Buckingham Palace Stakes 2026
The Buckingham Palace Stakes brings Thursday’s Royal Ascot card to a close and it is exactly the sort of race where the Turf Talk approach is useful. Run over 7f, this is a huge-field handicap where draw, pace, recent form, proven class and the ability to travel strongly through a cavalry charge all matter.
This year’s renewal has two clear trends horses in Cosi Bello and Storm Star, who both achieved a perfect 15/15 match. However, the wider Turf Talk model also gives strong respect to Dance In The Storm, The Lost King, Colombier, Great Acclaim, English Oak, Rock Of Cashel and So Darn Hot.
The star-rating table below follows the same expanded format as the Hampton Court page, with trends, ratings, speed, trainer angles and overall profile all combined into one final view.
Key Buckingham Palace Stakes Trends
- Last Win Price: 19/19 winners were no bigger than 12/1 on their latest winning start.
- Last Win Ground: 19/19 winners did not record their latest win on heavy, good to soft, standard-slow or fibresand.
- Speed: 19/19 winners had achieved a TS of 74+ in their last five starts.
- Higher Class: 19/19 winners had fewer than seven runs in a higher class.
- Higher Class Wins: 19/19 winners had fewer than one win in a higher class.
- Break: 19/19 winners had a break of 6-352 days since their latest placing.
- Market: 19/19 winners were within the first 22 of the market.
- Debut Location: 19/19 winners did not debut in France, Germany, Ireland or Wales.
- Season Profile: 19/19 winners had run in 2-14 races during the year.
- Career Win Price: 19/19 winners were no bigger than 22/1 on a career win.
- Draw: 17/19 winners were not drawn between stalls 10 and 22.
- Career Rating: 17/19 winners had achieved an RPR of 99+ during their career.
The pure trends shortlist is headed by Cosi Bello and Storm Star, who both achieved a perfect 15/15 match. Arctic Dawn, Dance In The Storm, English Oak, The Lost King, Defence Minister, Fondo Blanco and So Darn Hot all score strongly on 14/15.
Turf Talk Eliminator + Ratings
| Horse | Trends | Rating | RPR/TS | Profile | Speed | Trainer | Positives | Negatives | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosi Bello | 15/15 | 386 | 113 / 107 | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | Perfect 15/15 trends match, strong Topspeed figure, recent winner, progressive four-year-old profile and arrives from a Charlie Fellowes yard capable of targeting these big handicaps. | Drawn high and the yard’s recent strike-rate is only steady rather than red hot. | Main Selection |
| Dance In The Storm | 14/15 | 382 | 116 / 96 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Highest RPR in the shortlist, strong 14/15 trends match, Oisin Murphy booked and Andrew Balding yard is in excellent form. | Recent profile is not quite as clean as the selection and he needs everything to fall right from a low draw. | Main Danger |
| The Lost King | 14/15 | 379 | 114 / 96 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Strong 14/15 trends match, Andrew Balding yard in good form, consistent profile and looks the sort to run well in a strongly-run 7f handicap. | Needs a little more on raw figures to match the best in the race. | Shortlist |
| Storm Star | 15/15 | 377 | 113 / 96 | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Perfect 15/15 trends match and Andrew Balding yard is flying. Big-field handicap profile is interesting at the prices. | Apprentice claim and recent form raise slight questions, and he needs to reverse form with stronger-rated rivals. | Trends Danger |
| Colombier | 12/15 | 374 | 115 / 106 | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | Ryan Moore booked, strong RPR/TS combination and comes here off a win. | Only 12/15 trends and draw/pace setup needs to work. | Speed Danger |
| Great Acclaim | 13/15 | 372 | 114 / 106 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | Excellent RPR/TS balance, strong recent placed form and has the pace to travel well into this race. | Only 13/15 trends and needs to prove he can win in a race this deep. | Each-Way Chance |
| English Oak | 14/15 | 370 | 110 / 104 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | Previous course-and-distance winner, strong 14/15 trends match and still has enough class to be involved. | Needs to show he is still well handicapped and recent return has to be built on. | Course Specialist |
