Royal Ascot is just a fortnight away, with many of the Group 1 fields becoming clearer. Five days of the best flat racing on offer anywhere take place across Berkshire’s regal turf.
Matty Sutcliffe has been busy scouring the ante-post cards. He has four best bets combined into a lucky 15 for you to follow.
Queen Anne Stakes – More Thunder 5/1
I have reservations over Notable Speech on a stiffer track like Ascot and whether the Queen Anne will set up as well as it did for him in the Lockinge, for all he was an excellent winner. He’s been beaten twice at this meeting seemingly with little excuse albeit racing keenly in this race last season, and while he did look a lot more professional last time out he has to prove he can back that up in this stiffer test.
As a result, More Thunder is taken to reverse the form having run exceptionally well from an unfavourable position behind Notable Speech in the Lockinge. He was relatively un-fancied in the market and the first off the bridle in rear under Tom Marquand.
He gave a gallant account of himself to come home strongly, with the winner given an excellent tie under William Buick. He still has 5lbs to find with the winner, but I’d be of the opinion that on this stiffer, wider track, his surplus of stamina will come in to play more favourably than others.
He improved as the season went on last year, winning a handicap off 87 before bolting up in the Hungerford to begin this year 30lbs higher, so I’d imagine he’s sure to take a big step forward but the fact he’s proven himself capable on contesting in this grade is further convincing, and he’s proven to run well here when beaten a nose in last season’s Wokingham.
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – Ombudsman 2/1
This should turn into a fascinating contest between Daryz and Ombudsman, who are both matched very closely on ability. However, you’d have to be concerned with how Daryz performed the last time he travelled to England, for all he’s evidently improved since.
The Arc winner is two from two this season, both over shorter trips, but I would question whether this is his optimum trip as opposed to Ombudsman, who’s two defeats in Group 1 company have come against Delacroix and Calandagan. He wandered under pressure when hitting the front early enough in the Eclipse, and he arguably lost very little in defeat against the gelding Calandagan who’s turned into one of, if not the best horse in Europe.
Like last season, he was never going to be fully tuned up for his return in the Brigadier Gerard, but he was still able to fend off the progressive Gethin giving him 7lbs, finishing well on top at the line. HIs career best effort came in this contest last season when an impressive two length winner having had to switch when short of room, and given he is a much more furnished model of a thoroughbred this season I’d expect another similar performance.
Gold Cup – Rahiebb 4/1
With the defending Champion Trawlerman’s participation here hanging in the balance, this could become a match between the 1-2 from last season’s St Leger. Scandinavia was a revelation last season, becoming the first three year old winner of the Goodwood Cup since Stradivarius in 2017 before beating Rahiebb by a neck in the St Leger.
Scandinavia was always better positioned throughout there under Ryan Moore with Rahiebb having to come down the rail after looking outpaced in rear, and while it is inconclusive as to whether he would’ve collared Scandinavia, he was certainly closing with every stride.
It’s worth noting that Rahiebb was half a length in front of Scandinavia in the Queen’s Vase here last season, and I think he can better his old rival once more. Scandinavia is unbeaten in both his starts this season, but given he was 14lbs and 13lbs better off with the respective runners up for a length and a half and a half a length successes, you’d have expected him to win with ease.
He is a horse who only just does enough, but I think Rahiebb can serve it up to him given how impressive he was on his seasonal debut at York in the Yorkshire Cup. He travelled strongly throughout, and while he took a while to get going last season in some race, he displayed an excellent turn of foot this time to stay on powerfully and win fairly comfortably, hitting the line strongly.
The step up in distance to this trip is an unknown as with any, but he is from the family Dubai Gold Cup 2nd Ispolini and a jumper who stayed 2m4f, and digging deeper into the pedigree you’ll find Saeed Bin Suroor’s admirable stayer Dubai Future who was third, albeit a distant one, in this race last season.
Commonwealth Cup – Into The Sky 16/1
It’ll be either the Jersey Stakes or the Commonwealth Cup for Into The Sky after failing to stay the mile in the 2000 Guineas, and given both Perfect Power and Advertise also failed to stay the Guineas trip before winning the Commonwealth Cup, I’m hoping it’ll be the latter.
I thought the son of Starman ran an excellent race behind Bow Echo and Gstaad, with the second pulling eight lengths clear of the third Distant Storm. Gstaad franked the form in the Irish equivalent, as did Distant Storm who got five lengths closer to Gstaad. Into The Sky was only a length behind Distant Storm in fourth, and finished a head in front of Thesecretadversary who also ran well in the Irish 2000 Guineas.
His debut promise is still long in the memory, as is his Mill Reef second when throwing the race away late on to Words Of Truth, who was third in the valuable Conditions Stakes on Champions Day before finishing second to Flying Comet in Meydan, who was third to that pair at Newbury.
From the family of Queen Anne winner Toronado, by July Cup winner Starman, he’s bred to be smart as he ages and I hope connections come to the conclusion that a prominent ride on this stiff track will play into the strengths of the stamina they perceive he has for seven furlongs too, and sends him to the Commonwealth Cup.
FAQs
What are the Royal Ascot Lucky 15 tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his lucky 15 for Royal Ascot 2026.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s Royal Ascot Lucky 15 tips published?
The Royal Ascot lucky 15 tips were published at 1.40pm on Tuesday 2 June.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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