Scandinavia and Rahiebb duel for the Betfred St Leger

Royal Ascot 2026 World Pool tips

Horse Racing

Wed June 17, 2026 · 3h ago

Graham Cunningham sets the scene ahead of day three at Royal Ascot and provides his World Pool selections.

Ombudsman lays down the law as Soul form gets a major polish

Will Buick all smiles on Ombudsman

Two down, three to go and the performance of the week is surely in the books.

OMBUDSMAN blitzed a world-class field in the Prince of Wales’s, surging clear under a ride of rare confidence from Bill Buick, and his new rating will surely take him into the rarified air of the 130-plus club.

Aidan and Joseph kept the tempo high with the one-eyed Victorious and the gallant Limestone, while the two big mile handicaps on the straight course paid dividends for those who took the high road.

Gold Cup Day looks a belter, with Trawlerman and Scandinavia heading a very strong cast, and a promising juvenile and a grizzled handicapper at opposite ends of the card could be well worth keeping an eye on at long odds in World Pool markets.

2.30: Chesham Stakes (1400m)

Aidan has won five of the last ten renewals and some will look no further than his promising Justify colt Aix La Chapelle, who was very strong close home on his Curragh debut two weeks ago.

But ALC isn’t the only Justify on deck here and NOLA SOUL looks an attractive win and place alternative as he bids to go one better than stablemate Thesecretadversary in this race last year.

A big unit with plenty about him physically, Nola Soul was green and keen at Leopardstown on his debut, but he came home powerfully to assert close home, giving the impression he would have won by daylight with a bit further to travel.

Joseph introduces another interesting Justify in On Just Terms, who must have been shaping up well to make his debut at this level, and impressive Musselburgh winner Time For The Moon looks the sort of willing galloper who should hit the frame.

But Nola Soul looks set to leave his debut form well behind now he’s had a run.

He made plenty of appeal before his Foxrock victim King Of Clougham won the Windsor Castle and, even though dreams of a juicy price have gone, he remains high on my list of most interesting juveniles on show this week.

3.05: King George V Handicap (2400m)

Two from the top and a couple from the middle of the market could be the way to go in a handicap where a wide gate is far less of an issue than you might expect.

The fact that ARC OLE OLE landed the race that Merchant used as his KGV springboard last year is of limited relevance, but he won with authority and the form is solid.

Dylan Cunha’s gelding is top of the short list as his up-and-coming handler shoots for a big one, while CANNES is open to plenty of improvement for Joseph after his Leopardstown maiden win and INTO THE LIGHT and HEYZOOM are both progressing well enough to suggest they deserve their lofty market positions.

3.40: Ribblesdale Stakes

Here comes the age-old Ribblesdale question of whether an Oaks filly has recovered from Epsom exertions.

LEGACY LINK did a great deal right two weeks ago, travelling almost as well as Thundering On for a long way, and I suspect she’ll have too much pace for the giant French grinder GILDED PRIZE if they are both on song.

EARTH SHOT’s rating of 100 leaves her with more to do to make a major splash but she’s on the up having been pipped at Goodwood by a filly who ran well in the French Oaks, while JOHANNA WALSH has even more to find with a rating of just 92 but she can give it a good go from the front as she steps up to a trip that should suit.

4.15: Gold Cup (4000m)

William Buick and Trawlerman pictured after claiming the Gold Cup at Ascot

So many tantalising questions for Royal Ascot’s most historic prize.

Can the rugged TRAWLERMAN come back from a long break – and a light sensitivity problem – in the same form he showed to break the track record last year?

Is SCANDINAVIA keeping something in reserve for the day that matters most as he bids to reward the faith of those who think he could be the next Kyprios?

Will Scandi’s old foe RAHIEBB truly stay this marathon trip after his smooth Yorkshire cup success?

And will there be a turn-up provided by an old stager like Sweet William or new shooters to the Gold Cup scene like Al Riffa, Carmers or Caballo De Mar?

In short, I don’t know what to expect from Trawlerman as he bids to emulate the mighty Yeats by winning this aged eight.

Scandinavia looks a little too short for my liking at 2.5 or thereabouts and so RAHIEBB and AL RIFFA are nominated as two who ought to make a mark.

Rahiebb isn’t fully exposed after eight runs and is thriving physically, while the solid recent market support for AL RIFFA looks well founded given that he’s a proven G1 globetrotter at up to two miles with Gold Cup runner-up Mizzou very close up in his pedigree.

Best of the Rest

High numbers dominated the Britannia last year, but this is a different race on a different day, and my short list is topped by OUTBACK HEAT (taking the Docklands route after a very encouraging Ascot win) and the muscular WE’RE GOOSERS (thunderously impressive at HQ) are on top of my short list.

Endorsement and the progressive Generic look a handy pair against the field in the Hampton Court but the one I’ve gone for a right swing on comes at the end of the day three card in the Buckingham Palace Handicap.

It’s APIARIST.

Eighth in this race last year after minor traffic problems, Kevin Ryan’s gelding ran a belter for third after being hampered over course and distance in October and he caught the eye yet again at Thirsk last time, coming home powerfully for sixth having been locked up on the inner as the race took shape.

Neil Callan will fancy his chances on The Wizard of Eye and the Victoria Cup winner looks well berthed again in gate 29.

But Callan jnr is well worth watching here.

Young Jack Callan has been doing a lot of prep work on the mighty Bow Echo of late. And bit of luck in running for Apiarist might help him sting his rivals at a big price in the World Pool nightcap.

Royal Ascot 2026

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Royal Ascot 2026 World Pool tips