Precise and Wayne Lordan win the Irish 1000 Guineas

Royal Ascot 2026 World Pool tips

Horse Racing

Thu June 18, 2026 · 4h ago

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

Aidan hits a hundred as Scandi drama thrills the Gold Cup crowds

Scandinavia overhauls Trawlerman in an entertaining Gold Cup finish

Heroes and villains.

That’s all any sport needs to thrive but the current needle between Ballydoyle and Clarehaven was set aside as SCANDINAVIA and TRAWLERMAN set down for a memorable scrap in Thursday’s Gold Cup.

The fiery NOLA SOUL did this column a huge favour by hanging tough in the Chesham and Haggas, Boughey, Marquand, Doyle and young Zac Lloyd all starred as Joseph continued to give his old man a run for his money in the race to be top trainer.

But day four beckons.

We won’t get rich following Aidan’s big two in the Coronation – but let’s hope the following nuggets help make it a financially rewarding Friday.

2.30: Albany Stakes (1200m)

21-14-11-5

Fifteen different winners among a huge field – most of them open to plenty of improvement – but there’s something about SUN GODDESS that suggests she can prove a cut above them.

Breeding pundits will point out that her sire Sioux Nation has a worrying Royal Ascot record but this filly showed plenty over 1000m on her debut and duly came on a bundle over Friday’s trip at the Curragh, powering clear with a raking stride and clocking a faster closing split than Great Barrier Reef in the G3 Marble Hill Stakes on the same card.

LIBERTANGO created a strong impression in winning what looked a useful Leicester contest with authority. She’s well worth noting for saver and Quinella purposes, while the impeccably bred HQ winner JOLIVETTE and runaway Goodwood scorer DARK ISSUE also have a fair amount to recommend them.

3.05: Commonwealth Cup (1200m)

Aidan O'Brien's 100 winners is acknowledged at Royal Ascot

1-13-21-6

I suspect I’m in a small minority in wondering whether Venetian Sun can reproduce her high-class Haydock defeat of Division on this much faster surface.

Slick conditions shouldn’t stop last year’s Albany winner going well again but they open the door for others to give her a shake at longer odds and the fact that the much talked about ALBERT EINSTEIN gets genuinely fast ground for the first time intrigues me.

Song of the Clyde got the better of a good tussle with Albert at Newbury is another for the short list given that he’s clearly thrived from two to three, while Division looked unlucky after blowing the start when third to Coppull here and confirmed that promise even as Venetian Sun outshone him in the Sandy Lane.

And VS is the key player here.

Logic suggests that if she’s as good as she looked at Haydock the rest are in trouble. But I can envisage Albert blossoming on this summer ground. And as Einstein himself once said: “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere”

3.40: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (2400m)

10-6-11-14

The Doyler has had some tough decisions to make this week, missing a winner by choosing Haatem over Map of Stars on Tuesday, and I suspect he’s handed J-Mac a strong chance again by preferring Opportunity to HOPEWELL ROCK.

George Boughey’s gelding made good strides last year and caught the eye in very strong Newmarket race last month, given plenty to do and making a big move in and out of the Dip without being given a hard time after his break.

PLAGE DE HAVRE is very useful and coming to the boil after running well behind a highly progressive Haggas horse at York.

He’s second on the short list, followed by Opportunity and Warrant Holder, but Hopewell Rock’s HQ form was given a handsome polish by Daiquiri Bay and Gamrai on day one and the fact that Kiwi ace McDonald is aboard Hopewell Rock only adds to the belief that he’s a live one.

4.20: Coronation Stakes (1600m)

4-9-2-8

Round three between the big two and it’s one apiece with all to play for.

It’s hard to look at Friday’s main event without thinking it’s a Ballydoyle benefit and the market will skew heavily towards PRECISE based on the way she ran down TRUE LOVE in the Irish Guineas last month.

True Love was dominant in the English version – and her high cruising speed could be dangerous if this turns into a sprint off the bend – but Precise’s overall record is highly impressive and that late surge ought to settle matters again with Black Caviar Gold (visored first time) and Touleen (tricky but talented) for minor honours.

Best of the Rest

It’s hard to take a strong view about Friday’s nightcap, the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap, but I do like the shape of the Sandringham and the King Edward VII Stakes.

The KE7 provides another chapter in this ongoing GOZ v AOB rivalry - and the hulking Water To Wine has shown considerable promise at Newbury and Kempton – but this immature colt is in against what Aidan calls his “streetfighter” in CAUSEWAY.

Hardened in handicaps and fresh from a Curragh G3 win where he kept digging hard, this Wootton Bassett is more than ready for this step up to a mile and a half and, if I’ve read the tealeaves right, he’s done enough to warrant favouritism here.

SEET and BINTAZIZA are my pair against the field in the Sandringam. The latter is a half- sister to Kalpana who has looked most progressive for the Gosdens, while the latter ran very well after a tough trip at Thirsk and they’re both well placed if the middle to high numbers are in charge again.

Royal Ascot 2026

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Royal Ascot 2026 World Pool tips