Royal Ascot Trials Day Moves to Friday from 2026 Following Fixture Swap
Ascot Racecourse has announced that Royal Ascot Trials Day will shift from its traditional Wednesday slot to Friday from 2026, following a fixture exchange with Musselburgh Racecourse.
The British Horseracing Authority and the Flat Pattern Committee have approved the change, which will see the meeting take place on Friday 1st May in 2026, with no alterations to the existing race programme. The new date also means the fixture will be broadcast live on ITV Racing, coinciding with coverage of the Guineas Festival’s opening day at Newmarket.
Royal Ascot Trials Day showcases several key prep races for the Royal Meeting, including the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes—a key trial for the Gold Cup—previously won by top stayers such as Estimate and Stradivarius. It also includes the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes (registered as the Pavilion Stakes), known for launching the careers of sprinters like Limato and Blue Point.
The seven-race card also features the Listed Paradise Stakes, which in 2024 saw Docklands and Maljoom place second and third before repeating those placings in the Queen Anne Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said:
“We are thrilled to be able to host this high-class fixture on a Friday with mainstream terrestrial coverage from 2026 onwards. It has long been an ambition to get the day onto ITV and we are grateful to Musselburgh for working so collaboratively to deliver the transfer. It’s an important card in the build up to Royal Ascot and hopefully will complement the opening day of the Guineas Festival at Newmarket really well.”
Richard Willoughby, Programme Editor at ITV Racing, added:
“We are delighted to be showing some of the feature races from Royal Ascot Trials Day in 2026. Outstanding contests in their own right, these races have provided important pointers to the Royal Meeting in the past and will enhance our coverage on Day One of Newmarket’s three-day Guineas meeting.”
Starting this year, winners of the three Pattern races on Royal Ascot Trials Day will receive a ‘wildcard’ entry into the corresponding Royal Ascot race, with their first-stage entry fee paid by Ascot. If already entered, the fee will be refunded. This initiative mirrors similar partnerships with Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby Meeting and Gulfstream Park for the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes, as well as arrangements with the German 2000 and 1000 Guineas.
Ascot has also introduced several updates for the 2025 season. These include the removal of early closing entries for four Group 2 Royal Ascot races (Ribblesdale Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes, Duke of Cambridge Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes) and a new ‘Run For Free’ scheme for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which will offer a record £1.5 million purse in 2025. Horses entered in this 1m4f contest (excluding supplementary entries) will have their entry fees refunded if they start the race.
Overall, Ascot Racecourse will offer a record £15 million in prize money across its 17 Flat fixtures in 2025, excluding QIPCO British Champions Day.
The prestigious season-closer, QIPCO British Champions Day, will feature seven races for the first time, including a new £250,000 two-year-old six-furlong conditions race. The QIPCO British Long Distance Cup has also been upgraded to Group 1 status, meaning the day will now host five Group 1 races. Total prize money for the meeting will be £4.35 million.