See Andy Newton’s Royal Ascot tips on Saturday as the big meeting rolls into day five – with the Wokingham Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes and ultra-competitive Wokingham Handicap.
This week, Andy has already had top Royal Ascot winners – Mission Central (14/1), Great Barrier Reef (6/1), Earth Shot (4/1), Scandinavia (11/8), Ombudsman (11/10) and Bow Echo (5/6).
2026 Royal Ascot Tips On Saturday with Andy Newton
Andy Newton’s quickfire selections for the five day of Royal Ascot 2026, including best bets in the QEII Jubilee Stakes plus a big fancy in the Wokingham Stakes.
Don’t forget to check out the full ITV Racing schedule for Royal Ascot day five, and catch Andy Newton throughout the week on the Final Furlong Podcast with host Emmet Kennedy.
Quickfire Royal Ascot Tips on Saturday with Andy Newton
- 2:30pm Norfolk Stakes: EZ TINA / WHERE LOVE LIVES
- 3:05pm Hardwicke Stakes: ETHICAL DIAMOND (e/w)
- 3:40pm Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes: SOTONO REVE / KIND OF BLUE
- 4:20pm Jersey Stakes: SABRE STRIKE
- 5:00pm Wokingham Stakes Handicap: TEN POUNDS / TWO TRIBES
- 5:35pm Golden Gates Stakes Handicap: SAHARA KING / ALLEGRESSE
- 6:10pm Queen Alexandra Stakes Conditions: A PIECE OF HEAVEN
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Andy Newton’s Royal Ascot Tips – Day Five 2026: Saturday Best Bets
2:30pm Norfolk Stakes (Group 2, 5f) – ITV / Sky
No surprise to see Aidan O’Brien strongly represented in another Royal Ascot juvenile race. He’s won four runnings of the Norfolk Stakes in total, including three of the last 11.
Carry The Flag is likely to be popular and should appreciate dropping back to 5f after just finding things happening a little too quickly over 6f last time.
That form already looks solid, with Great Barrier Reef going on to win Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes.
He’s the most obvious winner, but at the prices there isn’t much value, and his draw in stall 13 could be a slight concern given that nine of the last 10 winners emerged from stall 10 or lower.
Orthodox has reportedly been pleasing connections at home and is well regarded by the Cox team, although he too has been handed a high draw in 16.
Instead, I’ll take a chance on the American challenger EZ TINA for Wesley Ward, who has won this race twice before.
She made all to win on debut over 5f at Woodbine, receives the useful 3lb fillies’ allowance and has been drawn favourably in stall three.
I also think WHERE LOVE LIVES is a bigger price than she should be from stall one after already proving herself at Listed level.
She won well at Sandown last time, and that form has been boosted by runner-up Adaay Of Scarlett finishing second in the Coventry Stakes, while fourth-placed Bill The Bull has also won since.
🥇 EZ TINA
🥈 WHERE LOVE LIVES
🥉 Carry The Flag
3:05pm Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2, 1m4f) – ITV / Sky
There are plenty with chances here, although much of the focus will centre on the classy mare Kalpana.
She returned this season with a neck second to West Wind Blows and boasts an excellent Ascot record of 3-1-2-1. She’s almost certain to come on for that run, and Wonderful Tonight was the last mare to win this race back in 2021.
Former St Leger winner Jan Brueghel commands respect too, but his Coronation Cup effort came in gruelling conditions and the quick 14-day turnaround raises a slight concern.
French-trained runners haven’t won this race since 1980, so Goliath and Best Secret will be attempting to end that long wait.
Last year’s winner Rebel Romance was also the only horse aged seven or older to win the race since 1923, which doesn’t help the claims of Giavellotto, West Wind Blows or Phantom Flight.
Amiloc, successful in last year’s King Edward VII Stakes at this meeting, is respected despite dropping back in trip.
The one that appeals most, however, is ETHICAL DIAMOND, who still doesn’t seem to get the credit he deserves for winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf last season.
He also landed the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes here last year and was fourth in the same race in 2024, so we know Ascot suits him well.
Fast ground is a major plus, and he’s often gone well when fresh, meaning the 84-day absence could actually work in his favour.
🥇 ETHICAL DIAMOND (e/w)
🥈 Kalpana
🥉 Goliath
3:40pm Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1, 6f) – ITV / Sky
Stall one hasn’t produced a winner of this race in the last 21 runnings, which isn’t ideal for Lake Forest despite his impressive Haydock victory last time.
Commanche Brave and Sajir are sure to attract plenty of support, while last year’s third Flora Of Bermuda returns for another crack with James Doyle aboard. Doyle has won this race three times in the last seven years.
KIND OF BLUE also makes plenty of appeal for James Fanshawe. He may not be the easiest horse to win with, but he’s rarely far away and famously landed the 2024 Champions Sprint at Ascot.
His recent second in the Minster Stakes at York should have put him spot on, and Fanshawe knows what it takes, having previously won this race with both The Tin Man and Society Rock.
A lot of attention has understandably centred on the overseas challengers, particularly Australian raider Joliestar. She’s won her last three starts and receives the valuable 3lb fillies’ allowance.
She tends to be ridden patiently too, so those supporting her may well see bigger odds in-running.
However, 18 of the last 23 winners had previously raced at Ascot, and she hasn’t.
One horse who does tick that box is SATONO REVE, who finished a close second in this race 12 months ago.
