Royal Ascot 2020 Guide: History, info and race schedule

Royal Ascot Course

Ascot’s course is a right-handed triangle, just over 1m 6f round, with a 2 ½ furlong. It can pose a real test for any horse, with the highest point on the galloping course coming just past the post. That means that there is an uphill climb almost the entire length of the straight.

The round course sees its lowest point at the Old Mile start, which can offer respite ahead of the straight in longer races. On the other hand, the bend into the home straight is very tight for round-course races, which can cause congestion.

Royal Ascot Schedule

Tuesday 16th June: Royal Ascot Day 1

With no royal procession or any crowds, this is going to be a very different opening day. But there are still seven races to enjoy, starting with the Buckingham Palace Handicap. Having been cut when the Commonwealth Cup was introduced in 2015, it now opens the meeting.

Day 1 also features five Group contests in a row – the Queen Anne Stakes, Ribblesdale Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes and the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

As exciting as that line-up is, particularly the potential showdown between King Of Change, Circus Maximus and Benbatl in the Queen Anne, the King’s Stand Stakes looks set to be the highlight of the day.

Having finished as runner-up in 2018 and 2019, Battaash will hope to take first this time around, but he faces challenges from the likes of Hello Youmzain and last season’s Prix de l’Abbaye winner Glass Slippers.

Ascot 13:15 – Buckingham Palace Handicap

Ascot 13:50 – The Queen Anne Stakes

Ascot 14:25 – The Ribblesdale Stakes

Ascot 15:00 – The King Edward VII Stakes

Ascot 15:35 – The King’s Stand Stakes

Ascot 16:10 – The Duke of Cambridge Stakes

Ascot 16:40 – The Ascot Stakes

Wednesday 17th June – Royal Ascot Day 2

There are another seven races to enjoy on Day 2, including the newly-added Silver Royal Hunt Cup, for horses who didn’t qualify for the main race. However, as ever, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the most eagerly-anticipated race of the day.

Having seen Sir Michael Stoute triumph in the last two renewals, Aidan O’Brien will hope that Japan can deliver for him. Barney Roy, Ghaiyyath and Headman could also be in the mix for the 1m 2f renewal.

The aforementioned Royal Hunt Cup is the first big Handicap of the meet. It can always throw up a surprise, with last year’s winner Afaak going off at 20/1.

Ascot 13:15 – The Silver Royal Hunt Cup

Ascot 13:50 – The Hampton Court Stakes

Ascot 14:25 – The King George V Stakes

Ascot 15:00 – The Prince of Wales’s Stakes

Ascot 15:35 – The Royal Hunt Cup

Ascot 16:10 – The Windsor Castle Stakes

Ascot 16:40 – The Copper Horse Handicap 

Thursday 18th June – Royal Ascot Day 3

Ladies Day is another Ascot tradition that will be disrupted this year, though the action on the track should catch the eye.

It’s Gold Cup day, with Stradivarius looking to follow his 2018 and 2019 successes to make it three wins in a row. If he wins again, John Gosden’s star will only be one win away from Yeats’ record tally of four.

His work will be cut out for him though, with Kew Gardens looking to repeat October’s Long Distance Cup victory, and Anthony Van Dyck another credible threat.

Day Three also sees the cream of the two-year-old crop duke it out in the Chesham Stakes, with the Britannia and Sandringham Stakes a very nice way to close the card.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on Frankie Dettori. He won four races in a spectacular Ladies Day showing last year. Will he shine again?

Ascot 13:15 – The Golden Gates Handicap

Ascot 13:50 – The Wolferton Stakes

Ascot 14:25 – The Jersey Stakes

Ascot 15:00 – The Chesham Stakes

Ascot 15:35 – The Gold Cup

Ascot 16:10 – The Britannia Stakes

Ascot 16:40 – The Sandringham Stakes

Friday 19th June – Royal Ascot Day Four

The Commonwealth Cup is one of five Group contests on Day Four, with Pierre Lapin leading the market ahead of Earthlight, Golden Horde and Mums Tipple. Wesley Ward will also be representing the States with Kimari, who came second in last year’s Queen Mary.

There’ll be more talented two-year-olds in the Albany and Norfolk Stakes, while three-year-old stayers will be looking to follow the example of Stradivarius, Kew Gardens and more by winning the Queen’s Vase.

13:15 – The Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes

13:50 – The Albany Stakes

14:25 – The Norfolk Stakes

15:00 – The Hardwicke Stakes

15:35 – The Commonwealth Cup

16:10 – The Queen’s Vase

16:40 – The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes

Saturday 20th June – Royal Ascot Day 5

Royal Ascot wraps up with a bumper eight-race card on Saturday. It starts with the Silver Wokingham, for those horses who miss out on the main race at 16:10 – that’s shaping up to be one of the most closely-fought races of the week.

The St James’s Palace brings together the season’s standout three-year-old colts again, just two weeks after the 2,000 Guineas. Having lost for the first time at Newmarket, will Pinatubo get back to winning ways?

That’s followed by the Diamond Jubilee Stakes – will any horse match Blue Point’s famous double of the King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee from last year? James Doyles’ mount became the first horse to pull it off since Choisir in 2003.

Ascot 12:40 – The Silver Wokingham Handicap

Ascot 13:15 – The Queen Mary Stakes

Ascot 13:50 – The Coronation Stakes

Ascot 14:25 – The Coventry Stakes

Ascot 15:00 – The St James’s Palace Stakes

Ascot 15:35 – The Diamond Jubilee Stakes

Ascot 16:10 – The Wokingham Stakes

Ascot 16:40 – The Queen Alexandra Stakes  

View the latest Royal Ascot odds.

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication