Which horses have the best chance of gaining back-to-back wins at Royal Ascot?

Royal Ascot is set to see the return of several winners from last year’s five-day festival. Here we pick out five horses with claims of gaining back-to-back royal meeting victories . . .

Big Evs

Trainer Mick Appleby

Race King Charles III Stakes

Odds 7-2f

Big Evs was a revelation for Mick Appleby at two, winning the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot on his second start and ending the campaign with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

He made a successful return in a Listed event at York last month, recording a career-best Racing Post Rating of 116.

More will be required in the King Charles III Stakes, however, in which he will be facing his stiffest competition yet. The average winning RPR for the Group 1 sprint across the past decade is 123.

His rivals will include US raider Crimson Advocate, who was also successful at the meeting in the Queen Mary last year and made a successful return at Gulfstream last month.

What they said Mick Appleby (June 4): “He's going there fit and well and hopefully he'll put up a good run, but I think it's going to be a difficult race this year. It's going to be his toughest assignment yet, but as long as the ground isn't too soft then everything else should suit him. He's come out of his run at York well and it was a relief to see him win. It's always a big ask if they're going to train on from being a good two-year-old.”

Star rating *****

Big Evs15:45 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Michael Appleby

River Tiber 

Trainer Aidan O’Brien

Race St James’s Palace/Commonwealth Cup

Odds 16-1 (SJP), 7-1 (CC)

River Tiber was another successful two-year-old at Royal Ascot last year, when landing the Coventry Stakes, but there is less certainty about his target this month.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was beaten a length and a half when third behind Rosallion and Haatem on his comeback in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

Given how O’Brien’s horses have been improving for their reappearance, it was a promising effort and it would be no surprise if River Tiber could bridge the gap on those rivals in the St James’s Palace over a mile.

He does, however, have an entry in the Commonwealth Cup over the same course and distance as his Coventry Stakes win and is a considerably shorter price for that race, while a drop in grade to the Jersey Stakes over 7f is another option.

What they said Aidan O’Brien (May 25): “That was a lovely first run against two good horses. We will have to see now whether he will go over six, seven or a mile at Ascot.”

Star rating ***

River Tiber16:25 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

River Tiber15:05 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Rogue Millennium

Trainer Joseph O’Brien

Race Duke of Cambridge/Queen Anne

Odds 6-1 (DoC)/33-1 (QA)

Unlike the other horses outlined in this piece, Rogue Millennium is bidding for consecutive wins in the same race in the Duke of Cambridge.

She does, however, represent new connections having been sold by previous owners The Rogues Gallery for 1.65 million guineas at the Tattersalls December sale.

Rogue Millennium (right): won the Duke of Cambridge for Tom Clover last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Rogue Millennium, now trained by Joseph O’Brien and owned by Scott Heider, was a beaten even-money favourite on her stable debut in a Group 2 at the Curragh last month, but her third-place finish can be marked up as she was repeatedly denied a run at a crucial point.

She is seeking to become the first horse to win the Duke of Cambridge twice, with Integral and Usherette failing to follow up in the last ten years, and has a more speculative entry in the Queen Anne.

What they said Joseph O’Brien (May 20, before return): "Rogue Millennium has settled in well. She's a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed, she's a beautiful filly and the dream is to win a Group 1. We'll start over a mile, but I wouldn't be against trying her over ten furlongs and she could travel for international races."

Star rating ****

Rogue Millennium15:45 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

Rogue Millennium14:30 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

Gregory

Trainers John and Thady Gosden

Race Gold Cup

Odds 6-1

Gregory is aiming to emulate former stablemate Stradivarius by winning the Queen’s Vase and Gold Cup in consecutive years.

The Wathnan Racing-owned four-year-old has been beaten in three starts since his victory at the royal meeting 12 months ago, but there was encouragement to take from his return third behind Giavellotto in the Yorkshire Cup over 1m6f last month.

Gregory: last year's Queen's Vase winnerCredit: Edward Whitaker

The trip looked to be on the short side, with Gregory doing his best work late, and a step up to 2m4f could bring about plenty of improvement, which is needed given the task of taking on 2022 winner and short-priced favourite Kyprios.

What they said John Gosden (May 17): “I really liked the way he got his second wind and stayed on again. The plan is to go straight to the Gold Cup. He'll enjoy the distance."

Star rating ***

Gregory16:25 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: John & Thady Gosden

Vauban

Trainer Willie Mullins

Race Gold Cup

Odds 10-1

Gregory will be joined in the Gold Cup line-up by another winner from last year's meeting in Vauban, who landed the Copper Horse Handicap in 2023.

That form worked out nicely, with his stablemate and runner-up Absurde winning the Ebor at York on his next Flat outing.

Vauban, a three-time Grade 1-winning hurdler, finished down the field when a beaten favourite in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November, but he was a place in front of Gregory when second at York last time.

The Willie Mullins-trained stayer raced keenly on his reappearance and should be sharper for that outing. Like Gregory, he will be running over 2m4f for the first time.

What they said William Buick (May 17): “I was delighted, they'll be very happy with that run. Vauban is going to get further and we felt he was going to improve for that, so there are plenty of positives to take from it.”

Star rating ****

Vauban16:25 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Read more here

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