Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets on Saturday including 50/1 fancies in the feature

The final day of Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot 2026 comes to a close on Saturday following five days of brilliant action. The meeting has lived up to expectations so far and another competitive day is in the offing with a number of top class performers lining up on the hallowed turf at the prestigious meeting on the final day.

The sprinters take centre stage in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, Classic winners feature in the Hardwicke Stakes, and a host of familiar names line up in the multiple tricky handicaps on a thrilling card.

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Norfolk Stakes, 14:30, Royal Ascot - Back Star Prospect E/W @ 18/119.00

Despite being beaten as the 4/61.67 favourite when last seen, it could be worth keeping the faith in Star Prospect, who beat current favourite Carry The Flag convincingly on debut at the Curragh. The runner-up that day went on to frank the form in a Naas maiden before chasing home subsequent Coventry Stakes winner Great Barrier Reef in the Marble Hill Stakes, enhancing his claims for this contest. 

While it's plausible Carry The Flag has shown significant improvement from when the pair met previously, Star Prospect has only been seen once since and did race quite keenly at Naas in his latest start. He stuck on well late on, however, despite being unable to pose a threat, and there should be more to come from him.

The son of Starman is out of a mile winner in Swiss Kiss, a half-sister to 5f Group Three winners in Swiss Diva and Swiss Spirit, as well as Swiss Franc, once second to Henrythenavigator in the Coventry Stakes, and Swiss Dream, a three-time Listed winner over 6f and dam of Group Three 6f winner Yafta.

His maternal grand-dam, Swiss Lake, won three times over 5f, including twice at Listed level, therefore there's enough speed over this distance in the family to suggest Star Prospect has the credentials required to be competitive in a race of this nature.

With substance to his form already and with the yard among the winners this week at the Royal Meeting, the Joseph O'Brien-trained colt can make his presence felt with a favourable trip and is one to note.

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Norfolk Stakes, 14:30, Royal Ascot - Back Tribeca E/W @ 8/19.00

Blue Point colt Tribeca has only been seen once when winning at Navan in April. He stuck to the task well that day over 6f, showing he possesses some ability, grinding out the result from the front as the second closed late.

The drop down to 5f is interesting and could suit a bit better based on that effort. His dam's side of the family does offer hope for further in future, but he has shown he can stay 6f and also possesses speed, which should hold him in good stead here.

That Navan maiden has boasted winners such as Aesop's Fables, River Tiber, Camille Pissarro, and, most recently, Charles Darwin. The runner-up, Barrow Boy, has since franked the form by convincingly beating subsequent winner The Scallionator in his following outing, while the third, Arizona Raider, has landed a Roscommon maiden since. The eighth, Abletai, was only narrowly denied by Carry The Flag when last seen. Most notably, fourth-placed King Of Cloughan went on to win the Windsor Castle Stakes.

The form is already working out well and there should be plenty of further improvement to come from this unexposed colt, who fetched 575,000gns as a Tatts October Book 1 yearling. There's plenty of black-type in his pedigree and he could be capable of taking a significant step forward from his debut run.

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Ayr, 14:53 - Back Dancingwithmyself E/W @ 17/29.50

Five-year-old mare Dancingwithmyself has been running consistently well this term and finished a rallying third at Goodwood when last seen. From an unchanged mark of 90, she makes appeal, holding solid claims from a workable rating.

Trained by Michael Bell, the grey mare is 8lb higher than her previous success but she has shown to be capable of performing from a similar mark and should be worth keeping onside.

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Hardwicke Stakes, 15:05, Royal Ascot - Back Best Secret E/W @ 11/112.00

Four-year-old colt Best Secret is still unexposed coming into this Group Two contest. He has a bit to find with the main protagonists, but could be capable of showing plenty of further improvement that will be required, and could make his presence felt under James Doyle. 

Trained in France by Stephane Wattel, the son of Persian King has been steadily progressive and generally consistent in 10 starts to date. He finished third in the Golden Gate handicap here 12 months ago, running on well from a difficult position over the mile-and-a-quarter trip having been sent off at odds of 4/15.00, before winning a handicap at Goodwood.

In his final start of 2025, Best Secret beat the exciting Gethin to claim Listed honours at Saint-Cloud, before landing a Group Three when beating West Wind Blows by three-lengths in the Prix d'Hedouville last month.

The French-bred colt has already been shown to possess ability and has won at Group-level. He could be capable of making this further step up and is an interesting contender under James Doyle for Wathnan Racing.

