Our form expert had a 50/1 second on Wednesday and he has five selections for day three of Royal Ascot 2026 on Thursday including in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.
The Verdict: Thursday June 18
0.5pts e.w. On Just Terms in the 14:30 Royal Ascot at 28/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3)
1pt e.w. Dial Me In in the 15:05 Royal Ascot at 25/1 (William Hill 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt win Outback Heat in the 16:50 Royal Ascot at 10/1 (General)
0.5pts e.w. Richie’s Rocket in the 16:50 Royal Ascot at 33/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
0.5pts e.w Stratusnine in the 18:10 Royal Ascot at 33/1 (Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Dial in for Joseph runners
Joseph O’Brien clearly has his team tuned up nicely for Royal Ascot once again thanks to three winners already this week and he’s got chances everywhere you look on Thursday.
Al Riffa goes in the Gold Cup, Johanna Walsh is an interesting runner in the Ribblesdale and he has four in the King George V Stakes Handicap where it’s difficult choosing between the quartet.
I think it’s worth siding with one of his, though, as he’s gone so close to winning this race in recent years it simply looks a matter of time. In 2023 Valiant King was beaten a head into second, in 2024 Neski Sherelski was beaten half a length into second and then last year his Omni Man was fifth after a slightly troubled passage.
Omni Man won at Goodwood after that and was clearly well handicapped heading into Royal Ascot and the same owners, Go Racing Limited, have DIAL ME IN for the same race with the excellent James McDonald in the saddle this time around.
Dial Me In is the outsider of the O’Brien foursome, but he looks well treated off 89 after an eyecatching effort behind his 97-rated stablemate Nil Bua Gan Dua at Roscommon last time.
Eased into things on his first go at 10 furlongs giving the favourite 5lb, he stayed on well for second and looks well worth a go up in trip at a mile and a half.
By Awtaad, a sire who has a good Royal Ascot record with his progeny thanks in part to Ascending and Ethical Diamond, his pace could be a vital weapon in this race and he’s so unexposed I can’t resist an each-way swing on him at prices north of 20/1.
The Verdict: Back DIAL ME IN in the 15:05 Royal Ascot
Check the Terms in the Chesham
In the opening Chesham Stakes it could be worth taking a chance on Joseph O’Brien’s newcomer ON JUST TERMS with the bookies inserting him at 28/1.
He is one of three sons of Justify in the race and he has got Royal Ascot-winning genes being from the family of Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star who are half-sisters to his dam, Elitiste.
If you’re going to win a two-year-old race at Royal Ascot on debut it’s the Chesham with its sire restrictions (stallion must have won over a mile and a quarter or more) and Holloway Boy did just that for Karl Burke in 2022.
They haven’t found a hat Joseph can’t pull a rabbit from yet and this horse shaped well in a barrier trial at Naas over six furlongs on May 25, staying on nicely for third after missing the break by six or seven lengths (see replay on YouTube below).
That should have taught him plenty and in a race where the horses that have had a run don’t set a frightening standard, he’s worth a punt at the prices.
The Verdict: Back ON JUST TERMS in the 14:30 Royal Ascot
Heat and Rocket fuel Britannia bets
In the Britannia Stakes Harry Eustace’s OUTBACK HEAT looks a huge player under Kaiya Fraser on just the fourth start of his career.
The son of Too Darn Hot ran behind fellow Britannia hopeful Organise at Yarmouth on his turf debut in April but looked a different horse next time at Ascot, looming up on the stands’ side after a patient ride.
He did it nicely and the form looks really good with the fourth and fifth winning since, including Clive Cox’s Blue Courvoisier, also in the Britannia, who won the rearranged Silver Bowl at Carlisle.
Eustace has a fine record at Royal Ascot and he used the same Ascot handicap to prep Docklands before he won the Britannia in 2023, so Outback Heat has gone a tried and tested route.
From stall 18 he should get into this but the stands’ side could be the place to be with frontrunners Conclave and Lion Of Alba set to take them along and I want a really high number in my arsenal as well.
RICHIE’S ROCKET appeals from stall 31 at a big price, as he has some good bits and pieces of form to his name and he might just take off now he gets an end-to-end gallop and a straight mile to aim at.
Ralph Beckett knows exactly what is required to be a force in these straight-course handicaps at the Royal meeting and this son of New Bay should improve again for the extra furlong.
He caught the eye from a wide draw over seven furlongs at Goodwood last time, keeping on through the field for seventh from a difficult position, and after a good effort in Listed company on his third start he could be well treated off 94.
The signs are he’s going to show his true ability sooner or later after being gelded, and he’s not got a dissimilar profile to the same stable’s Jimi Hendrix, also by New Bay, who was third in this race before winning a Hunt Cup the following season.
The Verdict: Back OUTBACK HEAT and RICHIE’S ROCKET in the 16:50 Royal Ascot
Strat’s magic in the Bucky Pally
Finally, Hugo Palmer’s STRATUSNINE looks an interesting contender in the closing Buckingham Palace Stakes over seven furlongs.
We’ll see if he’s a non-runner here if he sneaks in the Wokingham, but hopefully he takes his chance as his pace for sprinting trips could be a useful tool in this company.
Pacey horses like Louis The Pious and Highfield Princess used their speed to win this race in the past and this horse has improved his form since they switched tactics.
Held up over sprinting trips on his last few runs, he was unlucky not to win a good five-furlong handicap at York last time and switching him off over seven furlongs could be a good move.
Kieran Shoemark is riding well and looks just the man for the task judging by his effort on Ten Bob Tony in the Queen Anne, while he’s drawn around the pace centrally.
He has already proven his stamina for seven furlongs a couple of times in defeat and now looks a good time for him to try the trip again under different circumstances.
The Verdict: Back STRATUSNINE in the 18:10 Royal Ascot
Preview posted at 16:25 BST on 17/06/26
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