Putting the Royal in Royal Ascot: Which Runners Are Owned by King Charles?
The royal couple will join tens of thousands of spectators at the Berkshire racecourse for five days of exhilarating horse racing.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to have a significant presence at this year’s Royal Ascot, with four horses from their stable competing in the prestigious event. The royal couple will join tens of thousands of spectators at the Berkshire racecourse for five days of exhilarating horse racing. Their excitement is palpable, especially considering the emotional victory of Desert Hero last year, a horse bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
This year, Desert Hero returns to Royal Ascot along with three other royal contenders. Here’s a closer look at the horses that King Charles and Queen Camilla will be cheering for:
Desert Hero
Desert Hero, last year’s King George V Stakes champion, will aim for another win in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes on Saturday. The four-year-old, currently a joint third favourite with odds of 10/1, is trained by William Haggas. After finishing second in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes in his seasonal opener, Desert Hero faced a setback with a fifth-place finish in the Aston Park Stakes at Newbury. He will be looking to reclaim his glory at the scene of his previous victory.
Desert Hero's Record:
| DATE | DIST. | GNG. | WGT / HDGR | SP | JOCKEY | OR | TS | RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18May24 | Newbury C1G3 57K 1m4f | Gd | 9-2 | 5/8 btn 8¼L Middle Earth 9-2 EvensF | T Marquand | 113 | 43 | 103 |
| 26Apr24 | Sandown C1G3 48K 1m2f | GS | 9-2 | 2/7 btn hd Okeechobee 9-2 100/30 | T Marquand | 113 | 106 | 116 |
| 223 days break | ||||||||
| 14Feb24 | Gelded notification | |||||||
| 16Sep23 | Doncaster C13yG1 421K 1m6½f | Sft | 9-3 | 3/9 btn 3¼L Continuous 9-3 6/1 | T Marquand | 110 | 105 | 116 |
| 03Aug23 | Goodwood C13yG3 113K 1m4f | Sft | 9-3 | 1/6 by nk Chesspiece 9-3 7/1 | T Marquand | 102 | 78 | 113 |
| 22Jun23 | Ascot C23yHc 52K 1m4f | Gd | 8-13 | 1/19 by hd Valiant King 8-11 18/1 | T Marquand | 94 | 98 | 107 |
| 20May23 | Newbury C23yHc 52K 1m2f | Gd | 9-0 | 8/14 btn 3L Unbelievable 9-5 4/1F | T Marquand | 94 | 39 | 92 |
| 208 days break | ||||||||
| 24Oct22 | Redcar C52yNv 4K 1m1f | Hy | 9-11 | 1/7 by 3L Burglar's Dream 9-4 1/7F | C Fallon | 94 | 11 | 80 |
| 65 days break | ||||||||
| 20Aug22 | Sandown C12yG3 34K 7f | Gd | 9-3 | 3/6 btn 5¼L Silver Knott 9-3 85/40F | C Fallon | 57 | 94 | |
| 51 days break | ||||||||
| 30Jun22 | Haydock inner C42yNv 5K 7f | Sft | 9-7 | 1/9 by 2¾L Captain Winters 9-7 4/1 | T Marquand | 66 | 93 |
Hard to Resist
Hard to Resist is set to race on Friday in the Sandringham Stakes, a handicap contest scheduled for 5:05 pm. This race will mark the filly’s first appearance of the season, and anticipation is high for her performance.
Hard to Reist's Record
| DATE | DIST. | GNG. | WGT / HDGR | SP | JOCKEY | OR | TS | RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27Oct23 | Chantilly 2yG3F 35K 7f | Hy | 8-11 | 4/7 btn 4¼L Tamfana 8-11 18/5 | M Barzalona | — | 4 | 87 |
| 14Sep23 | Doncaster str C12yG2F 68K 1m | Sft | 9-2 | 4/7 btn 7¼L Darnation 9-2 11/2 | T Marquand | 97 | 78 | 88 |
| 26Aug23 | Goodwood C12yG3F 45K 7f | Sft | 9-2 | 3/6 btn 2¼L Darnation 9-2 14/1 | Saffie Osborne | — | 56 | 92 |
| 05Aug23 | Newmarket (July) july C42yNvF 4K 7f | Sft | 9-2 | 1/6 by ½L Bourgeoisie 9-2 11/2 | C Fallon | — | 40 | 76 |
| 30Jun23 | Newmarket (July) july C42yMdF 4K 6f | Gd | 9-2 | 6/6 btn 12L Dazzling Star 9-2 4/1 | T Marquand | — | 24 | 46 |
Gilded Water
Gilded Water, another horse under the training of William Haggas, is entered for two races at Royal Ascot but is unlikely to compete in both. In his debut season, the three-year-old secured his first victory at Chepstow last month after stepping up to 1m 2f. He is listed for the King George V Stakes on Thursday at 3:05 pm and the Golden Gates Stakes on Saturday at 5:40 pm, with odds around 12/1 for both races.
Gilded Water's Record
| DATE | DIST. | GNG. | WGT / HDGR | SP | JOCKEY | OR | TS | RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31May24 | Chepstow C5Md 4K 1m2f | GS | 9-2 | 1/10 by 7½L James Webb 9-2 13/8 | C Fallon | — | 61 | 95 |
| 06May24 | Windsor C5Nv 4K 1m | Sft | 9-3 | 3/13 btn 1¼L Miletus 9-3 16/5 | T Marquand | — | 68 | 86 |
| 18Apr24 | Newmarket row C23yMd 10K 1m | Gd | 9-7 | 5/11 btn 8L First Conquest 9-7 16/1 | T Marquand | — | 53 | 71 |
Treasure
Treasure, initially entered in two races, will now compete only in the Golden Gates Stakes on Saturday at 5:40 pm. The three-year-old, with odds of 16/1, had an impressive debut win at Nottingham in October 2023 but has struggled to replicate that form this year. After a disappointing fourth-place finish at Chantilly in the Prix Miesque last October, Treasure will be looking for redemption at Royal Ascot.
Treasure's Record
| DATE | DIST. | GNG. | WGT / HDGR | SP | JOCKEY | OR | TS | RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31May24 | Eps C13yG1F 312K 1m4f | GS | 9-2 | 11/12 btn 27L Ezeliya 9-2 22/1 | James Doyle | 95 | 51 | 72 |
| 11May24 | Lin C13yLF 34K 1m3½f | Gd | 9-2 | 4/7 btn 1¾L You Got To Me 9-2 6/1 | R Ryan | — | 79 | 94 |
| 206 days break | ||||||||
| 18Oct23 | Not inner C52yMdF 4K 1m½f | Hy | 9-2 | 1/7 by 2¼L Time Loop 9-2 2/1F | B A Curtis | — | 67 | 79 |
As the Royal couple watches their horses compete, the excitement and tradition of Royal Ascot will be as vibrant as ever, with the hopes of adding more victories to their illustrious history in horse racing.