2026 Prince of Wales's Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Brings high-class form into a high-class renewal of this race, having landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup by two lengths on his seasonal debut last month – his first Group One victory.

The form of that race has since been boosted, with runner-up Bay City Roller winning the Coronation Cup by a wide margin.

Trainer Ed Walker has long had doubts about Almaqam’s ability to handle rattling fast ground, which is a slight concern, and the re-opposing Minnie Hauk was clearly far from her best when trailing home fifth behind him at the Curragh last time.

He is, however, a leading contender based on his most recent effort, and he held his form well throughout last year, downing one of this race’s leading contenders in Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard before placing in the Sky Bet York Stakes, Prix Foy and Champion Stakes after an early summer break. Despite being five, there is a chance we have not yet seen the best of him.

Another five-year-old entire, the son of Camelot has been seen racing over a mile, with his only runs over further having come as a three-year-old in the Derby (sixth) and the Eclipse (last of six).

On pedigree, this trip is definitely worth another go, and he is a strong finisher over a mile too, as seen when fourth in the Lockinge last time. However, it has been over a year since he last won and the suspicion is that he will once again be found out at the top level, with at least 10lb of improvement probably required.

The supremely talented son of Sea The Stars won his first four starts as a three-year-old, but disappointed on his first foray into Group One company when finishing last of six in the Juddmonte International behind the re-opposing Ombudsman.

He was clearly not right that day, however, and he bounced back to form with a short-head second to Croix Du Nord the following month before winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his first try over a mile and a half.

This season, he began where he left off, showing a sparkling turn of foot to win the Prix Ganay on very quick ground at Longchamp, and then last time in the Prix Aga Khan IV (Prix d’Ispahan) over 1m1f, where he yet again showed his speed to win easily by three and a half lengths over the talented Leffard and Sosie.

Judging by the way he has handled the return to shorter distances this spring, this trip over a mile and a quarter could well be his optimum and he rates a leading player for his trainer who has already saddled a couple of winners at the meeting. The nagging concern is the the fact he disappointed on his only start outside of France, but is he just a better horse now?

Seemingly here as a pacemaker for Godolphin and Clarehaven’s leading contender Ombudsman, whose pacemaker in the Eclipse, Birr Castle, traded at 2-1 in-running before finishing third.

Devil’s Advocate was last seen finishing a remote fourth in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April, and his only previous run in Group One company saw him finish seventh when fulfilling the same role for Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes over this course and distance. Would be a surprise winner.

Any punters writing out this horse’s name on their betting slips will have a tough job spelling the four-year-old’s name correctly, but not as tough a task as the horse will face in this race, being rated just 99, 10lb below Devil’s Advocate and 29lb below the top-rated Ombudsman.

Last of ten in the Lockinge last time, he only beat one horse home in Listed company on his run before that and it looks as if he will be fulfilling pacemaker duties for stablemate Minnie Hauk (drawn in five) from stall seven, right on the inside of Ombudsman.

A two-length winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes last year having met trouble in running, the son of Night Of Thunder has strong claims of recording back-to-back wins in the race after winning both of his starts this season (Dubai Turf and Brigadier Gerard).

Whilst he was turned over by Delacroix in the Eclipse last year, he ran out a convincing winner of the Juddmonte International and finished a fine second to Calandagan here in the Champion Stakes, so certainly ticks the box for consist high-level performances and gets his ideal conditions, too.

This looks a stronger race than last year, however, and he was more workmanlike last time in beating Gething by a neck, though he was giving away 7lb and stuck to his task well. Sure to go very close.

Daughter of Frankel ran Daryz to within a head in the Arc last autumn having racked up four Oaks victories at Chester, Epsom, The Curragh and York.

She was a disappointing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar after her effort in France and, though she began this season with a win, she could only manage fifth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup behind Almaqam last time and has nine lengths to fins with that rival.

She is likely to fair much better than that here, and she rates a big player if she can recapture the form she showed in the second half of last year, but there are questions to answer, and the suspicion is that this trip is short of her optimum. Others rate more likely winners even in receipt of her fillies’ allowance.

Andrew Balding is getting a great season with progeny of shock International winner Arabian Queen, with See The Fire two from two this spring and her half-brother Venetian Prince landing the Italian Derby.

See The Fire was third in this 12 months ago and her third in the Nassau and fourth in the International can probably be upgraded given how the races started/unfolded. She got with a short-neck of winning the Prix de l’Opera before disappointing, again against her own sex, at the Breeders’ Cup, but has looked good this year going two from two, most recently landing back-to-back renewals of the Middleton at York.

This race is likely to be run at a much stronger tempo than that and though she is clearly talented, she is unlikely to break her Group One duck here.

A brilliant renewal of the £1-million day two showpiece and one that can go to France courtesy of DARYZ. Francis Graffard's colt was an impressive Arc winner, but has looked just as exceptional, if not better, over shorter distances this spring and should be suited by a strongly run race over this trip on fast ground. He can get the better of last year's winner Ombudsman, who rates his main danger, ahead of Almaqam, who arrives here having posted a career best effort over Bay City Roller.