Royal Ascot 2026: day two horse racing updates – live

Updates from second day of the royal meeting
Day one report on controversial clash | Mail Tony

4.20 PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES preview

The betting suggests that Wednesday’s feature is a head-to-head between Daryz, last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, and Ombudsman, last year’s winner of this race and a dual winner at the highest level since, at York in August 2025 (with Daryz sixth and last) and then at Meydan in March. In true Royal Ascot style, though, it is more of a head-to-head-plus, as Minnie Hauk, a dual Classic winner and the Arc runner-up in 2025, and the improving five-year-old Almaqam could both have a big say in the proceedings. The tale of the tape has Daryz, successful in two Group Ones already this year in April and May, 2lb in front of Ombudsman on Timeform ratings, while they are tied three-all in terms of victories at the highest level ahead of their second meeting on the track. Ombudsman’s track form may tip the balance for some punters, and he is very much a 10-furlong specialist while Daryz’s famous success at Longchamp in October came at a mile-and-a-half. Francis-Henri Graffard’s runner found a very sharp turn of foot to score over an extended nine furlongs at Longchamp last time, however, and the stiff uphill finish will not go amiss, either. Minnie Hauk needs little introduction after winning the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks before her close second behind Daryz at Longchamp, and her run into fifth behind Almaqam at the Curragh last time is forgiveable as she was found to be slightly lame after the race. Almaqam was the first horse to beat Ombudsman, in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May 2025, and while Ed Walker, his trainer, insists that the five-year-old needs some cut in the ground to show his best form, it was officially good-to-firm when he broke through at Group One level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month. Bay City Roller, the runner-up there, ran away with the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby day, and while the rain-softened ground was a significant factor in his win, Almaqam is not lightly dismissed.