The final mile championship of the British flat racing season is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. It is the only top level race on British Champions Day which is not named after the day itself, instead taking the name of one of British racing’s greatest patrons.

Eleven runners have been declared for the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at 3.20pm on Saturday 17th October. You can see the full field, with their jockeys, trainers and latest odds, in the racecard below.

15:20 Ascot

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1)

• Going Good
• Distance 1m 0f 0y
• Class Class 1
• Race Type Flat Turf
• Surface Turf
• Runners 11
• Win Time 1m 39s

Prize Money

• 1st £623,810
• 2nd £236,500
• 3rd £118,360
• 4th £58,960
• 5th £29,590
• 6th £14,850

GG Edge Standard Compact

Win% is implied from the betting forecast

1st 10 (8) 4 tips Talk Of New York W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

3/1 (Won)

J: William Buick T: Charlie Appleby

OR: 120 RPR: 130 Form: 311321

GG Racing Score 64% Ability 8/10 Draw — Jockey 7/10 Trainer 4/10 Course 3.6/10 Distance 7.8/10

2nd 4 (3) 2 tips Ten Bob Tony W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Gelding

7/1

J: Kieran Shoemark T: Ed Walker

OR: 121 RPR: 130 Form: 811442

GG Racing Score 49% Ability 8/10 Draw — Jockey 1/10 Trainer 2/10 Course 5.7/10 Distance 4.4/10

3rd 9 (1) 3 tips Rayif W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

10/1

J: Christophe Soumillon T: F-H Graffard

OR: 120 RPR: 130 Form: 13-151

GG Racing Score 63% Ability 8/10 Draw — Jockey 4/10 Trainer 5/10 Course — Distance —

4th 8 (6) Needle Match W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

150/1

J: Cieren Fallon T: William Haggas

OR: 106 RPR: 112 Form: 1-4027

GG Racing Score 16% Ability 0/10 Draw — Jockey 0/10 Trainer 7.5/10 Course — Distance 0.6/10

5th 11 (9) 2 tips Zavateri OUR TIP W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

12/1

J: Charles Bishop T: Eve Johnson Houghton

OR: 118 RPR: 128 Form: 4-2551

GG Racing Score 35% Ability 3.5/10 Draw — Jockey 5/10 Trainer 0/10 Course — Distance 5.6/10

6th 2 (5) Docklands W: 9st 6lb Age: 6 yo Colt

33/1

J: Billy Loughnane T: Harry Eustace

OR: 115 RPR: 125 Form: -13768

GG Racing Score 56% Ability 1/10 Draw — Jockey 9/10 Trainer 6/10 Course 10/10 Distance 6.7/10

7th 3 (4) More Thunder W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Colt

15/2

J: Tom Marquand T: William Haggas

OR: 119 RPR: 129 Form: -22451

GG Racing Score 44% Ability 5.5/10 Draw — Jockey 6/10 Trainer 7.5/10 Course 1.4/10 Distance 0.6/10

8th 6 (11) 2 tips Gstaad W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

7/4

J: Ryan Moore T: A P O’Brien

OR: 125 RPR: 132 Form: -21223

GG Racing Score 83% Ability 10/10 Draw — Jockey 10/10 Trainer 9.5/10 Course 7.9/10 Distance 2.2/10

9th 1 (7) Dancing Gemini W: 9st 6lb Age: 5 yo Colt

100/1

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle T: Roger Teal

OR: 114 RPR: 126 Form: -64556

GG Racing Score 17% Ability 2/10 Draw — Jockey 2/10 Trainer 1/10 Course 0/10 Distance 3.3/10

10th 5 (10) 1 tip Zeus Olympios W: 9st 6lb Age: 4 yo Colt

12/1

J: Clifford Lee T: K R Burke

OR: 119 RPR: 129 Form: -33412

GG Racing Score 58% Ability 5.5/10 Draw — Jockey 3/10 Trainer 3/10 Course 7.9/10 Distance 10/10

11th 7 (2) 1 tip Hawk Mountain W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

33/1

J: Colin Keane T: A P O’Brien

OR: 116 RPR: 128 Form: -12367

GG Racing Score 62% Ability 3.5/10 Draw — Jockey 8/10 Trainer 9.5/10 Course 3.6/10 Distance 8.9/10

Non-runners

Rogue Diplomat, Bow Echo, Cercene

+o+e Betting Returns

	Payout
Exacta	£21.20
Straight Forecast	£24.10
Tricast	£191.03
Trifecta	£110.70

Selections

D Express:

Zeus Olympios

Daily Mail:

Ten Bob Tony

Daily Mirror:

Talk Of New York

Daily Record:

Rayif

LAMBOURN:

Ten Bob Tony

NEWMARKET:

Talk Of New York

POSTDATA:

Talk Of New York

RP RATINGS:

Gstaad

SPOTLIGHT:

Zavateri

TOPSPEED:

Hawk Mountain

Telegraph:

Talk Of New York

The Guardian:

Rayif

The Star:

Zavateri

The Sun:

Rayif

The Times:

Gstaad

Who are the Top Three Favourites to Win this Year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes?

These are the three horses at the head of the betting for the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Talk Of New York

Supplemented for the race by Godolphin, Talk Of New York won the Joel Stakes at Newmarket by four and a half lengths last time. He was third in the St James’s Palace Stakes over this course and distance, and William Buick rides.

Rayif

Francis-Henri Graffard’s colt won the French 2,000 Guineas and then the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. He is two from two at a mile and Christophe Soumillon rides.

Gstaad

The top-rated runner on 125, Gstaad won the Irish 2,000 Guineas and has been second in the 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes. He was third in the Prix du Moulin last time, and Ryan Moore rides for Aidan O’Brien.

Our tip for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is below, with the best odds available.

15:20 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1)

Zavateri

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

Result

5th 12/1

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Horse Entries & Selections

As it is run on the straight course, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes allows for a maximum field of 20, just like the British Champions Sprint Stakes. However, that race often gets close to capacity, whereas this race is usually less prescribed.

All horses aged three and upwards are eligible to compete in the contest, with three-year-olds continuing to get a small allowance. At this late stage of the season, this amounts to 3lb.

Which Trainers Have Historically Had the Most Success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes?

Since the inauguration of this race in 1955, this race has gone by the name of Great Britain’s longest reigning monarch. It has been a Group 1 since 1987 too.

Saeed bin Suroor may not be in charge of the majority of Godolphin’s top class horses anymore, but in his heyday he ensured that he claimed this race on a number of occasions. In all, he has five of these trophies by his name, coming nicely spread between 1996 and 2010.

Unsurprisingly, it is Aidan O’Brien who is nipping at his heels. The master of Ballydoyle has sent out the winner four times, though has been waiting to join bin Surro on five wins since 2016, when Minding became his fourth victor. As it is, he is currently in second alongside Guy Harwood and John Gosden, who could also get to five winners on the contest this year should he be represented. He sent out 2018 winner Roaring Lion for his fourth success.

Runners & Riders Past Winners