Ascot - Saturday 11th July 2026
DUBAI BLING caught the eye at the Royal meeting when not getting the best of runs through in the Wokingham and the drop back to 5f off a 1lb lower mark gives him a suitable opportunity to get his head back in front. Behike was beaten just over five lengths in the King Charles III and remains a sprinter with plenty of upside on just his fifth career start. He enters the reckoning along with recent Windsor scorer King Of Light and Schrodinger's Cat.
More Thunder (second) fared best of those who tackled the Queen Anne last month, with ZEUS OLYMPIOS (fourth) and Docklands (seventh). He has the negative of stall one to contend with now and Karl Burke's colt, who was also behind him in the Lockinge after having valid excuses, may well turn both pieces of form around, especially as going round a bend might be more in his favour. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if Docklands bounced back following his worst performance to date at this venue.
MIA FANTASIA was a promising winner on his racecourse bow at Carlisle, learning plenty on the job before going away from the opposition. Hugo Palmer's colt is expected to take a decent step forward and that may prove to be enough. Dr Rascal won nicely at Leicester and appears to be an obvious threat, while Salisbury runner-up Rising Tiger and newcomer National Pride head the remainder.
Having posted a solid third over 1m5f at Ayr, DIVINE KNIGHT appeared to improve for the step up in distance. An extra furlong on quicker ground should prove no issue for the Night Of Thunder gelding and, off an unchanged mark, he makes the most appeal. King Of Berkshire arrives in better form than most, although his latest third at Sandown hasn't worked out as hoped. With that in mind, a bigger threat may emerge from Fireblade, who is 2lb lower than when fourth at Windsor.
Successful on his penultimate outing at Kempton, ERNST BLOFELD was then far from disgraced when seventh in the Copper Horse at the Royal meeting. The four-year-old only gave way inside the final furlong that day and a return to his last winning distance looks ideal. Ghaiyya should find this easier than the Listed event in which she finished eighth at Pontefract and she's feared most, ahead of Duke Of Edinburgh seventh Nesthorn.
The consistent Celestra is a likely pace angle stepping into handicap company after a cosy all-the-way win at Yarmouth. A mark of 80 gives the Gosdens plenty to work with and another step forward is likely. Fellow three-year-old Hot And Cold also commands respect bidding to complete a hat-trick for her shrewd connections. However, slender preference is for ROSA INGLESA, whose third-placed finish in the Sandringham here is a strong piece of form.
ARANTES NASCIMENTO was well found in the betting when a close second at Salisbury and could be primed to go one better off just 1lb higher. The Michael Attwater-trained gelding has held his form well and another step forward can see him deservedly break through for a first win on turf. There are dangers aplenty and the likes of the veteran Documenting, along with the well-handicapped trio Ararat, Havana Blue and Red Hat Eagle, all merit close inspection.
Plenty to consider in this big-field handicap, including the 8yo mare Glamorous Breeze, who has returned in good form with a pair of solid placed efforts, and Havana Hurricane, a classy 2yo who made a pleasing handicap debut when third of five in cheekpieces at Sandown. Given the manner in which he scored at Windsor last time, it's KING OF LIGHT who is the selection, though. The drop to a stiff 5f will suit him ideally and he's taken to overcome an 8lb rise, with the smart Harry Vigors claiming a valuable 5lb. Mesaafi has been in decent form and remains competitively weighted, so should go well again, while the hat-trick seeker Ancient State needs more up in grade but has to be respected in his current vein of form.
A race favourite's have a strong record in and it might pay to go with the obvious one in MORE THUNDER here. Having started off doing his winning ove 10f, he was then turned into a very smart handicap sprinter by connections, but seems to have settled on being a high-class miler now and, fresh off a career-best effort when runner-up in the Queen Anne over this C&D, he's taken to win for the first time in 2026. Zeus Olympios wasn't far behind last time, finishing fourth, but he looks to be in need of 10f now, so it's Docklands who rates the bigger danger. He adores this C&D, winning the Britannia as a 3yo and following up at last year's royal meeting in the Queen Anne. He failed to fire in that race last time but could easily bounce back.
The two previous winners, Mia Fantasia, who represents last year's winning yard and picked up strongly to score with a bit in hand on his Carlisle debut, and Dr Rascal, up late from off the pace to strike at Leicester on his sole start, are both worthy of maximum respect and success for either wouldn't shock, but it's RISING TIGER who earns the vote. Andrew Balding's son of Minzaal showed up really well over 6f on his debut at Salisbury and, as a relation of multiple winners over 1m-plus, he ought to be well served by the extra furlong of today's contest. He's also receiving weight from the two already mentioned.
You have to go back to 2017 to see the last 3yo to win this race but it makes no sense they wouldn't have a good record what with them getting such a healthy weight-for-age allowance, so we're taking the Classic generation to buck the trends and strike this time around courtesy of GALILEAN QUALITY, who ran such a good race when sixth in the 19-runner King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. He's been nudged up 2lb but promises to be well suited by the step up to 14f and surely has more to offer. King Of Berkshire, the other 3yo, has already had a go at this trip, being defeated at short odds, so perhaps either Anniversary, back over a more suitable trip, or Divine Knight, if he settles, can emerge as the bigger threat.
Nightime Dancer is better than he showed last time and blinkers could work one of two ways. If having a positive effect then he still looks on a decent mark on the form on May's Newmarket run, but a more solid option could be ERNST BLOFELD, who was a 12f winner at Kempton in May before running well up to a point in the Copper Horse over 14f at Royal Ascot. He holds solid claims down in trip, although there could yet be a bigger effort in Nesthorn and Green Cape, both of whom were making their British debut at Royal Ascot.
There's surely more to come from Celestra now she's got get head in front at Yarmouth, and her open handicap mark looks reasonable, but the standard is set by Sandringham third ROSA INGLESA. An improver since stepping up to 1m, she's been nudged up just 1lb and is taken to confirm form with Blingy's Sister, who was only one place behind at Ascot and is weighted to again be bang there. If there's an unexposed one then it's Hot And Cold, who made a winning return/handicap debut at Salisbury and is from a top handicap yard.
An ultra-competitive handicap to finish, a good run from Northcliff wouldn't surprise with the step back up to 7f likely to suit, while 13yo former C&D winner Documenting returned to form at Newbury last time and could easily have a say. It's CANCAN IN THE RAIN who is the selection, though, after he returned with a good fourth at Yarmouth on reappearance. The fact he filled the same position in a similar race over C&D last October bodes well for his chance and his mark remains competitive. Another to consider is Havana Blue, who although without a win in two years nearly, finds himself on a decent mark and has conditions in his favour.
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