Steve Ryder previews the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.
St James’s Palace Stakes See All Odds
The St James’s Palace Stakes is a Group 1 run over the round mile on the opening day of Royal Ascot for the three-year-old colts. This year is run on Tuesday 16th June at 4:20 for which there are currently 24 entries over a week in advance.
St James’s Palace Stakes Odds
St James’s Palace Stakes Winners, Trends & Stats
The St James’s Palace Stakes usually features horses from the English, French and Irish 2000 Guineas. Frankel (2011), Dawn Approach (2013), Gleneagles (2015), Galileo Gold (2016) and Coroebus (2022) all followed up from winning at Newmarket and the likes of Kingman (2014), Rosallion (2024) and Field Of Gold (2025) all placed at Newmarket prior to winning the Irish 2000 Guineas before winning this.
- All 12 of the previous 12 winners had won over a mile
- 10 of the previous 12 winners had at least 3 previous wins
- 10 of the previous 12 winners had at least 2 runs that season
- 9 of the previous 12 winners were rated 110 or higher
- 8 of the previous 12 winners had already won a Group 1
- 8 of the previous 12 winners won on their previous start
St James’s Palace Stakes 2026 Runners Guide
BOW ECHO
Unbeaten George Boughey trained stable star who has won all of his four career starts. The son of Night Of Thunder won the Royal Lodge Stakes on his final start last season before beating Gstaad by 2 ¾ lengths in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. An official rating of 126 sets a lofty standard for the others to reach.
GSTAAD
Aidan O’Brien trained colt who is yet to finish out of the first two in all eight of his career starts. He finished runner-up in three Group 1s prior to winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on his final start last season. He finished 2nd behind Bow Echo at Newmarket before staying on strongly to beat Distant Storm by three lengths in the Irish 2000 Guineas last time.
TALK OF NEW YORK
Progressive well-bred son of Wootton Bassett who contests a Group 1 for the first time in his career. An impressive 5 ½ length winner at Kempton on his only start as a juvenile, he finished 3rd on his reappearance at Meydan when slowly away and caught too far back. He won a conditions race at Newmarket prior to an emphatic 5 ½ length victory in the listed Heron Stakes last time at Sandown.
RAYIF
Sea The Moon colt who represents the powerful connections of Francis Graffard and Aga Khan Studs. He won his first two career starts before finishing 3rd behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on his final start last season. He reversed that form winning the French 2000 Guineas on his reappearance by a length.
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St James’s Palace Stakes Trainers & Jockeys to Watch
Aidan O’Brien has won this race a record nine times with Giant's Causeway (2000), Black Minnaloushe (2001), Rock of Gibraltar (2002), Excellent Art (2007), Henrythenavigator (2008), Mastercraftsman (2009), Gleneagles (2015), Circus Maximus (2019) and Paddington (2023).
Ryan Moore has won this race three times in recent years on Gleneagles (2015), Circus Maximus (2019) and Paddington (2023).
St James’s Palace Stakes Betting Tips
This looks likely to cut up significantly with four leading contenders representing powerful connections. GSTAAD (best priced at 7/2) needs to reverse form from the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Bow Echo but that rival was trained to the minute for that race whereas Aidan O’Brien runners often progress through the season as shown by his three-length success in the Irish 2000 Guineas last time.
Gstaad is one of the most experienced in the field having had eight career starts and he also boasts a Royal Ascot success in the Coventry Stakes here last season. He is the only horse who hits all of the six trends highlighted above and he looks the value play against the favourite.
Recommended Bet: Gstaad 7/2 (1pt)
