Trainer William Haggas is poised to add another Royal Ascot winner to his record with the four-year-old Valiancy, who has shown significant promise early in his career. After closing last season with a staying handicap victory at Haydock, Valiancy returned to winning form at Hamilton. Despite encountering traffic issues during that race, he finished strongly, suggesting his current handicap rating may underestimate his ability.

Among his likely challengers, Aeronautic stands out as a key contender. After finishing fifth in this race last year, the horse has matured considerably and now produces more polished performances. Aeronautic’s competitiveness at a higher level, including overseas races, indicates he can be a strong competitor from his present mark.

Daiquiri Bay also merits consideration following a powerful late surge to overtake Gamrai at Newmarket. That performance hinted that a step up in distance could suit him well, and a modest increase in weight does not appear to be a deterrent. Gamrai, meanwhile, remains a horse with potential for further progress, representing a training yard with a strong recent record in this event.

Sing Us A Song is another contender likely to benefit from stepping back up in distance, having delivered a solid effort at York recently. Ernst Blofeld, who scored impressively on the all-weather, also remains in the mix, with relatively few career miles on the clock. Ascending, despite a below-par showing last season at Ascot, boasts strong Royal Ascot and Ebor form from 2025 that keeps him in contention. Duraji might also feature, having shown promise when setting the pace in the Chester Cup before fading late.

Recent race performances offer further context. At York, Sing Us A Song led before being overtaken late, finishing second; Paddy The Squire and Stressfree faded in their outings, finishing mid-pack. At Newmarket, Daiquiri Bay’s late rally narrowly defeated Gamrai, who had maintained the lead until the final furlong. At Goodwood, Aeronautic led for much of the race before fading to third, just behind the winner.

These performances underscore the depth of the field and the competitive nature of the race ahead. With several horses showing potential to improve or perform better over this distance, the contest at Royal Ascot is shaping up to be closely fought.