Ranking Royal Ascot 2023 races from worst to best

35 – Does Royal Ascot feel a smidgen too long? It does by the time we get to the closing Queen Alexandra Stakes, once the longest professional Flat race in the world at 2 miles 5 furlongs and 143 yards – but now playing second fiddle in the longest stakes to the Jericho Cup in Australia. Dawn Rising won it this year, a sixth winner of the week for Ryan Moore, and we’re done. Phew.

34 – I have to admit I’m a bit of a sucker for jeopardy. Give me Chester, give me Goodwood, pump it into my veins. But when it comes to Royal Ascot, you want to see the best of the best and a mile handicap on the round course with 20 runners is just asking for trouble – and we got it in the Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap, didn’t we Jim? And Trevor? And Ryan?! It seems any jockey can find trouble in this scenario. Not Colin Keane on the day aboard Villanova Queen, but with so many meeting interference the KP comes in at a lowly 34.

33 – The Golden Gates Handicap featured the last ever Frankie Dettori ride at Royal Ascot, but there was to be no fairytale ending. His ride, Knockbrex, was eventually taken on for the lead and he faded quickly, with Burdett Road coming through under Neil Callan to win the races for Michael Bell, in a contest marred by Canute appearing to go wrong. Thumbs down all round.

32 – Big field two-year-old races at Royal Ascot can be dizzying events for the intrepid punter and the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, the poor cousin to the superior Norfolk, can quickly become a tough watch for most that are financially involved. Well done to anyone who found Mick Appleby’s 20/1 winner Big Evs this year, at least the Norfolk must’ve been easier to crack, eh?!

31 – Another of the long-distance races makes the bottom five, I’m afraid. There just seems to be one too many of the genre and the Ascot Stakes has become a bit of a National Hunt trainers’ benefit. Nicky Henderson won it this year with Ahorsewithnoname, which sort of says everything, but at least this was a nice story with the admirable mare, who is in foal to Cracksman, now retired following the seventh success of her dual-purpose career.

30 – Hands up if you preferred the Wolferton Stakes when it was a handicap? Me too, and this year’s race was a bit rough and ready after several of the horses were hampered at the first bend. It can be a launchpad to better races (see Addeybb), though, and Roger Varian’s Royal Champion has always had the look of a horse who might go onto bigger and better things at some stage. He’s five, so his time is probably now, and it will be interesting to see what’s next for him after this career best.

29 – A Group 2 mile race for older fillies would be the star attraction of many a Saturday card, but the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes feels like a bit of a filler at Royal Ascot, a barely heard album track. Unloved, bar a select core of aficionados. Rogue Millennium won it this year, dropping back to a mile for the first time in her 10-race career. She has got the gears.

28 – Is it irrational to say I preferred the Jersey Stakes when it had the Wednesday opener slot? Of course it is, but it’s true. Age Of Kings won this year’s renewal for Aidan O’Brien at 22/1, further boosting the Irish 2,000 Guineas form, but its position after the Chesham (over the same course and distance) on Saturday felt a bit seven-furlong Ascot overkill.

27 – Remember this one for pub quizzes in the future, kids. What was Frankie Dettori’s final ever Royal Ascot winner? The answer is Coppice, in the Sandringham Stakes, and the mercurial jockey’s talents were hardly required here, a mark of 97 seriously underestimating the talents of the Nell Gwyn favourite on her first go in a handicap, 6/1 favouritism always looking likely to be justified fairly early in proceedings.

26 – Hollie Doyle’s Royal Ascot sprint handicap double (see the Wokingham, later, for leg two) was sparked by Rhythm N Hooves in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes. Another of the newer races, this five-furlong sprint handicap for three-year-olds offers a different puzzle for punters, but it hasn’t quite established itself well enough yet for a top 25 slot.

25 – There was a time when the Chesham Stakes would’ve automatically been a bottom five race, but opening it up to horses whose dam won over 1m2f or further as well has improved the quality of the race no end. Churchill and Pinatubo used this contest as a stepping stone to greater things in recent years and this year’s winner Snellen looks a filly going places, Gavin Cromwell’s daughter of Expert Eye quoted at 25/1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas on the back of her narrow success over Aidan O’Brien’s favourite, Pearls And Rubies.

24 – The Group 3 Albany Stakes is often a launchpad to Group 1s for its winners with Brave Anna and Meditate both striking at the top level after taking this race for Aidan O’Brien in recent years. This time around it was one of Aidan’s sons, Donnacha, who secured the prize with Porta Fortuna, a daughter of Caravaggio who already has a couple of Group 1 entries in the Phoenix and the Moyglare. Both trainer and filly look to have inherited a good bit of the old sparkle from their fathers.

