The Scout, the UK's leading tipster, has unveiled her top five selections for Royal Ascot 2026, featuring a 10-1 chance. Melissa Jones, known as The Scout, is the reigning Racing Post National Press Challenge champion after triumphing over 11 tipsters in 2025. The grueling competition involved over 9,600 selections across the year. A strong finish aided her victory, and she has maintained her form, setting a record by topping the standings for four consecutive months before tipping the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Gaelic Warrior.
Tuesday 2.30 Queen Anne Stakes
Opera Ballo at 7-2
With William Buick sticking with favorite Notable Speech, the dominant Lockinge Stakes winner, Billy Loughnane has picked up a potentially excellent spare ride on Opera Ballo. The four-year-old colt matches his Charlie Appleby-trained stablemate on a career-high rating of 125 after a commanding victory over Field Of Gold and Zeus Olympios in the Group Two bet365 Mile, carrying a 5lb penalty. The runner-up, one of the best winners at this meeting last year, returned with a problem, but the line through the third gives Opera Ballo a fighting chance. Lightning fast from the stalls at Sandown, he could get a handy break on the rest and is peaking at the right time for this huge test.
Tuesday 4.20 St James's Palace Stakes
Gstaad at 3-1
Described by Aidan O'Brien as a "very solid, big horse," I fancy the Ballydoyle colt to turn the tables on Bow Echo here. There was two-and-three-quarter lengths between them in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, when Gstaad went for home quite early under Ryan Moore. It also didn't help when the winner challenged away from him, and he has gone on to land the odds in the Irish version at the Curragh. I think he might be open to a bit more improvement than Bow Echo, who is on the smaller side. Gstaad is proven at this meeting, having stormed to first in the 2025 Coventry Stakes, and O'Brien has dominated this race with a record nine wins with the likes of Giant's Causeway (2000), Rock of Gibraltar (2002) and Paddington (2023) on its roll of honour.
Wednesday 3.40 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
Kon Tiki at 10-1
A likeable filly from Jane Chapple-Hyam's stable, bidding to match the 2022 exploits of her former star Saffron Beach. A 220,000 Guineas yearling, Kon Tiki quickly made up into a smart performer, raising her game to Listed level at York after taking a novice event at Kempton. It earned her a further upgrade to the Group One Coronation Stakes here last year, when the £46,000 supplementary entry raced well off the pace. She worked hard to make up the ground but could not mount a serious challenge to Cercene and Zarigana, who had obtained handier positions. After a 316-day break, Kon Tiki made a really solid return when giving the favourite Blue Bolt a race at Goodwood. It's likely Chapple-Hyam will have left a bit to work on and, fresh from a gallop on Newmarket's July Course, her runner looks good value at the current prices.
Wednesday 4.20 Prince Of Wales's Stakes
Ombudsman at 6-4
Classy French raider Daryz has to prove he can perform on his travels as he bids to turn around the Juddmonte International form with John and Thady Gosden's race ace Ombudsman. I believe Britain's best here has the most boot, a trait he showed off when overcoming a troubled passage in this event last year off a strong gallop. Denied a clear run repeatedly, Ombudsman only found a gap around a furlong from the finish and went away by two lengths. His turn of foot makes him versatile tactically, and Sandown's third-tier Brigadier Gerard Stakes should have put him spot on after a trip to Meydan in March to collect the Dubai Turf.
Saturday 4.20 Jersey Stakes
Saber Strike at odds TBC
The William Haggas trainee is unbeaten and one of the best young horses owned by a new partnership named Victorious Forever. Saber Strike scored for this column on May 1, when he overcame a sluggish beginning to finish the Listed King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket with a tidy advantage. I had been taken with the way he spread the field out at Redcar on his debut in November 2025, with the runner-up and third fair rivals. Saber Strike did hold a 2,000 Guineas entry and it is noted that his handler, who does not aim high without good reason, now feels he is ready to tackle a Group race based on what he sees at home.
