What is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot is the most famous flat racing meeting in the world, five days in June
that combine racing of the very highest class with pageantry, fashion and royal
tradition. Around 35 races are run across the week, including eight Group 1
contests, drawing the best horses, jockeys and trainers from Britain and far
beyond.
Five days of championship racing
Every afternoon at Royal Ascot is built around championship-level sport. The week's
Group 1 races span every discipline of flat racing, the milers in the Queen Anne
and the St James's Palace Stakes, the sprinters in the King's Stand and the
Commonwealth Cup, the middle-distance horses in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and
the out-and-out stayers in the Gold Cup, the meeting's most historic prize, run on
Ladies Day.
Tradition and the dress code
Royal Ascot is as much an occasion as a race meeting. Each day opens with the Royal
Procession, and the meeting is known for its formal dress code, which differs by
enclosure and is most stringent in the Royal Enclosure. Ascot issues detailed dress
code guidance every year, always worth checking in full before you go.
How to watch Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is broadcast on free-to-air UK television throughout the week, and
major bookmakers stream the races to eligible, funded account holders.
Betting at Royal Ascot
With competitive fields and Group 1 quality across all five days, Royal Ascot is
one of the flat season's biggest betting weeks. For race-by-race analysis, see our
individual hubs as they are published.
Royal Ascot is one of the biggest betting weeks of the flat season, with competitive racing on every card. Every operator below is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Always check the bookmaker's site for current odds and terms.
We only point you to a bookmaker once our tracked, UK Gambling Commission licensed
links are live. For now, take the best price you can find at any licensed operator, and
see our guide to Best Odds Guaranteed.
18+ · Please gamble responsibly · BeGambleAware.org.
When is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot is held over five days in June, traditionally from Tuesday to Saturday. The exact dates are confirmed by Ascot Racecourse with the fixture list each year.
How many days is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot runs over five days and stages around 35 races, including eight Group 1 contests, making it one of the highest-quality flat meetings in the world.
What are the feature races at Royal Ascot?
The week's Group 1 races include the Queen Anne Stakes, the King's Stand Stakes, the St James's Palace Stakes, the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Commonwealth Cup, the Coronation Stakes, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and the Gold Cup, the staying showpiece run on Ladies Day.
What is the Royal Ascot dress code?
Royal Ascot has a formal dress code that varies by enclosure, with the Royal Enclosure the most formal. Ascot publishes detailed, enclosure-by-enclosure dress code guidance each year, which should always be checked before attending.
What is the Royal Procession?
Each day of Royal Ascot opens with the Royal Procession, when members of the Royal Family are driven down the course in horse-drawn carriages ahead of the racing, one of the meeting's enduring traditions.
How can I watch Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot is broadcast on free-to-air UK television every afternoon of the meeting, and major bookmakers stream the races to eligible account holders.