first Group 1
- French-trained horses have won four of the last 12 runnings, including Rayif’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard with The Revenant in 2020
- Aidan O’Brien’s only win in the last ten years came with Minding in 2016
- Ryan Moore (Minding, 2016) and Tom Marquand (Bayside Boy, 2022) are the only jockeys in the field to have won the race since 2010
2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips
A real elite field lines up for the QEII Stakes on Saturday, but whilst Talk Of New York, Gstaad and Rayif look the ones to beat, it’s MORE THUNDER that can prevail. William Haggas’s star was runner-up in the Queen Anne Stakes, but showed when winning last time out that he still has a lot to give. He’s a Group 2 winner, but is yet to win on the big stage, but if he can stalk the leaders through until the last furlong then he could well storm to the front in quicker ground to land the prize
FAQ
When and where is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes?
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes takes place at Ascot on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 3.20pm. It is run over the straight mile.
How much is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes worth?
The race is worth £1.1 million, with £623,810 going to the winner.
How can I watch the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes?
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is live on ITV Racing at 3.20pm on Saturday.
Who won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last year?
Cicero’s Gift won the 2025 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at 100/1 for trainer Charles Hills and jockey Jason Watson.
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