Royal Ascot 2026 Day 2 Preview
Royal Ascot's second day brings together established horses who will battle for coveted prizes. Here's what you need to know about Wednesday's standout races and the horses set to make the headlines.
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Senorita Bonita –
Royal Ascot
One of the most important juvenile races at Royal Ascot is the Queen Mary Stakes, a race giving two-year-old fillies the opportunity to showcase their talent and transform into a major prospect.
Among the large field assembled for this year’s Queen Mary Stakes, Senorita Bonita is the horse that has generated significant interest thanks to her elite pedigree and immediate racecourse success. Senorita Bonita arrives at Ascot with a simple but appealing record of one win from one start at Nottingham in 2026. While she remains lightly raced and faces a considerable rise in class, she looks to be that type that often thrives in top juvenile contests, as she has already shown the ability to handle pressure, possesses obvious natural speed and still has plenty of untapped potential.
Blue Bolt –
Royal Ascot
The focus shifts from emerging juvenile talent to proven older performers with the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, a Group 2 contest for fillies and mares aged four and above over Ascot's straight mile. One of the most interesting contenders in the race is Blue Bolt, a four-year-old filly who has built a strong record, winning four of her seven career starts while finishing in the first two on six occasions.
Her recent form figures make particularly encouraging reading. After ending last season with a runner-up effort behind the high-class Fallen Angel at Newmarket, she returned this year with success at Goodwood. If she can reproduce that form on one of racing's biggest stages, she has every chance of emerging as a major player in this prestigious Group 2 contest.
Almaqam –
Royal Ascot
Unlike the juvenile races and developing talents featured elsewhere during the week, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is firmly focused on the proven excellence of seasoned performers aged four and older.
One of the most intriguing runners in the race is a progressive five-year-old trained by Ed Walker. Almaqam has earned considerable respect in the build-up to the race thanks to his impressive victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup this year. At five years old, he has the maturity and experience often required to succeed in a race that traditionally favours battle-hardened older horses.