Wednesday’s racing tips: Best bets and odds on day two of Royal Ascot 2026

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The quality continues as we go into day two of Royal Ascot 2026. Horse racing Jonathan Doidge correspondent has run the rule over the card and come up with several tips using the best odds from betting sites.

A tough start to day two sees a maximum field head to post and many in with chances. Pre-race favourite is Senorita Bonita, who could be anything and cost 900,000gns at the breeze-ups.

She’s drawn in stall ten and history suggests we need to be looking for something with a double-figure draw, as only one of the last ten winners has bucked that trend.

Victorious tries to give Aidan O’Brien back-to-back successes in the race and has obvious claims, while there’s little to choose between the Wathnan Racing pair, Alta Regina and Wild Blossom, with James Doyle choosing to partner the latter.

It’s a race where I think we can take a chance at sizeable odds on one of several Stateside raiders, CELTIC DISPUTE, who is saddled by Patrick Biancone.

The same trainer was responsible for last year’s third, who took the same route as this filly, in winning the Royal Palm at Gulfstream on the way here. Another American-trained winner of this, Crimson Advocate, also won that race on her way to landing this in 2023.

Numerous trainers have given positive messages about their runners in this so, if anything, that adds to the element of guesswork but one of those trainers is Biancone who’s described his filly as a “big, strong type” and at the prices, I’m happy to play to small stakes from stall 11 that she can make the first three. If your horse racing betting site will give you four places, better still.

Wednesday Royal Ascot tip 1: Celtic Dispute (Ascot, 14.30) – 1pt each-way @ 20/1 (Bet365)

This looks like being a thorough test of stamina and the standout candidates on recent form are the ante-post market leader Galiyan, who warmed to his task and finished in style at Chester last time (1m4f, good) and LIMESTONE.

The latter is trained by Joseph O’Brien, who has placed him well to win three on the bounce, having been turned over on his first two starts.

He’ll need to prove he handles fast ground but otherwise, he looks to have a great deal going for him, including a tough attitude. The first two of his wins saw him do it from the front and hold off sustained challenges.

Last time at Navan (1m5f, good) he showed he can battle back having lost the lead around the halfway stage and he looks nailed on to see out this slightly longer trip.

Other than being less exposed, I can’t see why Galiyan is any shorter in price going into the race and I’m taking the Irish challenger to prevail.

Wednesday Royal Ascot tip 2: Limestone (Ascot, 15.05) – 1pt win @ 7/2 (Betfred)

What a fabulous race we have in prospect here, with last year’s winner Ombudsman taking on last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe scorer DARYZ and the latter just gets the vote with a solid price available on Royal Ascot betting sites.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s colt is 2-2 this season, both over shorter trips than he won over in the Arc and if you’ve seen those races, you’ll have seen he’s not short on speed to go with his undoubted stamina.

The slight concerns with him are that those two races he’s won this year didn’t have opposition as strong as Ombudsman within them and his only real flop came on fast ground behind that opponent in the International at York last August.

However, they’re watering here to remove any jar and I do think a stiff 1m2f should still be the sort of trip that brings out the best in the French horse.

Ombudsman defied a penalty to win the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last month and should be better for that outing. He is not taken on lightly.

Minnie Hauk was next best in the Arc and she’d definitely better than she showed at the Curragh last time. She could be heavily involved if back to her best, while Almaqam, who won that Irish contest in which Minnie Hauk was fifth, merits plenty of respect.

Wednesday Royal Ascot tip 3: Daryz (Ascot, 16.20) – 3pts win @ 2/1 (William Hill)

About as tough as Flat handicaps get, although the last two winners have been either favourite or held a share of market leadership.

Seven of the last ten successful horses have come from double-figure stalls and I think we should get a very good run for our money from one of that ilk, ARCHIVIST.

Drawn in stall 18, he’s been put through his paces at Meydan this year, running well several times and winning his latest start. He’s a specialist over this 1m trip and he goes very well on fast ground.

The hood in which he won last time is retained and, traffic issues permitting, I’d expect him to be thereabouts come the business end with a double-digit price available on betting apps.

Wednesday Royal Ascot tip 4: Archivist (Ascot, 17.00) – 1pt each-way @ 11/1 (Ladbrokes)

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