Andy Newton

Andy Newton’s Royal Ascot Tips On Day One: Tuesday Best Bets Including NAP and NB Picks

by
Andy Newton
15 June 2026

Join Andy Newton as Royal Ascot 2026 gets underway, with his day-one selections for the opening card of the famous five-day meeting.

Royal Ascot Quickfire Tuesday Tips with Andy Newton

Andy Newton’s quickfire picks for Tuesday’s Royal Ascot action, including his leading fancies in the Queen Anne Stakes and St James’s Palace Stakes.

There’s also a 7/1 NAP in the Wolferton Stakes, plus a ‘next best’ in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

✅2:30pm Queen Anne Stakes – DOCKLANDS (e/w)

✅3:05pm Coventry Stakes – GREAT BARRIER REEF

✅3:40pm King Charles III Stakes – AMERICAN AFFAIR / MISSION CENTRAL

✅4:20pm St James’s Palace Stakes – BOW ECHO (NB)

✅5:00pm Ascot Stakes Handicap – REACHING HIGH / BUNTING (e/w)

✅5:35pm Wolferton Stakes – NAHRAAN (NAP) / ENFIJAAR

✅6:10pm Copper Horse Stakes Handicap – VALIANCY

Be sure to check out the full ITV Racing schedule for day one and catch Andy Newton throughout Royal Ascot week on the Final Furlong Podcast alongside host Emmet Kennedy.

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Andy Newton’s Royal Ascot Tips: Tuesday Best Bets Including a 7/1 NAP

2:30pm Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1, 1m) – ITV / Sky

A cracking way to start the meeting and a race that Godolphin have won eight times. Interestingly, however, Charlie Appleby is still searching for his first Queen Anne Stakes success for the Boys in Blue.

He’ll look to change that with Lockinge winner Notable Speech and Opera Ballo, two major contenders in a highly competitive renewal.

Notable Speech is respected, but he’s 0-2 at the Royal Meeting and history isn’t exactly on his side either, with only two winners emerging from stall one in the last 18 runnings.

That makes Opera Ballo the more appealing of the Godolphin pair after his impressive Sandown success over last season’s St James’s Palace Stakes winner, Field Of Gold.

More Thunder should also get the race run to suit and remains a serious player. In truth, he was arguably unlucky not to land the Wokingham last season.

But it’s hard to ignore last year’s winner DOCKLANDS.

Yes, six-year-olds have a poor recent record, with only one winner from that age group since 1977. Yet Harry Eustace’s Ascot record speaks for itself, with figures of 1-1-3-2-2-2-1-4.

I’m happy to board the Docklands Express once again.

🥇 DOCKLANDS (e/w)
🥈 Opera Ballo
🥉 More Thunder

3:05pm Coventry Stakes (Group 2, 6f) – ITV / Sky

No trainer has dominated the Coventry Stakes quite like Aidan O’Brien. He’s won it a record 11 times and it’s undoubtedly his strongest race at Royal Ascot.

He’s represented again by Confucius and GREAT BARRIER REEF, with Ryan Moore siding with the former, a decision that’s seen him installed as favourite.

That, however, leaves a bit more value on Great Barrier Reef.

He’s unbeaten in two starts and looked a colt of real quality when landing a Group 3 at the Curragh last time. He’s also three months older than Confucius, which can make a significant difference at this stage of a two-year-old’s development.

Confucius remains a major threat, although the form of his recent Naas victory has taken a few knocks since, with both the second and third beaten on their next starts.

Among the others, Wathnan Racing’s Ruler’s Pride and Royal Heritage command respect, while Cut A Dash caught the eye when winning at York and has attracted support in the betting.

🥇 GREAT BARRIER REEF
🥈 Confucius
🥉 Cut A Dash

3:40pm King Charles III Stakes (Group 1, 5f) – ITV / Sky

Australian runners have won this race five times in the last 24 years and many believe Overpass could be the next to add his name to the roll of honour.

He’s undoubtedly talented, but looks short enough in the betting for a horse yet to race outside Australia. Yes, he’s run at Ascot before, but only at the Australian version.

He’s also 0-7 in his most recent starts, which tempers enthusiasm despite his obvious class.

Rayevka may prefer softer conditions, with all three career wins coming with some ease in the ground.

