Queen Anne Stakes Details
Race: Queen Anne Stakes
Venue: Royal Ascot
Date: Tuesday, June 16
Time: 16:20
Distance: 1 Mile
Prize Money: £750,000
Status: Group 1
The Queen Anne Stakes opens Royal Ascot and is named after Queen Anne, the monarch who established Ascot Racecourse in 1711. Latest prices can be found here.
Godolphin Looking To Make A Statement
Owners Godolphin may have faced criticism for not fielding runners in either the Oaks or the Derby, but they have a strong chance to silence those critics in the opening race of Royal Ascot.
The operation has been represented in eight of the last ten runnings of the Queen Anne Stakes, finishing second on three occasions and winning once with Ribchester, trained by Richard Fahey, in 2017.
This year, Godolphin rely on Notable Speech (7/4 Fav) and Opera Ballo (7/2), with retained jockey William Buick partnering the former and Billy Loughnane aboard the latter.
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Notable Speech Sets The Standard
Notable Speech finished fourth in last year’s Queen Anne Stakes, beaten just over two lengths.
The winner that day, Docklands, was rated 114, while runner-up Rosallion carried a rating of 122 — the same mark as Notable Speech at the time. The Godolphin star is now rated 125.
While he failed to produce his very best form at Royal Ascot last year, his overall record marks him out as the class act in the field.
His major victories include:
- 2024 English 2,000 Guineas
- Sussex Stakes
- Woodbine Mile (Grade 1)
- Breeders’ Cup Mile (Grade 1)
- 2026 Lockinge Stakes (Group 1)
Following a six-race winless spell last season, he bounced back impressively with victories in the Woodbine Mile and Breeders’ Cup Mile before making a winning seasonal return in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 16.
Critics may point to the fact he is 0-2 at Royal Ascot, but he is now older, stronger and more experienced. With five Group or Grade 1 victories to his name, he remains the horse to beat.
Opera Ballo Remains Open To Improvement
Stablemate Opera Ballo has won four of his five career starts and arrives here following victory in the Group 2 Sandown Mile on April 24.
Still lightly raced, he remains open to significant improvement and is rated 125, matching Notable Speech on official figures.
Main Rivals To Notable Speech
More Thunder (121) (7/2)
More Thunder produced a career-best effort when finishing a two-length second to Notable Speech in the Lockinge Stakes.
The William Haggas-trained runner continues to improve and looks capable of making another step forward.
Interestingly, he finished second in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot last year off a mark of just 98 over six furlongs.
Former trainer Sir Michael Stoute campaigned him over middle distances as a three-year-old, but Haggas has found improvement by dropping him back to sprint distances before stretching him back out to a mile.
Docklands (118) (7/1)
Last year’s winner collected over £260,000 when finishing third in a Group 1 contest in Hong Kong in April.
However, he has not quite reached the same level of form since his Royal Ascot success.
That said, Ascot clearly brings out the best in him. Prior to finishing fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last October, he had finished in the first three on all eight previous visits to the track, winning three times.
Damysus (119) (14/1)
Damysus finished sixth in the Lockinge Stakes, beaten 6.25 lengths by Notable Speech.
He will need to find considerable improvement if he is to reverse that form.
Zeus Olympios (120) (9/1)
Third in the Lockinge Stakes, Zeus Olympios was beaten 2.75 lengths by Notable Speech and appears to have a more realistic chance of challenging for the places.
Cicero’s Gift (118) (40/1)
Cicero’s Gift finished seventh at Newbury and has work to do based on both his Lockinge Stakes effort and previous form behind Opera Ballo in the Sandown Mile.
The Rest Of The Field
Ten Bob Tony (112) (66/1)
Won the Group 3 Tattenham Corner Stakes at Epsom on June 6 and arrives in good form, although this represents a major rise in class.
First Conquest (111) (50/1)
The third Godolphin runner and another representative of Charlie Appleby, First Conquest won a Group 3 contest at Meydan in January and will be ridden by Ryan Moore.
Queen Anne Stakes 2026 Prediction
All things considered, this looks an excellent opportunity for Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick to make the perfect start to Royal Ascot.
Notable Speech brings the strongest Group 1 form into the race, arrives off a Lockinge Stakes victory and still appears capable of improving further as a four-year-old.
Selection: Notable Speech (7/4)
Royal Ascot 2026 FAQs
When does Royal Ascot 2026 start?
Royal Ascot 2026 gets underway on Tuesday, June 16.
How long does Royal Ascot last?
Royal Ascot is a five-day festival featuring 35 races, with seven races taking place on each day of the meeting.
Where is Royal Ascot held?
Royal Ascot takes place at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England. The racecourse is located around 25 miles west of London and is regarded as one of the most prestigious venues in world horse racing.
What time does racing start at Royal Ascot?
The first race is scheduled for 2:30pm each day, with the Royal Procession taking place beforehand at approximately 2pm. The final race is generally due off at 6:10pm.
How can I watch Royal Ascot 2026?
Royal Ascot will be broadcast live on ITV throughout the week, while Sky Sports Racing will also show every race live. Coverage on ITV typically begins from around 1:30pm each afternoon. You can also stream every race live on the BAR 1 Betting website & app.
What are the biggest races at Royal Ascot?
Some of the most prestigious races at Royal Ascot include the Queen Anne Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Coronation Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
How much prize money is on offer at Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot remains one of the richest meetings in British racing, with millions of pounds in prize money on offer across the five days, including several Group 1 contests worth £1 million or more.
Who is the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history?
Aidan O’Brien is the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history and regularly dominates the meeting with a powerful team from Ballydoyle. His record-breaking tally of 96 winners means he could become the first to train 100 winners at the meeting.
