Racing Ahead

Royal Ascot 2026: Total prize money at Ascot in 2026 will be a record £19.4 million

by
The Racing Ahead Team
8 June 2026

Ascot Racecourse announced last year that Royal Ascot 2026 will be worth £10.65 million, up from £10.05 million in 2025.

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Increases to Royal Ascot have been made across the programme with all eight Group 1 races now worth a minimum of £700,000 (two at £1 million), while all races at the Royal Meeting will be run for £120,000 or more, up from £110,000.

In all, 26 of the 35 races across the week will be run for more than they were in 2025.

Total prize money at Ascot in 2026 will be a record £19.4 million, an increase on 2025 of £1.65 million.

Figures exclude the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day.

Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: “Prize money is the most important investment tool that we have in attracting horses to run from home and abroad, at all levels of racing that we stage.

“We saw some world-class racing at Ascot in 2025, with runners travelling here from four continents.

“It is vital in an increasingly competitive international market that we keep Ascot at the forefront and the Royal Meeting is key to this.”

2026 order of running

This year there are a number of small changes to the order of running.

As previously announced last year, the Windsor Castle Stakes is now a six-furlong contest with sire restrictions.

Meanwhile the Norfolk Stakes and the Chesham Stakes have swapped positions, with the Norfolk Stakes now the first race on the Saturday in order to maximise television exposure for that race in the USA.