King Charles III Stakes Tips 2026 – Royal Ascot
The King Charles III Stakes is a 5f Group 1 available for horses aged 3yo or older. The race is often considered one of the most competitive sprint events on the calendar. Having regained Group 1 status in 2008, the King Charles III is now one of two Group 1 sprints for older horses at Royal Ascot 2026, along with the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, run on the final day of the meeting.
King Charles III Stakes Tips 2026
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King Charles III Stakes Racecard & Odds
King Charles III Stakes Notable Trends
Goldream caused a shock when landing the King Charles III (then the King’s Stand) for Robert Cowell at odds of 20/1 in 2015, but eight of the other nine winners in the last ten renewals were all sent off at odds of 6/1 or shorter. Only Bradsell in 2023 went off higher, winning at 14/1 for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle.
3yos really dominated in the King Charles III in the 70s and 80s but there has been a real shift in power recently, likely in part due to the creation of the 6f Commonwealth Cup, with just two 3yos landing the King Charles III in the last decade.
All of the last ten winners had an official rating of at least 111 heading into the contest. 9 of the last 10 King Charles III winners had run at least once that season, and the exception was Battaash (2020) who won in a Covid-interrupted race schedule.
8 of the last 10 King Charles III winners had at least 12 previous flat runs, the exceptions being Lady Aurelia (2017) and Bradsell (2023), the two three-year-olds. 9 of the last 10 King Charles III winners had gained a victory in a Group race of some description previously, whilst six of those had already won a Group 1 race. American Affair was the exception in 2025.
King Charles III Stakes History
The King Charles III Stakes was created, by accident, in 1860. The Royal Stand Plate was expected to be run over 2m, but a waterlogged track resulted in the race being shortened to 5f to accommodate for the only raceable part of the track. Having initially held Group 1 status, the King Charles III Stakes was demoted to a Group 2 for 20 years, before being reinstated as a Group 1 contest in 2008.
There have been no less than 12 horses to have won the King Charles III twice, with Blue Point (2018, 2019) the last horse to complete the feat, but no horse has yet managed to land three renewals of the race.
Lester Piggott’s seven King Charles III wins make him the most successful jockey in the history of the race. Three of those victories came for trainer Vincent O’Brien, whose five victories make him the most successful trainer in the history of the King Charles III.
King Charles III Stakes Past Winners
| YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | American Affair | Paul Mulrennan | Jim Goldie |
| 2024 | Asfoora | Oisin Murphy | Henry Dwyer |
| 2023 | Bradsell | Hollie Doyle | Archie Watson |
| 2022 | Nature Strip | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2021 | Oxted | Cieren Fallon | Roger Teal |
| 2020 | Battaash | Jim Crowley | Charles Hills |
| 2019 | Blue Point | James Doyle | Charlie Appleby |
| 2018 | Blue Point | William Buick | Charlie Appleby |
| 2017 | Lady Aurelia | John Velazquez | Wesley Ward |
| 2016 | Profitable | Adam Kirby | Clive Cox |
All Other Races on Day 1 of Royal Ascot
| TIME | RACE |
| 2.30pm | Queen Anne Stakes: The 2026 Royal meeting begins with this 1m Group 1 open to horses aged 4yo and older. |
| 3.05pm | Coventry Stakes: The first juvenile race of Royal Ascot 2026 is the Coventry Stakes, this 6f Group 2 has been won by some smart sorts down the years. |
| 3.40pm | King Charles III Stakes: The King Charles III is a 5f Group 1 for horses aged 3yo and older, it is notoriously considered one of the most competitive sprint races in the world. |
| 4.20pm | St James’s Palace Stakes: The 3yo colts take centre stage in this 1m Group 1, run over Ascot’s round mile track. |
| 5.00pm | Ascot Stakes: The first handicap of Royal Ascot is the Ascot Stakes, the stamina-sapping 2m4f trip makes this a race often won by National Hunt trainers. |
| 5.35pm | Wolferton Stakes: The Wolferton Stakes is a 1m2f Listed contest open to horses aged 4yo and older. |
| 6.10pm | Copper Horse Stakes: The first day of the Royal meeting concludes with a 1m6f handicap, open to horses aged 4yo and older. |