Andy Newton
The biggest horse racing flat meeting of the year always throws up a handful of horses that look a cut above their rivals, and in 2026 there are three Royal Ascot bankers that are dominating the betting.
Step forward – Bow Echo, Scandinavia and Precise – who have all established themselves as clear favourites for their respective Group 1 targets and will be among the most popular selections with punters throughout Royal Ascot week.
Royal Ascot Bankers 2026: Who Are The Big Favorites?
BOW ECHO – St James’s Palace Stakes (Tuesday)
- Race: St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1), Tuesday 16 June
- Trainer: George Boughey
- Current Odds: Around 4/5 to 5/6 favourite
Few horses arrive at Royal Ascot with as much hype as Bow Echo.
The unbeaten son of Night Of Thunder announced himself as a genuine superstar when producing a dominant display in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, stretching his perfect record to four wins from four starts.
His Guineas victory was achieved with authority, beating fellow Classic performers and immediately establishing himself as the leading miler of his generation.
The colt’s reputation has only grown since Newmarket, with trainer George Boughey describing him as the best Guineas winner since Frankel and reporting that he has continued to improve at home ahead of Royal Ascot.
He is expected to face Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Gstaad again – who he beat at Newmarket. Plus French Guineas hero Rayif and the progressive Talk Of New York in what promises to be one of the races of the week.
Boughey is still searching for his first St James’s Palace Stakes victory, meaning Bow Echo would provide the Newmarket-based trainer with a breakthrough success in one of Royal Ascot’s most prestigious races.
Royal Ascot banker punters will be hoping Bow Echo can ‘repeat’ his Guineas win and get them off to a flying start.
WATCH: Bow Echo Winning The English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket
SCANDINAVIA – Gold Cup (Thursday)
- Race: Ascot Gold Cup (Group 1), Thursday 18 June
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Current Odds: Around 11/8 favourite
Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia heads the betting for Thursday’s staying showpiece and is widely regarded as the horse to beat in the two-and-a-half-mile Gold Cup.
The Ballydoyle star, who landed the St Leger in 2025, has developed into one of Europe’s leading stayers and arrives at Ascot after a series of top-class performances that have seen him rise to the head of the division.
The main threat appears to come from defending champion Trawlerman, while Yorkshire Cup winner Rahiebb and improving outsider Caballo De Mar, for Oisin Murphy, add further depth to the race.
Even so, bookmakers continue to make Scandinavia the clear market leader as Aidan O’Brien bids for yet another Royal Ascot triumph.
No trainer has a better Gold Cup record than O’Brien. The Irish master has won the race a record nine times, with legendary stayers such as Yeats helping to cement his dominance of Royal Ascot’s ultimate stamina test.
With O’Brien’s most recent success in the race Kyprios in 2024, who also won the prize in 2022.
His 4yold stayer heads into the race having won his last five and returned this season with successes at Navan and Leopardstown.
Scandinavia will be all the rage to give O’Brien a record-extending tenth Ascot Gold Cup and ‘freeze’ out his rivals.
WATCH: Scandinavia Winning The Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown
PRECISE – Coronation Stakes (Friday)
- Race: Coronation Stakes (Group 1), Friday 19 June
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Current Odds: Around 4/6 favourite
Precise is another of the strongest favorites of the entire Royal Meeting and is expected to take plenty of beating in Friday’s Coronation Stakes.
And another from the powerful Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot team.
The classy filly bounced back from defeat in the English 1,000 Guineas by gaining revenge in the Irish equivalent, producing a polished display that confirmed her position at the top of the three-year-old fillies’ mile division.
That Irish Guineas success has seen her installed as a short-priced favorite for Ascot, with rivals such as last season’s Queen Mary winner True Love and Touleen expected to try and lower her colours.
Precise Odds-on In The Coronation Stakes Betting
Current betting lists Precise at around 4/6, making her one of the shortest-priced market leaders of the week.
O’Brien has won Friday’s Group One race three times – with his most recent success Winter in 2017.
Precise will also be looking to be the first Irish 1000 Guineas winner to land the Coronation Stakes since Tahiyra in 2023.
Punters will be hoping for another ‘accurate’ display from Precise, in what is the final-leg of the Royal Ascot bankers treble.
WATCH: Precise Winning The Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh
Back The Three Royal Ascot Bankers In 7/1Treble
Many Royal Ascot punters will be backing the these three hot-pot favorites on their own.
But there will also be a lot of horse racing fans putting Bow Echo, Scandinavia and Precise in a treble.
If you think ALL three of these big fancies will win, you’ll be rewarded with a Royal Ascot treble of around 7/1.
Note: All odds listed on this page are subject to change.