23 – Not wanting to be outdone by his younger brother, Joseph O’Brien got on the scoresheet two races after Porta Fortuna thanks to Okita Soushi in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes. Another one for Galileo, the five-year-old was primed to perfection a year on from his third in the Copper Horse Handicap, denying the gallant HMS President in a frantic and typical Royal Ascot finish.

22 – Jamie Spencer’s straight course masterpiece came on the final day of the meeting and that made the top five, but Witch Hunter’s 50/1 victory in the Buckingham Palace Stakes wasn’t half bad, either. A terrific effort from near the top of the weights from a mark of 103, Spencer waited and pounced, as he does, collecting his chips at the expense of Croupier.

21 – Another jockey with a good bit of previous on the Ascot straight track is Hayley Turner and she gave Docklands a peach of a ride in the hectic-as-ever Britannia Stakes. She timed her challenge to perfection aboard Harry Eustace’s son of Massaat, just getting there by half a length from New Endeavour across the track on the far side despite pulling six lengths clear of the stands’ side group. Nice work, from horse and jockey.

20 – The Coventry Stakes has a rich history of discovering future stars and Aidan O’Brien has been responsible for many of those – think Henrythenavigator and Caravaggio. His River Tiber landed the spoils this time around, securing O’Brien a 10th victory in the race, and this son of Wootton Bassett looks to have a very rosy future indeed. Already shaping like he needs seven, he screams the Dewhurst route to the 2000 Guineas.

19 – Right then, Derby form boosts time. Firstly we had Waipiro in the Hampton Court Stakes on Thursday, Ed Walker’s son of Australia coping admirably with the drop in trip to 10 furlongs as he ran away from Exoplanet by two and a quarter lengths. This opens up options for him and it was an impressive display just 19 days on from Epsom.

18 – A day later, 20 days on from Epsom, King Of Steel further boosted the Derby form with his own authoritative victory in the King Edward VII Stakes, the traditional ‘Royal Ascot Derby’ over 1m4f. The giant son of Wootton Bassett, having just his fourth start, proved he could also back up quickly with a terrific display and the next step for him is to try and tackle Group 1 company again, the Grand Prix de Paris nominated as a possible next target for him.

17 – Archie Watson didn’t have Saint Lawrence long – he ran for Roger Varian on May 6 – but he worked his magic with the son of Al Kazeem to land the Wokingham Stakes on the horse’s stable debut. One of the spectacles of the week as 28 sprinters tear down the straight track, Saint Lawrence challenged centrally after being drawn on the stands’ side in 30, Hollie Doyle weaving her way through nicely with the blinkers reapplied. Nice trainer switcheroo.

16 – Ah, the Norfolk Stakes. Quality two-year-olds, smaller field than that dastardly Windsor Castle. This should be easier. 59.75 seconds later… 150/1 chance Valiant Force beats 66/1 shot Malc – a straight forecast that paid 3,500/1. Yep, Royal Ascot 2023 was tough and this was the hardest result to find of the lot.

15 – The easiest success of the week goes to Vauban in the Copper Horse Handicap. The Champion Hurdle fourth always looked an exciting prospect for the Flat and he made a mockery of a mark of 101 in this 1m6f handicap, bolting clear by over seven lengths under Ryan Moore. It seems a while since we had a really good dual-purpose horse to cheer on, but he could be it, the Sky Bet Ebor and perhaps even Group races likely to be on his agenda before he goes back hurdling.

14 – One of the great things about Royal Ascot is the international challenge and in the Queen Mary Stakes we had an American winner, Crimson Advocate, for George Weaver and Johnny Velazquez, a filly by Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist. She might’ve been a tad fortunate to win this on the bob from the fast-finishing Relief Rally, but she showed plenty of purpose and would be a fascinating runner if kept in Europe for the Nunthorpe.

13 – What a great training performance from William Muir & Chris Grassick with Pyledriver in the Hardwicke Stakes. This was meant to be a grand farewell to Royal Ascot from Frankie Dettori on Free Wind, but Pyledriver, off 336 days since his King George win last July, had other ideas. Yes, he was a bit wayward in the closing stages, but there’s no doubt he was the best horse in this race and he shouldn’t be underestimated when he’s back here in a month’s time trying to retain his King George title.

12 – Usually a shoo-in for the top 10, this year’s King’s Stand Stakes was a little underwhelming. The international runners all bombed out, unusually for this race, while the winner, Bradsell, caused interference with the runner-up, Highfield Princess, who looked a little unlucky.