| Rock Of Cashel | 13/15 | 369 | 117 / 96 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Highest RPR in the field and Jamie Spencer booking is interesting for a hold-up ride in a straight-track handicap. | Recent form is patchy and trainer is harder to weigh up from the supplied data. | Big-Rating Danger |
| So Darn Hot | 14/15 | 366 | 115 / 100 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Strong 14/15 trends match, Ed Walker yard is in excellent form and ratings are good enough to hit the frame. | Recent finishing positions leave a little to prove and apprentice claim suggests a more speculative profile. | Place Possible |
| Vafortino | 9/15 | 364 | 113 / 107 | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | Course-and-distance winner with one of the best Topspeed figures in the race and strong Ascot handicap experience. | Only 9/15 trends and older profile is not ideal for the race trends. | Course Danger |
| Pellitory | 9/15 | 360 | 114 / 103 | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | Solid RPR/TS profile and enough ability to outrun odds if back to peak. | Weak trends match and current form is not as strong as the main contenders. | Needs Revival |
| Royal Velvet | 13/15 | 358 | 113 / 92 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | Comes here off back-to-back wins and has a solid 13/15 trends profile. | Needs more on the clock compared with the leading speed horses. | Progressive Outsider |
| Arctic Dawn | 14/15 | 356 | 110 / 93 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | Strong trends match and recent win gives him a live profile. | Raw ratings are below the main shortlist and this is a much stronger race. | Needs More |
| Mezcala | 12/15 | 354 | 112 / 103 | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | Jack Channon yard in decent form and useful RPR/TS blend. | Only 12/15 trends and looks more place than win profile. | Outside Chance |
Key: ★★★★★ excellent, ★★★★☆ strong, ★★★☆☆ fair, ★★☆☆☆ below ideal, ★☆☆☆☆ concern.
Final Turf Talk Filter
The final shortlist is headed by Cosi Bello, Dance In The Storm, The Lost King, Storm Star, Colombier, Great Acclaim and English Oak.
Cosi Bello comes out on top because he is a perfect 15/15 trends match and brings one of the best blends of profile, speed and recent form in the race. He arrives off a win, has a strong Topspeed figure and looks exactly the type of progressive four-year-old that can land this handicap.
Dance In The Storm is the main danger. He has a very strong RPR, a 14/15 trends match and the Oisin Murphy/Andrew Balding combination is a major positive.
The Lost King is another strong Balding contender and has the sort of consistent profile that should be suited by a strongly-run 7f handicap.
Storm Star is the trends danger as the other perfect 15/15 match. His price makes him very interesting, although the raw figures do leave him just behind the main trio.
Colombier, Great Acclaim and English Oak all have the class and speed to hit the frame if the race develops in their favour.
Buckingham Palace Stakes 2026 Tips
1. Cosi Bello 7/1
Cosi Bello is the Turf Talk selection after achieving a perfect 15/15 trends score.
He arrives here off a win, has a strong Topspeed figure and looks the right type of progressive four-year-old for this 7f handicap. In a race where profile is so important, he makes most appeal.
2. Dance In The Storm 14/1
Dance In The Storm is the main danger.
He brings one of the strongest RPR figures in the race, a strong 14/15 trends match and has Oisin Murphy booked for Andrew Balding. That combination keeps him firmly on the shortlist.
3. The Lost King 25/1
The Lost King completes the top three.
He has a solid 14/15 trends profile, represents the in-form Andrew Balding yard and looks well suited to a strongly-run 7f handicap.
Turf Talk Verdict
Cosi Bello gets the vote in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. He is a perfect trends match, arrives in winning form and has enough speed to cope with this big-field 7f test. Dance In The Storm looks the main danger, while The Lost King completes the top three. Storm Star is respected as the other perfect trends match and could outrun big odds.
Final Selection
Cosi Bello
1st: Cosi Bello 7/1
2nd: Dance In The Storm 14/1
3rd: The Lost King 25/1
Speed Danger: Colombier 14/1
The Buckingham Palace Stakes is always a demanding big-field handicap, but the trends, ratings and overall profile point most strongly towards Cosi Bello, with Dance In The Storm and The Lost King the main dangers.
