2026 Royal Ascot News - Aidan O'Brien Stable Tour
Aidan O'Brien, Ireland’s champion trainer and Royal Ascot's most successful handler, outlines his approach and top runners for the 2026 Royal Ascot meet. Providing exclusive quotes, O'Brien reveals his confidence in standout horses including Gstaad, Mission Central, and Scandinavia, as well as key contenders across all five days. With high hopes for both seasoned stars and promising newcomers, O'Brien aims to extend his exceptional Ascot record. Punters should watch for his handpicked entries, each tailored to make significant impact during the festival.
- We bring you the latest quotes from champion trainer Aidan O'Brien ahead of Royal Ascot 2026
- This year's Royal Meeting kicks off on Tuesday 16th June
- Gstaad, Minnie Hauk and Scandinavia feature in O'Brien's Ascot squad
- Day One Runners
- Day Two Runners
- Day Three Runners
- Day Four Runners
- Day Five Runners
Aidan O'Brien Ascot Tour 2026
Aidan O'Brien has been the dominant force in flat racing over recent seasons. Ireland's Champion Trainer is the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history, having racked up 22 victories in the last five years alone.
Here are key quotes from Ireland's top trainer as he guides AtTheRaces through his team for Royal Ascot.
*All quotes attributed to the AtTheRaces*
Aidan O'Brien Stable Tour for Royal Ascot 2026
Day One Runners
Gstaad (St James's Palace Stakes)
We’re delighted with him and everything has gone smoothly since the Curragh. We feel he has improved again. He’s a very balanced horse and we feel a round mile will suit him well. He’s very straightforward and his form tells you how talented and tough he is. We’re looking forward to taking on Bow Echo again. Our horses were only going ok at the time of the 2000 Guineas, and they’ve all stepped up a gear since then. It looks a very exciting race on paper and we’re looking forward to seeing it play out.
Puerto Rico (St James's Palace Stakes)
He’s on track for the St James’s Palace Stakes. We had been training him for the 2000 Guineas and felt we had him peaking for it, but we decided to switch him to France the following week and the edge might just have gone off him by the time he got there. He ran very well on the day, but we feel he’s better than that run and we’ve been training him for this race since then, so he is fully lined up this time.
Mission Central (King Charles III Stakes)
He is on track for the King Charles III Stakes against the older horses. He’s a fast horse, a strong traveller in his races, but against these older horses he will be going as fast as he ever has. We’re looking forward to seeing how he measures up in this company.
He looks to be the main one for the Coventry Stakes. We felt he would improve a good bit from his second run, and he looks to have done that based on what we’ve seen at home. I’d imagine Ryan will ride him as it stands right now.
He’ll go for the Coventry Stakes. He ground it out well in the Marble Hill and we’d be hoping that he can improve again at Ascot.
Day Two Runners
Minnie Hauk (Prince Of Wales's Stakes)
The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes has been her aim. We feel that the Tattersalls Gold Cup just didn’t play out well for her and we are prepared to forgive that run. She obviously stays further and a well-run race suits her well. Ascot should suit her well and we’re looking forward to seeing her in action.
Victorious (Queen Mary Stakes)
We’re going to drop her in trip and run her in the Queen Mary. The trip might be a bit tight for her, but we feel she’s very classy and might be able to get away with it. We think she has improved quite a bit since her last run.
He is an intended runner at the meeting, but which race will depend on what we end up doing with Benvenuto Cellini. If he doesn’t run, Causeway will most likely run in the King Edward. If Benvenuto Cellini does run in that race, then Causeway will most likely go for the Queen’s Vase. He’s a horse that we always planned to step up in trip, and he’ll give himself a great chance to stay those sort of trips with the relaxed racing character that he has.
Day Three Runners
Scandinavia (Gold Cup)
He is very much on track for the Gold Cup, and we couldn’t be happier with him. It’s going to be interesting to see if he gets the trip. We won’t know until we see it, but he has all the characteristics of a horse that will have a good chance of getting it. He’s a very relaxed, efficient horse, and that will very much help him. He’s always been a waiter when he gets to the front and we’ve seen that in his two runs this year.
Carry The Flag (Norfolk Stakes)
Carry The Flag might run in the Norfolk Stakes. He ran well the last day and coming back to five furlongs shouldn’t be a problem for him.
Sergei Diaghilev (Windsor Castle Stakes)
He’ll be the one for the Windsor Castle Stakes. He’ll stay at least seven furlongs, but we think he has improved since his debut, and this looks a good spot for him.
Day Four Runners
Albert Einstein (Commonwealth Cup)
We have a couple of days left to go, but we feel that everything is lining up for him in terms of his preparation for the Commonwealth Cup. We’ve been gentle with him for most of the season and he took a good step up when dropped in trip last time. We think he’s come well forward from that again. We are really looking forward to seeing what he can do as we still very much believe in him.
Charles Darwin (Commonwealth Cup)
He was obviously disappointing at Naas, but he hit a ridge there and Ryan looked after him after that. We’re happy to put a line through that run. We’re looking at the Commonwealth Cup with him and he’ll wear first-time blinkers. He’s always been a lazy type, and we think the blinkers will help him focus.
Precise (Coronation Stakes)
She’s on track for the Coronation Stakes. We feel she has improved again from the Curragh. The round mile will suit her well and she’s obviously a very good filly.
True Love (Coronation Stakes)
She will go for the Coronation Stakes and take on Precise again. This will be a different setup again with this being a round mile. We’ve been very happy with her since the Curragh.
Sun Goddess (Albany Stakes)
She looks to be the one for the Albany Stakes. She showed big improvement from first start to second and the hope will be that she can improve again.
Benvenuto Cellini (King Edward VII Stakes)
There’s a chance he could run in the King Edward. We have to see how he is in the coming days, but we’re working back from the King George with him and we are worried that the ground for the Irish Derby could come up too soft for him, so if everyone is happy with him in the coming days we might just send him to Ascot as we know he’ll get his favoured firmer ground there.
Day Five Runners
Aix La Capelle (Chesham Stakes)
We were very happy with his debut win, and we are aiming him at the Chesham. He was only just ready to start off at the Curragh, and we think he’ll improve a lot for that. He stays well and should be suited to the race. He’s a lovely horse.
South Dakota (Chesham Stakes)
We feel he has improved a lot since his debut, and we’ll let him take his chance in the Chesham Stakes.
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