Good morning and welcome to day one of Royal Ascot. Plenty to look forward to on and off the track – that’s the beauty of the meeting plenty happening, not just out on the manicured turf. One thing you won’t need to worry about is the weather. It’s set to be dry and sunny and getting warmer all week too.

The official going for day one ois: Good to Firm, Good in places.

The GoingStick readings at 8.30am suggest the clerk of the course Chris Stickels has played a blinder already with no advantage on any part of the straight track:

Stands’ side: 8.6
Centre: 8.6
Far side: 8.6
Round: 7.6

Hello and welcome to Ascot on day one of the Royal meeting 2026. The World Cup may be sucking a lot of the oxygen from the sporting atmosphere at the moment, but there’s an alternative global sporting highlight to enjoy right here in the UK – and there’s no need to take out a second mortgage or run the gauntlet of US immigration.

Many of the finest racehorses on the planet will be racing in Berkshire this week, including fancied runners from Australia, Japan and the United States, and we are set-fair weatherwise for a memorable five days, too. The Arc winner, Daryz, is here on Wednesday, there are several fancied runners in the royal colours sprinkled across the first four days – including a favourite later on today’s card.

The feature event on day one – the only afternoon of the five which has three Group One races on the schedule – is the St James’s Palace Stakes at 4.20, when the 2,000 Guineas winner, Bow Echo, will put his unbeaten record on the line against Gstaad, the 2,000 Guineas winner in Ireland, and a fascinating up-and-comer in Talk of New York.

But the opening Queen Anne Stakes is a cracker too, with half a dozen runners at 12-1 or shorter, and no fewer than 26 sprinters will line up for the King Charles III Stakes over five furlongs at 3.40. Add in the Coventry Stakes at 3.05 – which was won by Gstaad 12 months ago – and the Ascot Stakes at 5.00, where Reaching High, in the royal colours, will bid to atone for a luckless run last year, and there is something for everyone.

The official going ahead of today’s card is good-to-firm, good in places, and a warm, dry day is in prospect. Picks for the opening afternoon are here, the Ascot Gavotte from My Fair Lady is here to get you in the mood, and the blog will, of course, also be here throughout the afternoon as all the action unfolds.