Royal Ascot 2026: day two horse racing updates – live

Published 17 June 2026 · india

16m ago 15.52 BST 4.20 PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES betting Ombudsman - 5/4 Daryz - 2/1 Almaqam - 6/1 Minnie Hauk - 7/1 See The

16m ago 15.52 BST 4.20 PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES betting Ombudsman - 5/4 Daryz - 2/1 Almaqam - 6/1 Minnie Hauk - 7/1 See The Fire - 14/1 Dancing Gemini - 33/1 Mississippi River - 100/1 Devils Advocate - 100/1 Betting via Oddschecker Share 17m ago 15.51 BST Greg Wood 4.20 PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES preview The betting suggests that Wednesday’s feature is a head-to-head between Daryz, last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, and Ombudsman, last year’s winner of this race and a dual winner at the highest level since, at York in August 2025 (with Daryz sixth and last) and then at Meydan in March. In true Royal Ascot style, though, it is more of a head-to-head-plus, as Minnie Hauk, a dual Classic winner and the Arc runner-up in 2025, and the improving five-year-old Almaqam could both have a big say in the proceedings. The tale of the tape has Daryz, successful in two Group Ones already this year in April and May, 2lb in front of Ombudsman on Timeform ratings, while they are tied three-all in terms of victories at the highest level ahead of their second meeting on the track. Ombudsman’s track form may tip the balance for some punters, and he is very much a 10-furlong specialist while Daryz’s famous success at Longchamp in October came at a mile-and-a-half. Francis-Henri Graffard’s runner found a very sharp turn of foot to score over an extended nine furlongs at Longchamp last time, however, and the stiff uphill finish will not go amiss, either. Minnie Hauk needs little introduction after winning the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks before her close second behind Daryz at Longchamp, and her run into fifth behind Almaqam at the Curragh last time is forgiveable as she was found to be slightly lame after the race. Almaqam was the first horse to beat Ombudsman, in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May 2025, and while Ed Walker, his trainer, insists that the five-year-old needs some cut in the ground to show his best form, it was officially good-to-firm when he broke through at Group One level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month. Bay City Roller, the runner-up there, ran away with the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby day, and while the rain-softened ground was a significant factor in his win, Almaqam is not lightly dismissed. Timeform top-rated: Daryz SELECTION: DARYZ Share 21m ago 15.48 BST 3.40 DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES result 1 Blue Bolt (Colin Keane) 5-2 Fav 2 Jancis (S M Levey) 16-1 3 Friendly Soul (Oisin Murphy) 7-2 Share 24m ago 15.45 BST 3.40 DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES And they’re off … She’s Perfect has the lead in the early stages … Falakeyah had a slow start … Carolina Jetsream joins the leadert and they turn for home … Blue Bolt comes through with a strong run and wins the race! Share Updated at 15.45 BST 34m ago 15.34 BST O’Brien opens up on ‘team tactics’ controversy Aidan O’Brien has spoken about the controverisal bans received by Christophe Soumillon and Ryan Moore in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes. Moore, Gstaad’s jockey, pick up a three-day suspension from the stewards for “careless riding for allowing his mount to edge left-handed without correction” in the race while Soumillon on Gstaad’s front-running stable companion, Puerto Rico, moved left at the top of the straight to allow the second-favourite a clear run up the rail. While it did not affect the result, the manoeuvre did not impress the stewards and the rider picked up an eight-day suspension for “riding his mount in such a way that intended to give an advantage to another horse from the same stable”. O’Brien told the Racing Post: “The stewards are the ones that make the decision. Rules are rules, the stewards have their job to do and that’s the way it is. “I thought both horses would be very forward and I thought one could be leading. I thought Christophe might be leading because his horse won making the running twice last year in a Group One and that’s why Christophe was on him. I thought he would lead and I thought Ryan would be sitting second. That’s the way I read it. “I don’t know what happened. I saw it like everyone else.” In answer to the question ‘does he disagree with the assertion that team tactics were used’? O’Brien said: “There’s no doubt about that. I always say when we put horses in a race, they’re in there for one thing. It’s to make sure there’s an even pace for everybody. That’s the only reason.” View image in fullscreen Aidan O'Brien, centre, pictured at Royal Ascot this week. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock Share 55m ago 15.14 BST 3.40 DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES betting Blue Bolt - 3/1 Friendly Soul - 6/1 Catalina Delcaprio - 6/1 Cathedral - 6/1 Godspeed - 8/1 Jancis - 11/1 Kon Tiki - 12/1 Falakeyah - 16/1 BAR 16/1 Betting via Oddschecker Share 1h ago 15.13 BST Greg Wood 3.40 DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES preview A race that was run on the straight mile until 2024, and with 15 runners, the second-largest field in its 22-year history, due to go to post, it might make for a fairer race if it were back on its original turf. The round mile it is, though, and that may well favour pacier, low-drawn horses that can sit handy while the runners from outside stalls get in each other’s way. Blue Bolt raced close to the pace when second in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last October, but she has also been drawn a little higher than ideal in 10, while Friendly Soul and Catalina Delcarpio, the next two fillies in the betting, have fared better in five and four respectively. Friendly Soul arrives with a “P” against her name, having been the luckless runner that found a hole in the Haydock turf during a race there on 23 May, and she will be a big runner if she is back to her Group One-winning form – albeit over an extra two furlongs – in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp in October. The lightly-raced Catalina Delcarpio too deserves close inspection, as she arrives with just five races in the book and was sent off favourite for the 12-furlong Ribblesdale here last summer. She finished third without quite seeing out the trip and has already shown improvement back at a mile this spring. Jancis and Cathedral deserve to be factored in too on their 1-2 in the Dahlia Stakes in May, although Jancis let the form down slightly when only fifth in a Group Two at the Curragh next time up. Timeform top-rated: Cathedral SELECTION: CATALINA DELCARPIO Share 1h ago 15.11 BST 3.05 QUEEN’S VASE result 1 Limestone (Dylan Browne McMonagle) 10-3 2 Del Maro (W Buick) 12-1 3 Ranga Tang (Cieren Fallon) 40-1 Share Updated at 15.56 BST 1h ago 15.06 BST 3.05 QUEEN’S VASE And they’re off … Mr Colonel was slowly away … Ravenspire leads from Limestone in the early stages of the race … Ranga Tang has taken it up but is pulling very hard and is well clear though she’s surely going to tire herself out very fast … they turn for home and Galiyan makes a move. … Ranga Tang still leads but the others are coming … including Limestone and Del Maro have gone past the post together. Photo finish! LIMESTONE gets the verdict! And that’s naother for son of Aidan, Mr Joseph O’Brien. View image in fullscreen Dylan Browne McMonagle rides Limestone (pink cap) to victory in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse Share Updated at 15.17 BST 1h ago 15.04 BST Victorious victorious again for O’Brien Victorious lived up to her name when maintaining her unbeaten record in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, the first race on the Wednesday card.