17:35 Royal Ascot

Saturday 20 June 2026

All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10

Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap)

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 2m 5.11s

(12)

Bourbon Blues³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Joe Leavy| T: B J Meehan| OR: 103

40/1

Useful performer. Showed he's trained on well when 2½ lengths third of 7 to Morshdi in listed race at Newmarket (9f, good) on reappearance but well behind a few of these in the London Gold Cup at Newbury since.

Form: 5322-30

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(17)

Sahara King^p1³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: James Doyle| T: R Hannon| OR: 101

6/1

Too Darn Hot colt who is progressing very well, following his 3¾ lengths second to Evanesco on handicap debut with a near miss behind Lost Boys in the London Gold Cup at Newbury (1¼m, good to firm) last month. Wears first-time cheekpieces. Even better to come and top of the list.

Form: 1-522

(16)

Evanesco⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: D Egan| T: C Johnston| OR: 100| D

12/1

Improved and very useful effort when winning 5-runner handicap at Newmarket (1¼m, good to firm, 9/2) 48 days ago by 3¾ lengths from the reopposing Sahara King, who has gone close in the London Gold Cup since. Has to enter calculations.

Form: 2617-41

(2)

Spyce³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Rossa Ryan| T: A King| OR: 100

14/1

Useful juvenile, including third in listed race. Fair reappearance fifth in the Classic Trial at Sandown before advancing his form when 3¼ lengths fourth of 10 to Lost Boys (Sahara King second) in London Gold Cup at Newbury (1¼m, good) 35 days ago, running on after meeting some trouble. Well drawn.

Form: 214-54

(5)

Bayaann¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Cieren Fallon| T: W J Haggas| OR: 98

18/1

Promising start, making it 2-3 in 1m Windsor novice (good to soft) 12 days ago. Marquand seemingly prefers Princling but he's well drawn and should have more to offer in handicaps for his top stable.

Form: 1-21

(11)

Nil Bua Gan Dua⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97| D

22/1

Got off the mark at the fifth time of asking when seeing off 4 rivals in a conditions event at Roscommon (10.4f, good) 40 days ago. From a stable among the winners this week but he looks to face a stiff task now switching to a handicap off a mark of 97.

Form: 435-31

(10)

Harmonics¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Shane Foley| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 97| D

17/2

Struck at the second time of asking in 1m Southwell maiden in May and looked potentially smart when a 6-length winner of a 1¼m Doncaster novice (firm) a fortnight ago. Rapid improver for top yard.

Form: 511

(6)

Sunset On Leros^p1⁵⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Marco Ghiani| T: M Botti| OR: 97

66/1

Useful juvenile. Well beaten on 1m Kempton reappearance but ran better with blinkers added (replaced by cheekpieces here) when 6½ lengths third of 14 in Italian 2000 Guineas at Milan (1m, good) last month. Steps up in trip for handicap debut from a mark which isn't obviously generous.

Form: 4143-83

(15)

Balzac¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Billy Loughnane| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 97

33/1

Useful sort who was third in the Blue Riband at Epsom and Derby Trial at Lingfield (both listed) this spring. Not up to the Derby at Epsom a couple of weeks ago. This is more realistic but it's tough to argue a mark of 97 looks generous.

Form: 3-1330

(8)

Amadeus Mozart¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 96

14/1

Useful colt who was 7 lengths second of 4 to Endorsement in listed race at Leopardstown (1½m, soft) 16 days ago. Drops back in trip for handicap debut off a mark which demands improvement.

Form: 1-272

(14)

Lost Boys³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James McDonald| T: D Menuisier| OR: 96| D

2/1

Night of Thunder colt who shaded a close finish in 1¼m Sandown handicap on reappearance (good) before improving a good chunk again to get the better of another photo with Sahara King for the London Gold Cup at Newbury (1¼m, good). Since purchased by Wathnan Racing. Will go on improving.

Form: 331-11

(1)

Allegresse¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 93

40/1

Won back-to-back 1m novices at Kempton as a juvenile. Showed he's trained on when 2½ lengths last of 4 in a useful conditions race at Goodwood (1m) on reappearance and possibly unsuited by soft ground on 1¼m Epsom handicap debut since. Yard won this last year.

Form: 2117-49

(7)

Perisher^p⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: W Buick| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 91| D

5/1

Going the right way now, winning 1m Gowran maiden in April and producing a useful effort to follow up in 6-runner conditions event at Naas (10.4f, good, 11/8) 6 weeks ago, albeit having the run of the race.

Form: 253-311

(18)

Princling²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 91| BF

10/1

Promising colt who landed short odds in 1m Wetherby novice on reappearance before producing a useful effort when fourth of 14 in rearranged Silver Bowl at Carlisle (1m, good) 3 weeks ago. Shapes as if this step up to 1¼m will suit. One to be interested in.

Form: 22-14

(4)

Folk Pageant¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Rowan Scott| T: C Johnston| OR: 90| D

25/1

Most progressive, making it 4 wins in last 5 starts when seeing off 8 rivals in 1¼m Epsom handicap (soft) on Derby day. Also a winner on good to firm. Handily drawn in stall 4 and looks capable of even better.

Form: 2-19111

(3)

Echo Of Stars^t²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: J P Spencer| T: Oliver Cole| OR: 90| D

20/1

Son of Sea The Stars who was fitted with a tongue strap and didn't need to improve on previous form to open his account in a Chepstow novice (1¼m, good to firm) 3 weeks ago. Did that cosily enough but pitched in deep on handicap debut. Engaged 5.35 here on Friday. RESERVE.

Form: 42-41

Non-Runners

(19)

Accredit²⁴⁶

Weight: 9-5| Age: 3

T: J & T Gosden J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Lost Boys (2/1), Perisher (5/1), Sahara King (6/1), Accredit (8/1), Harmonics (17/2), Princling (10/1), Evanesco (12/1), Amadeus Mozart (14/1), Spyce (14/1), Bayaann (18/1), Echo Of Stars (20/1), Nil Bua Gan Dua (22/1), Folk Pageant (25/1), Balzac (33/1), Bourbon Blues (40/1), Allegresse (40/1), Sunset On Leros (66/1)

Wathnan Racing purchased SAHARA KING and Lost Boys after they finished 1-2 in last month's London Gold Cup and that pair might fight out the finish to another top handicap. The former was narrowly denied at Newbury but is seemingly preferred by James Doyle and is taken to turn the tables in new cheekpieces. Folk Pageant, Harmonics and Spyce, another from the London Gold Cup, are a few of many others to consider in this red-hot race.