The journey throughout every Flat season involves a series of familiar races that trainers use to prepare their runners for big festivals, and Royal Ascot is no different.
Where a runner came from last time out throws up many trends down the years, especially the individual racecourses which provided stronger form than others.
Royal Ascot - Last time track (Last five years, UK only)
Track | Wins | Strike-rate | Place | P/L(SP) | P/L (BF) | A/E |
Curragh | 17-204 | 8% | 25% | +84 | +460 | 0.82 |
Newbury | 14-195 | 7% | 23% | -39 | -22 | 0.88 |
Newmarket (Rowley) | 14-253 | 6% | 23% | -90 | -27 | 0.62 |
York | 11-246 | 4% | 18% | -148 | -122 | 0.56 |
Goodwood | 10-131 | 8% | 17% | -21 | -1 | 1.04 |
Chester | 9-123 | 7% | 26% | +94 | +176 | 1.04 |
Naas | 9-67 | 13% | 21% | -5 | +22 | 1.38 |
Haydock | 9-173 | 5% | 18% | -74 | -70 | 0.87 |
Epsom | 8-168 | 5% | 15% | -110 | -99 | 0.79 |
Sandown | 7-113 | 6% | 21% | -43 | -25 | 0.79 |
Ascot | 6-180 | 3% | 21% | -93 | -26 | 0.44 |
Leopardstown | 5-56 | 9% | 29% | -36 | -33 | 0.68 |
Navan | 5-39 | 13% | 31% | -17 | -13 | 1.10 |
Kempton | 5-56 | 9% | 14% | -5 | +4 | 1.60 |
Some standout numbers appear in the above table with the Curragh leading the way having provided 17 royal winners during the last years.
The profits were also very eyecatching involving Curragh runners, and a closer look at them pinpoints some key areas.
Curragh last time out (ran during last 45 days)
Curragh race | W-R | Strike-rate | P/L(SP) | P/L(BF) | A/E |
Group 1 | 11-61 | 18% | +31 | +79 | 1.33 |
Other races | 6-128 | 5% | +68 | +395 | 0.53 |
The above qualifiers produced some big-odds winners in recent times, including Cercene, who was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before landing the Coronation Stakes at 33/1.
However, of the tracks to have shown consistency in providing winners at this meeting, then both Naas and Chester jump off the page.
Chester especially has really proven a big influence here, especially over longer distances.
Royal Ascot 1m2f or further (last five years)
Beaten up to 15L at Chester last time:
7 wins from 49 runs & 9 placed (+82) A/E 1.74
Following the Chester runners each-way upped the profits to +105.
Goodwood racecourse also made a strong impression with the runners they sent to Royal Ascot in recent years - a total of 9 Ascot winners came via Goodwood from 2010 to 2022, but that total of 9 winners was matched in the last three years alone. Never Let Go was one of the latest when taking the Sandringham at 22/1 having been third at Goodwood a fortnight earlier.
Royal Ascot (last five years)
Won a handicap or Listed race at Goodwood last time
9 wins from 32 runs (+55) A/E 2.13
Newbury is another track to consider, more so the last time out winners from there.
Royal Ascot (last five years)
Won at Newbury last time
9 wins from 48 runs (+20) A/E 1.37
Knowing the specific races trodden ahead of Royal Ascot is another handy approach, and the following races all provided a solid springboard to Berkshire.
Big-Race Pointers (last 5 years, UK only)
Race | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | A/E |
Irish 2,000 Guineas | 6-25 | 24% | +15 | 2.84 |
Tattersalls Gold Cup | 3-15 | 20% | +1 | 1.09 |
Epsom Derby | 3-21 | 14% | -9 | 1.12 |
Lockinge | 3-38 | 8% | -31 | 0.54 |
2,000 Guineas | 2-26 | 8% | -20 | 0.55 |
1,000 Guineas | 2-22 | 9% | -11 | 0.93 |
Irish 1,000 Guineas | 2-21 | 10% | +15 | 0.82 |
The Irish 2,000 Guineas was a very reliable guide towards Royal Ascot, especially those that were right in the mix during the Curragh Classic.
Top-two finish in the Irish 2,000 Guineas: 5 wins from 6 runs (+11) A/E 3.03
Third or worse finish in the Irish 2,000 Guineas: 1-19 +4 A/E 0.68
Ascot racecourse itself provides a very informative early-season meeting that is now known as Trials Day, along with several other events in May, including Victoria Cup day.
Last year’s two big handicap winners of the Royal Hunt Cup and Wokingham – Get It and My Cloud – both ran in an Ascot trial earlier that spring.
The Commonwealth Cup Trial also produced a trio of royal winners since 2018.
Here is a rundown of the Ascot trials, along with their subsequent Royal Ascot winners.
Ascot trials - last 10 years
Victoria Cup - 3 winners
2026 Result: 1. The Wizard Of Eye 2. Great Acclaim 3. Tribal Chief
2022 Dark Shift - 11th of 27 (subsequently won the Royal Hunt Cup)
2019 Cape Byron - 1st of 26 (subsequently won the Wokingham)
2017 Zhui Feng - 3rd of 24 (subsequently won the Royal Hunt Cup)
Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial - 3 winners
2026 Result: 1. Coppull 2. Midnight Tango 3. Division
2023 Bradsell - 3rd of 9 (subsequently won the King's Stand Stakes)
2021 Rohaan - 1st of 8 (subsequently won the Wokingham Stakes)
2018 Eqtidaar - 2nd of 8 (subsequently won the Commonwealth Cup)
1m Listed Paradise Stakes - 2 winners
2026 Result: 1. Jonquil 2. Holloway Boy 3. Remmooz
2025 Docklands 2nd of 11 (subsequently won the Queen Anne Stakes)
2018 Accidental Agent 3rd of 7 (subsequently won the Queen Anne Stakes)
6f Handicap (3yo) - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Secret Santa 2. Hallo Spaceboy 3. Moscow Power
2022 Latin Lover 4th of 18 (subsequently won the Palace Of Holyrood Stakes)
1m Fillies Conditions/Novice Stakes (3yo) - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. So Regal 2. Crownright 3. Lyrics Of Life
2018 Agrotera - 2nd of 4 (subsequently won the Sandringham Stakes)
Group 3 Sagaro Stakes - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Sweet William 3. Caballo De Mar 3. MIss Alpilles
2019 Cleonte - 3rd of 7 (subsequently won the Queen Alexandra Stakes)
5f Conditions Stakes (2yo) - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Adaay Of Scarlett 2. Dance A Jig 3. A Bear Affair
2021 Chipotle - 1st of 4 (subsequently won the Windsor Castle Stakes)
1m Fillies' Handicap - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Radiant Beauty 2. Song N Dance 3. Alobayyah
2022 Rising Star - 9th of 9 (subsequently won the Kensington Palace Stakes)
1m Peroni Nastro Azzurro Serve With Style Handicap - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Outback Heat 2. Luzon Heights 3. Arbaawy
2023 Docklands - 1st of 7 (subsequently won the Britannia Stakes)
6f Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Italy Handicap - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Bolo Neighs 2. Saint Lawrence 3. Walson’s Law
2025 Get It - 1st of 10 (subsequently won the Wokingham Stakes)
1m Apprentice Handicap - 1 winner
2026 Result: 1. Joolianoss 2. Storm Star 3. Saytarr
2025 My Cloud - 1st of 10 (subsequently won the Royal Hunt Cup)