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Royal Ascot 2022 guide: When is it, times, big races, top horses, trainers, jockeys and more

Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot is the biggest Flat race meeting in the world, attracting the best horses, runners and of course, royalty. Planet Sport's Jonathan Doidge has all you need to know about the famous event.

Royal Ascot is a huge five day festival of racing starting on Tuesday, June 14 and ending on Saturday June 18. It crams in eight Group 1 races across the week, and there's hardly time to take a breath.

Royal Ascot is as much a social occasion as it is a wonderful racing occasion and each day at 2pm, half an hour before the opening race, the Queen and other members of the royal party make their way down the racecourse to the strains of the national anthem, in horse-drawn carriages.
Her Majesty is yet to confirm her attendance for the 2022 meeting. She has only missed two Royal Ascots since ascending to the throne. The no spectator Covid-19 year of 2020, and a few days of the 2021 event.

When was Royal Ascot first staged?

The roots of the Royal meeting were established in 1768, when the first four-day meeting was held at the track. Things progressed when, in 1807, the first Gold Cup was contested and Royal Ascot was born.
In those days and up until 1939, Royal Ascot was the only meeting staged on the track each year.
In 2005, due to the redevelopment of the racecourse, Royal Ascot was run at York. That is the only time it has been staged at any other venue.

When is Ladies Day at Royal Ascot?

Ladies Day is day three, the Thursday of Royal Ascot, each year and when the centrepiece of the whole meeting, the Gold Cup takes place.

This is a day of high fashion and elegance, as well as the great Group 1 race, contested by the best stayers the world of Flat racing has to offer.

What are the big races at Royal Ascot?

Aside from the main feature Gold Cup, on Thursday June 16, there are seven other Group 1 races across the five days. Here are the details:

Tuesday, June 14:

14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (1m)
15:40 King's Stand Stakes (5f)
16:20 St James's Palace Stakes (1m)

Wednesday, June 15:

15:40 Prince of Wales's Stakes (1m2f)

Thursday, June 16:

16:15 Gold Cup (2m3f)

Friday, June 17:

15:05 Commonwealth Cup (6f)
16:20 Coronation Stakes (1m)

Saturday, June 18:

16:20 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (6f)

Top horses at Royal Ascot

Here's a look at some of the leading contenders for Royal Ascot 2022:

Baaeed - Queen Anne Stakes (Tuesday, June 14)

Winner of Group 1s the Prix du Moulin and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the latter at Ascot, last season and destroyed his field in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month. A world class thoroughbred over a mile.

Golden Pal - King's Stand Stakes (Tuesday, June 14)

A four-year-old trained by the legendary American Wesley Ward, who has already enjoyed numerous successful raids on Royal Ascot.

Golden Pal was won six of his nine starts, although he has come up short in his two British raids. He was second in last year's Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at this meeting and was then seventh of 14 in York's Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes last August. Went on to win last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and is brilliant on his day.

Nature Strip - King's Stand Stakes (Tuesday, June 14)

Trained in Australia by Chris Waller, who handled the wonderful Winx, so he knows a thing or two about great horses.

Waller describes Nature Strip as a 'freak'. Now an eight-year-old and gelded, he has an incredible record Down Under and if Waller is sending him halfway across the world, you know he's going to be a serious contender.

Coroebus - St James's Palace Stakes (Tuesday, June 14)

Beaten just once, in last year's Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket in September, he has won his other three starts, most notably when landing the season's first Classic, the 2,000 Guineas last time out at Newmarket.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, this Dubawi colt is clearly still improving and he will take some pegging back on the round mile at Royal Ascot.

My Prospectus - St James's Palace Stakes (Tuesday, June 14)

Trained by Yorkshireman William Haggas in Newmarket, this son of Iffraaj was probably beaten by the soft ground on his debut last October.

That theory was reinforced when he won a good ground Newbury maiden a shade cosily in April and then added the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown to his CV last month.
He'll need a significant step up on that to win at this level but his trainer would be highly unlikely to run him if he didn't think he could make the grade.

Bay Bridge - Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Wednesday, June 15)

Has won 5-7 so far. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he is progressive and was last seen winning the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park on May 26. He did that impressively, by five lengths and looks a serious player at the royal meeting.

Shahryar - Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Wednesday, June 15)

Winner of Japan's Dubai Sheema Classic, Shahryar is trained by Hideaki Fujiwara in Japan. The four-year-old son of Deep Impact has won four of his seven races and was also third in last year's Japan Cup, which carries huge prize money.
He acts on good ground and should be a contender if taking his chance at Royal Ascot.

Kyprios - Gold Cup (Thursday, June 16)

This Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old has won 4-6 so far. He is unbeaten in 2022, having begun the campaign with a win in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan in April, before winning the Group 3 Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown last month, at odds of 1/10.

Improving all the time and a big player in the Gold Cup, as the step up to an extreme distance looks likely to suit him.

Trueshan - Gold Cup (Thursday, June 16)

A classy stayer, he has won 10 of his 16 races and is handled by leading dual purpose trainer Alan King.
Enjoyed a stellar 2021 campaign with Group 1 wins in the Prix du Cadran and the Goodwood Cup before winding up his season with an Ascot win in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup.

Picked up where he'd left off with a comfortable 3 length success in the Listed Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes and should be spot on for his first tilt at Gold Cup glory.

Stradivarius - Gold Cup (Thursday, June 16)

The best stayer of his generation, the son of Sea The Stars has enjoyed an incredible run of success, winning three Gold Cups (2018, 2019, 2020) four Goodwood Cups, three Yorkshire Cups, plus numerous other top races.

He was the Cartier Champion Stayer in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and is undoubtedly one of the greats of all time of long distances.

Although he didn't manage to win a fourth Gold Cup in 2021, he will be primed and ready for the big day once again.

Mangoustine - Coronation Stakes (Friday, June 17)

French filly from Mikel Delzangles could be underrated due to plying her trade over the Channel.
Yet she beat 1000 Guineas winner Cachet in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp, keeping on well to see off George Boughey's much heralded charge.
Cachet is far more fancied in the betting but punters could be better served taking a bite of the talented and consistent Mangoustine.
Home Affairs - Platinum Jubilee Stakes (Saturday, June 18)
It's unlikely that Aussie handler Chris Waller will return to the Southern Hemisphere empty handed and Home Affairs offers a great chance of Royal Ascot glory.
The Coolmore colt has a bright future at stud and some Ascot black type will do wonders for the breeding value of the three-year-old.
Stablemate Nature Strip has been heavily hyped Down Under but Home Affairs had his number in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington in February.

Read more: Five overseas raider tips for Royal Ascot

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