The Japanese challenger arrives on the back of another excellent effort when runner-up to the outstanding Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin and shares top-rating honours in the field with Lake Forest.
That previous Ascot experience just swings it for me, while Ryan Moore — a three-time winner of this race in the last decade — is another significant positive.
🥇 SATONO REVE
🥈 KIND OF BLUE
🥉 Flora Of Bermuda
4:20pm Jersey Stakes (Group 3, 7f) – ITV / Sky
The Prettiest Star ran a huge race when finishing fourth in the 1000 Guineas and the drop back to 7f on Ascot’s stiffer track should suit perfectly.
Meanwhile, Into The Sky, fourth in the 2000 Guineas, also looks likely to benefit from returning to this shorter trip.
He’s a horse who likes to race prominently but just didn’t quite get home over the mile. Oisin Murphy takes the ride.
That said, plenty of positive noises have been coming from the William Haggas camp regarding SABER STRIKE.
He’s reportedly been working well alongside some of the stable’s better performers and has already shown himself to be highly effective over this 7f distance.
The form of his latest Newmarket success has also received a boost, with fourth-placed Elusive Butterfly winning a Listed race since.
Haggas won this race with Aqlaam in 2008, and Saber Strike can strike again for the yard here.
🥇 SABER STRIKE
🥈 The Prettiest Star
🥉 Into The Sky
5:00pm Wokingham Stakes (Handicap, 6f) – ITV / Sky
As always, the Wokingham looks a fiendishly difficult puzzle.
There are countless chances, and in modern times it’s not unusual to find horses with Listed or even Group-race ability lurking among the handicap ranks.
Just look at More Thunder, last year’s runner-up, who went on to finish second in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes.
Double Rush could fit a similar mould for Andrew Balding. He’s looked hugely progressive in his last two victories and a 10lb rise may not be enough to stop him if he’s genuinely Group class.
Three of the last 10 winners emerged from stall 10, which is a positive for William Haggas’ Realign.
Completely Random finished fifth in this race last year and returns from the same mark of 98, with Ryan Moore booked.
Fourteen of the last 16 winners were drawn in double-figure stalls, making Dubai Swing an interesting outsider from stall 23. Oisin Murphy takes over and the step back up in trip should help.
It’s a shame TWO TRIBES has landed stall five, but he’s still difficult to ignore. He’s gone well fresh before, is already a course winner and comes from the thriving Richard Spencer yard.
The main selection, though, is TEN POUNDS.
He finished third in this race last season and returns 3lb lower in the weights.
Jamie Spencer, successful in the race back in 2013, takes the ride after the gelding’s excellent late-finishing second to Washington Heights in a Listed contest at Carlisle.
Hopefully, Ten Pounds can finally land the money.
🥇 TEN POUNDS
🥈 TWO TRIBES
🥉 Double Rush
4th Dubai Swing
5:35pm Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap, 1m2f) – ITV / Sky
Lost Boys narrowly got the better of SAHARA KING by a head in the London Cup at Newbury, but with just a pound separating them and first-time cheekpieces now applied, that form could easily be reversed.
The Richard Hannon-trained runner is also the choice of James Doyle, who had the option of riding Lost Boys, which looks another positive.
Accredit is worth noting on his handicap debut for the Gosdens after finishing last season with impressive wins at Sandown and Haydock.
We’ve only had six runnings of this relatively new race, producing two winning favourites, while five of the six winners were drawn between stalls 13 and 17.
That’s another plus for Sahara King in stall 17, while Wild Thoughts, Lost Boys, Balzac and Evanesco also fit the trend.
The statistics also show that Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy have won this race twice together.
They combine once more with ALLEGRESSE, who has been handed stall one, which is less than ideal.
However, his latest run can probably be forgiven given the soft ground and unique demands of Epsom.
Prior to that he had shown useful form, including a win on the all-weather at Kempton, and the much quicker conditions here should suit considerably better.
At the prices, and with connections who clearly target this race, he’s worth a second look.
🥇 SAHARA KING
🥈 ALLEGRESSE
🥉 Lost Boys
6:10pm Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions, 2m6f) – ITV4 / Sky
The final race of Royal Ascot 2026 is staged over a marathon 2m6f and is often described as a glorified bumper, with plenty of National Hunt influence among the runners.
Willie Mullins has dominated the race in recent years, winning five of the last 14 runnings, including last season with Sober.
His Le Destrier is likely to be popular after finishing just a length and a quarter behind Scandinavia at Leopardstown last time.
He’s already raced in Poland, Germany, France and Ireland, and now adds Britain to the list.
Mullins also saddles Columbus, with Colin Keane booked to ride.
French Master won the Copper Horse at this meeting last season, although there are still questions to answer regarding this extreme trip after being well beaten in the Goodwood Cup.
Dallas Star was fourth in 2025 but hasn’t won in 13 starts, while Illinois is certain to attract support as the highest-rated horse in the race and competes off level weights under the conditions.
However, he was well beaten in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and hasn’t tasted victory for over a year.
That makes A PIECE OF HEAVEN the safer option.
Joseph O’Brien’s stable has enjoyed an excellent week and has also won this race twice in the last three years.
He’s only 6lb inferior to Illinois on official ratings, arrives in winning form and has already shown his stamina by landing the Chester Cup over 2m2½f last time.
Dylan Browne McMonagle takes the ride.
🥇 A PIECE OF HEAVEN
🥈 Le Destrier
🥉 Illinois
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