Royal Ascot 2026: Pair of foreigners have strong chance in Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee

The top prize for Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in Britain may be leaving Europe.

The two leading chances in the $1.33 million race at six furlongs are Joliestar from Australia and Satono Reve from Japan. As of Thursday, they were priced at 9-4 and 9-2 by British bookmakers, the only runners in a field of 19 that were not double-digit odds.

Both have impeccable credentials in world-class sprints.

Joliestar, trained by Chris Waller, is unbeaten in three starts at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney this year, including her last two starts in Group 1 races – the Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on March 7 and the T.J. Smith Stakes at six furlongs on April 4.

:: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now.

In those wins, Joliestar has closed from a stalking position under leading Australian jockey James McDonald, who has the mount in the Jubilee Stakes.

There have been two Australia-based winners of the Jubilee Stakes this century – Choisir (2003) and Black Caviar (2012).

Satono Reve knows Royal Ascot. Trained by Noriyuki Hori, Satono Reve was second by a half-length as the 2-1 favorite in the 2025 Jubilee Stakes.

Satono Reve won the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at six furlongs at Chukyo Racecourse, Japan’s leading springtime sprint, for the second consecutive year on March 29.

More recently, Satono Reve was second in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at six furlongs on April 26 in Hong Kong, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind Ka Ying Rising, who is widely rated as the world’s leading sprinter.

Last year, Satono Reve was second to Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in advance of the trip to Royal Ascot.

In the Jubilee Stakes, Satono Reve will be ridden by Ryan Moore, who was aboard the 7-year-old horse for a ninth-place finish behind Ka Ying Rising in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin in December.

The Japanese-based Lugal, second in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March, and Australian-based Overpass are two other starters from outside of Europe in the Queen Jubilee.

Overpass, trained by Bjorn Baker, was third in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at five furlongs on Tuesday at Royal Ascot, finishing a length behind Mission Central. Overpass was fourth in the T.J. Smith Stakes in April.

Of the European-based runners, Comanche Brave, Lake Forest, and Sajir have strong credentials.

Comanche Brave, trained in Ireland by Donnacha O’Brien, won the most prestigious race of his career in the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at six furlongs on May 23 at The Curragh. He was fifth in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong in April.

Lake Forest was second in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-old sprinters at Royal Ascot in 2024. In his lone start this year, and only start since being gelded last year, Lake Forest won the minor Spring Trophy Stakes at seven furlongs at Haydock Park near Manchester on May 9.

Sajir, trained by Andre Fabre, is France’s best hope in the Jubilee Stakes. Sajir closed from the back of a five-horse field to win the Group 3 Prix Du Gros-Chene at five furlongs at Chantilly Racecourse north of Paris on May 31.

Last August, Sajir won the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at 6 1/2 furlongs at Deauville, France’s leading summertime sprint.

The Jubilee Stakes is the lone Group 1 on Saturday’s fifth and final day of the Royal Ascot meeting. First post time is 9:30 a.m. Eastern.

The Jubilee Stakes is preceded by two Group 2 races – the Hardwicke Stakes at 1 1/2 miles and the Norfolk Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs.

Ethical Diamond, upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar last November, is an outsider in the Hardwicke Stakes.

The field of 12 is led by Kalpana, a 5-year-old mare who has won her last two starts, both at 1 1/2 miles – the Group 1 British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot last October and the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury Racecourse on May 16.

There is an American presence among the 21 runners in the Norfolk Stakes. Trainer Wesley Ward starts the fillies Ez Tina, a maiden race winner at Woodbine, and Fanshell Beach, a maiden race winner at Churchill Downs.

The race is led by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Carry the Flag, who was second to stablemate Great Barrier Reef in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes on May 24 at The Curragh. Great Barrier Reef won the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.