The historic meeting is regarded by many as one of England’s last bastions of pomp, pageantry and tradition. In the royal enclosure, gentlemen are still required to wear top hat and tails.
But while many will use the event as a social occasion to continue the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the equine action on the track is what matters most to racing fans.
Thirty-five races, including eight Group Ones, spread across five days (Tuesday to Saturday), with some of the best horses in the world competing for record prize money of £8.6 million. That adds up to the best week of racing on the planet.
For the first time since 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic, capacity crowds will be back at Ascot this year. It is uncertain whether the Queen herself will make it, although she has two or three fancied runners, but the fields will include international raiders from France, Ireland, Australia, the USA, Germany and even Czechoslovakia.
You can watch every race on ITV or ITV4, and also Sky Sports Racing. And to give you a taste of what’s to come, we’ve picked out 13 horses to look out for. Not tips, but horses likely to steal the limelight as the week progresses.
1. Baaeed
The week kicks off with the best. The world's highest-rated racehorse, Baaeed, trained by William Haggas, is the best miler since the mighty Frankel and is likely to win the meeting's opening race, the Queen Anne Stakes. Unbeaten in seven starts, he could go off the shortest-priced favourite since Frankel landed this same contest at odds of 1/10 in 2012. (PHOTO BY: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
2. Persian Force
One of the fascinating aspects of Royal Ascot is the emergence of top-class two-year-olds. Aidan O'Brien, champion trainer at the meeting no fewer than ten times, holds a very strong hand this year, but one home-based juvenile who might shake them up is Persian Force. Pencilled in for the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday, he has been compared by trainer Richard Hannon to Canford Cliffs, the yard's brilliant multiple Group One winner of 2009 to 2011. (PHOTO BY: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images). Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
3. Nature Strip
The Australians are expecting their first winner at the royal meeting since Black Caviar ten years ago, with eight-year-old speedster Nature Strip carrying many of their hopes. Despite his age, he is considered to be the best sprinter in the world and tackles the King's Stand Stakes over 5f on Tuesday. Jockey James McDonald labels him "a freak". ([PHOTO BY: Francesca Altoft) Photo: Francesca Altoft
4. Coroebus
Godolphin were champion owners at last season's Royal Ascot, and their main flagbearer this time is Coroebus, pictured winning the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket six weeks ago. Trained by Charlie Appleby, he is a colt with immense power and class, and will be very hard to beat in the St James's Palace Stakes on the opening day of the shindig. (P[OTO BY: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images). Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images