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Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, 15:40, Royal Ascot - Back Regional E/W @ 50/151.00

Ed Bethell-trained Regional is a big price considering some of the form he has shown in the past at the highest level. The Group One winner finished second to Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes at this meeting a couple of years ago, and was third to American Affair in last year's renewal, as well as being narrowly denied when third to Believing in a top level Meydan sprint over 6f.

His latest run when third to Elmonjed at odds of 28/129.00 was a promising return to action on reappearance, and he's entitled to show improvement for his seasonal debut and take a step forward in this contest.

Holding each-way claims in this hugely competitive sprint, Regional makes appeal at the odds and could put in a bold bid to make the frame at the Royal Meeting once again.

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Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, 15:40, Royal Ascot - Back Jasour E/W @ 50/151.00

Jasour was once third to Inisherin in the Commonwealth Cup. He hasn't been able to truly threaten in his past two appearances, but put in a creditable effort when second to Aramram on reappearance at Doncaster, and could be capable of a big run on his day.

The son of Havana Grey has plenty of experience in tough races and finished sixth at 50/151.00 in last year's renewal, therefore cannot be discounted for Clive Cox and Rossa Ryan. He's a Group Two winner and has shown plenty of speed in the past.

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Jersey Stakes, 16:20, Royal Ascot - Back Thesecretadversary E/W @ 15/28.50

Fozzy Stacks and Seamie Heffernan struck in the Chesham Stakes with Nola Soul on Thursday and the pair team up with another solid contender in the form of Thesecretadversary on Saturday.

The St Mark's Basilica colt managed second as a juvenile in the Listed race won this week by his stablemate in 2025, before going on to claim Listed success duing his debut campaign. He was luckless in a Woodbine Grade One later on in the term, but successful in a Leopardstown Group Three on reappearance before putting his Classic credentials on the line.

While he has struggled to make an impact in his couple of starts in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent recently, the colt is capable of better and could be able to show further improvement. He's a likeable performer who has shown a good attitude, and this assignment could suit.

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Jersey Stakes, 16:20, Royal Ascot - Back Avicenna E/W @ 12/113.00

Starspangledbanner colt Avicenna showed good form as a juvenile when enjoying a faultless campaign with two Doncaster wins, including success over subsequent Classic-placed Hankelow in Listed company. He caught the eye on seasonal debut when second in the Craven, but struggled in the 2,000 Guineas.

Having disappointed only once in his four-race career to date, it could be worth forgiving the Roger Varian-trained colt and keeping the faith in him. He remains unexposed with the scope for further progression and shouldn't be discounted in the hands of Ray Dawson.

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Wokingham Stakes, 17:00, Royal Ascot - Back Apollo One E/W @ 30/131.00

Experienced gelding Apollo One makes his 50th career start in this hugely competitive handicap. He could be capable of outrunning his odds under Christophe Soumillon as he's currently on a workable mark of 97, 12lb lower than when a respectable seventh in the race last year at odds of 40/141.00.

The eight-year-old contender was only narrowly denied by a subsequent Group One winner in American Affair, when Soumillon partnered him previously, before going on to strike at Group Three level. He's a hugely classy performer on his day and, although he's getting older, he proved last year that he's still more than capable of performing in deep waters and could be peaking at the right time this term.

The course-and-distance winner has plenty of valuable experience in his favour and makes each-way appeal at the weights as he bids for a sixth career success.

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Nottingham, 19:10 - Back Green Triangle E/W @ 11/26.50

Four-year-old gelding Green Triangle could be worth keeping the faith in for Simon and Ed Crisford as he bids to return to some form. He hasn't been seen to best effect in two Newbury appearances so far this term in Britain, but put in a couple of noteworthy efforts in Meydan over the winter proving he retains ability.

Formerly trained by Joseph O'Brien, the son of Gleneagles showed some form in Ireland and featured in a race won by a future Derby winner in Lambourn. He appears well treated from a rating of 85 if at his best, and could put in a bold bid.

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Katie Midwinter's Day 5 Royal Ascot double

Back Regional (15.40 Royal Ascot) and Apollo One (17.00 Royal Ascot) in an each-way double

Betfair is offering Bet £10 Get £10 on Racing Multis, and the multi that makes the most appeal is an each-way double consisting of Regional in the Group One sprint and Apollo One in the competitive handicap.

Both feature in tough races but may represent value at the prices and could be capable of outrunning their odds well enough to make the frame. Regional has proven his capabilities in deep waters previously whilst Apollo One brings a huge amount of valuable experience into his contest.

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Now read more Royal Ascot tips here!

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