11 – Another race that has benefitted for a little tweak is the Queen’s Vase. Formerly run over two miles, this has become a much more significant pointer to the St Leger since it was reduced to 1m6f in 2017, Stradivarius winning the first renewal over the new distance, while Kew Gardens and Eldar Eldarov have subsequently done the Queen’s Vase – Leger double. Gregory, Frankie Dettori’s first winner of the week, could go for the Doncaster Classic on the back of a Queen’s Vase victory this year, while runner-up Saint George could be pointed at the Leger, too.

10 – The Coronation Stakes sneaks into the top 10 by virtue of the winner, Tahiyra, who now adds versatility to her burgeoning list of traits. She’s done it on soft ground, she’s done it on straight tracks and now she’s done it going round a bend with the ground riding quick. Yes, her 8/13 starting price suggests she only did what was expected of her, and she probably didn’t need to be at her best with no Mawj in the field, but this uncomplicated and talented filly is racking up an impressive C.V and you can’t help but think there is still plenty more to come.

9 – The traditional curtain raiser that is the Queen Anne Stakes can be forgotten about given its slot and especially in a year where the older milers look far from an outstanding bunch. However, Triple Time came of age in this year’s contest, fulfilling all of his potential on his seventh career start, denying Frankie and Inspiral in the process. It was the first of three Royal Ascot wins for Frankel this year, too, all of them coming in the Group 1s (see Mostahdaf and Courage Mon Ami, below).

8 – Talking of super sires, this was a 10th successive Royal Ascot where Frankel’s dad Galileo was responsible for a winner and he’s got 35 meeting successes now, Warm Heart the 33rd in the Ribblesdale where she took another giant leap forward for master trainer Aidan O’Brien. A bit of a slow burner, she looks a very obvious candidate for the Irish Oaks now she’s proven over the 1m4f trip, something that wasn’t a given seeing as she’s out of a (Group 1-winning) sprinting mare.

7 – Royal Ascot wouldn’t be Royal Ascot without the Royal family, would it? No, exactly, so let’s hope King Charles enjoyed himself over the five days, particularly Desert Hero’s last-gasp win in his colours in the King George V Stakes. He certainly looked like he enjoyed it, anyway:

6 – Absolute chaos in the Royal Hunt Cup, as always, as they split into three groups at one stage before the centre pair tacked over to the far side. 30 runners, pounding down the straight course, it’s symbolic of Royal Ascot and the Hunt Cup remains the best of all the straight course handicaps. It was some effort, then, for Ralph Beckett and Chelsea Thoroughbreds to have the one-two thanks to Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Liston, wide apart on the track, the former having burst clear under Rossa Ryan on the far side. Well played, Ralph.

5 – It was billed as the race of the week and even with no Desert Crown the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes didn’t disappoint, certainly not in the way that it threw up a deeply impressive winner in Mostahdaf who bounded clear for an emphatic four-length success. Luxembourg and Adayar looked below their best, which explains why the race doesn’t rank higher, and it will be interesting to see if the winner can back this up in the Juddmonte International at York in August.

4 – If Witch Hunter was good, what about Spencer on Khaadem in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes?! Much is made of Spencer’s prowess on the straight course at Ascot, his patience a virtue while other jockeys lose their heads, but to win this Group 1 on Khaadem, a horse who had last won over six furlongs in the Stewards’ Cup four years ago, was nothing short of genius.

3 – The best modern addition to Royal Ascot, the Commonwealth Cup. No longer do the three-year-old sprinters try and stretch out to the seven furlongs of the Jersey Stakes, they come here, and the meeting and the sprinting programme is all the better for it. It probably wasn’t a vintage renewal, but we probably saw a vintage winner in Shaquille who put in a remarkable performance to overhaul Little Big Bear and Swingalong after completely fluffing the start. Top hats tipped to the horse and his trainer, Julie Camacho.

2 – The silver medal goes to the St James’s Palace Stakes. Here we had a proper Royal Ascot head-to-head, stuff the meeting was made for. The English Guineas winner, Chaldean, against the Irish Guineas winner, Paddington, a real clash and one where we’d find out if the three-year-olds could unearth an exciting miler between them. Chaldean ran well in second, but he couldn’t lay a glove on the perfect Paddington who powered clear thanks to a real ‘look at me’ performance. By Siyouni out of a Montjeu mare, he’s begging to go 10 furlongs, even if he does look very much at ease over a mile. The most exciting SJP winner since Kingman? Quite possibly.

1 – Oh Frankie. My word. He had to didn’t he? On his final Gold Cup ride, the irrepressible Italian wins his ninth renewal of the race on four-year-old freshman Courage Mon Ami, an inexperienced son of Frankel having just his fourth racecourse start. With the pressure off Frankie rode him cold and the gaps came for him, like it was the closing scene of a feature film. Of course they did. We’ll miss this magic, but Frankie’s final Gold Cup will be the race this year’s Royal Ascot is remembered for.

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