Night Raider is another with claims after thriving since being gelded, although he was only 12th in this race last year and still has a point to prove at this level.

Last year’s winner AMERICAN AFFAIR gets the vote after shaping extremely well when runner-up to Night Raider on his latest outing, a run that suggested he’s right on track for another big performance.

MISSION CENTRAL is also worth a second look.

Aidan O’Brien has yet to win this Group 1, one of only four British Group 1 races missing from his remarkable CV. Three-year-olds have fared well in recent years too, with Bradsell and Lady Aurelia both successful since 2017. Mission Central arrives on the back of two smart wins at Naas and could easily step forward again.

🥇 AMERICAN AFFAIR
🥈 Mission Central
🥉 Night Raider

4:20pm St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1, 1m) – ITV / Sky

BOW ECHO looks one of the strongest favourites of the entire Royal Ascot meeting following his impressive 2,000 Guineas success at Newmarket.

He dismissed last year’s Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad by two-and-three-quarter lengths that day and a repeat performance would make him extremely difficult to beat.

That form has already received a boost, with Gstaad going on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Bow Echo now has the chance to make it five wins from five starts and continue his unbeaten run on his first appearance at Ascot.

Talk Of New York has looked progressive with victories at Newmarket and Sandown this season, but this is another significant step up in class.

🥇 BOW ECHO (NB)
🥈 Gstaad
🥉 Talk Of New York

5:00pm Ascot Stakes Handicap (2m4f) – ITV / Sky

The King has enjoyed just one Royal Ascot winner so far and remains some way short of the 24 winners recorded by Queen Elizabeth II, but REACHING HIGH could add another royal success.

A beaten favourite in this race last year, he endured a nightmare passage. Ryan Moore repeatedly found trouble along the rail and, when the gaps finally appeared, it was too late.

Despite finishing ninth, he shaped much better than the bare result suggests.

It’s also interesting that Willie Mullins has kept him off the track since, potentially preserving a workable handicap mark for another tilt at this race.

Ryan Moore will no doubt be keen to make amends.

Kizlyar is respected for Joseph O’Brien, while BUNTING could be an interesting each-way alternative.

He hasn’t won since 2023, but he ran an excellent race when third in last season’s Cesarewitch and is now 6lb better off with winner Beylerbeyi. The booking of Harry Vigors, who claims 7lb, only adds to the appeal.

🥇 REACHING HIGH
🥈 BUNTING
🥉 Kizlyar

5:35pm Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m2f)

Haatem landed this race 12 months ago and boasts an excellent Ascot record of 5-1-1-3. He also won the Jersey Stakes in 2024, so there is plenty in his favour.

Last year’s second Galen, third Kings Gambit and fourth ENFIJAAR all return, with the latter looking capable of improving on that effort.

Roger Varian’s team have won this race twice since 2023 and Enfijaar’s recent third at Goodwood looked an ideal prep run.

The main selection, however, is the Gosden-trained NAHRAAN.

He made a huge impression last season when winning his first three starts, culminating in Listed success at Hamilton.

His subsequent third in France came on ground that would have been far softer than ideal and he has been kept fresh since. Everything suggests this race has been the long-term target.

The booking of Oisin Murphy is another significant positive.

🥇 NAHRAAN (NAP)
🥈 Enfijaar
🥉 Haatem

6:10pm Copper Horse Stakes Handicap (1m6f) – ITV4 / Sky

The final selection on day one comes in the Copper Horse Stakes, a race that has only been run six times.

Interestingly, every winner has carried between 9st 1lb and 9st 8lb, while favourites have a respectable strike-rate, accounting for half of those six renewals.

Gamrai was second to Daiquiri Bay at Newmarket last time and is now 2lb better off, so there shouldn’t be much between the pair.

Still, it’s difficult to get away from the likely market leader VALIANCY.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old, who races in the colours of Wathnan Racing, looked a horse with a bright future when winning at Hamilton last time.

An 8lb rise asks a question, but there could easily be more improvement to come.

This will be his first visit to Ascot, yet the track should suit and the step up in trip looks another positive.

One other runner worth noting is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Aeronautic, who is partnered by veteran American jockey John R. Velazquez.

🥇 VALIANCY
🥈 Gamrai
🥉 Aeronautic