Royal Ascot is here. One of the greatest weeks in British summertime, the hats are out, the champagne is flowing, but most importantly, the racing is underway. For fans from Ireland following the action, the best is yet to come. It’s not too late to get involved with the betting too, and you can use a boylesports sign up offer to get yourself started immediately.

All of the real challengers that will interest Irish come from Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who has multiple horses in multiple races across the week. Here’s a guide to all the Irish horses to watch during the week at Ascot.

Irish horses to watch at Royal Ascot 2026

Scandinavia- Gold Cup (Thursday, 4:15pm)

Scandinavia is the favourite for the Gold Cup on Thursday, the biggest race of the weekend, currently priced at 5/4 (odds correct at time of writing). Having won the Goodwood Cup and St Leger last year, he backed up those performances with two wins in Ireland this spring, arriving at Ascot in the form of his life.

O’Brien has won the Gold Cup nine times, and Scandinavia looks tailor-made to make it ten. The reigning champion Trawlerman has had prep issues and his participation remains uncertain, which could make this a straightforward task for the Ballydoyle horse. 

Charles Darwin- Commonwealth Cup (Friday, 3:05pm)

There is a question mark over Charles Darwin heading into Friday’s Commonwealth Cup after a poor prep run at Naas last month. He won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last year as a strong favourite, and O’Brien is hoping he can repeat the trick over the same track 12 months on. 

The Naas run is worth mentioning, but can probably be chalked up to a poor day, plus he eased up after it was clear he was beaten. His form over the last year has been excellent, and he’s proven himself one of the best sprinters racing today. If he’s on it come Friday, he’s right in the mix.

True Love/Precise- Coronations Stakes (Friday, 4:20pm)

The Coronation Stakes has to be one of the most exciting lineups of the week, especially for the Irish fans. The two favourites for the Coronation Stakes are both trained by O’Brien; Precise (4/5) and True Love (9/2).

True Love won at Newmarket in May in a manner that caught the eye of everyone watching. O’Brien confirmed the Coronation Stakes as the target straight after the race. Precise will make her work for it, who most recently won the 1,000 Guineas, but True Love has the profile of a filly who improves with racing, and Ascot may bring the best out of her.

Minnie Hauk- Hardwicke Stakes (Saturday- 3:05pm)

The best of O’Brien’s older horses, and arguably the most exciting filly in training anywhere in Europe right now. Minnie Hauk won the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks last season before finishing a head second to Daryz in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

She is reported to have strengthened considerably over the winter and O’Brien has earmarked the Hardwicke Stakes as her likely Ascot target. It is a Group 2 rather than a Group 1, which tells you how comfortably she should handle it if she runs to her best.