Royal Ascot 2026 Trainer Power Rankings

Royal Ascot 2026 is upon us and trainers are busy preparing their runners for five-days of top quality flat action.

Aidan O'Brien will again hold strong hands in many of the big races throughout the week but there is plenty of strength in depth coming from a multitude of yards over the course of the meeting.

Here are bet365's 2026 Royal Ascot Trainer Power Rankings...

5. Charlie Appleby

Much has been made about Charlie Appleby's subpar campaign, however, he heads into the Royal meeting with a fairly stacked string of runners.

Although Appleby will have chances throughout the five days, it does look as if Tuesday is fairly crucial to his week. Both Notable Speech and Opera Ballo look set take each other on in the Queen Anne Stakes; quite the duo to go to war with for the opening race of the meeting.

Unexposed Talk Of New York looked vastly improved when winning the Heron Stakes at Sandown at the end of last month and he has a chance of upsetting the big guns in the St James's Palace.

Appleby hasn't been shy of a handicap success down the years and this year's hopes rest on the shoulders of Into The Light and Fort Rock.

• St James's Palace Stakes: Latest odds

4. Andrew Balding

The Andrew Balding operation has been absolutely flying this season, amassing an impressive tally of 87 winners and over £2.1m in prize money.

His successful alliance with Oisin Murphy means that Balding has the quality in the saddle to match the quality on the track and his team is amongst the most brilliant heading to Berkshire this week.

Both Kalpana and See The Fire were confirmed for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at the latest forfeit stage and even if they both don't take their place, Balding may only need one bullet to fire given their quality.

Stateira, Generic and Double Rush provide Hannon with plenty of handicap chances through the week and he may go out with a Group 1 bang on Saturday if Flora Of Bermuda takes her chance in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

3. Karl Burke

Zeus Olympios can get Karl Burke's week off to a flyer but, even if his run in the St James's Palace doesn't go exactly to plan, Burke still has plenty to shout about across the meeting.

A dual-winner this season, Night Raider is bidding to break his Group 1 duck in the King Charles III Stakes and juvenile filly Wild Blossom produced arguably the best two-year-old performance of the season so far when winning by 10 lengths at Carlisle.

Friday's running of the Commonwealth Cup sees Venetian Sun make her return to action. Despite worries that she hadn't trained on from two to three, her sparkling success in the Sandy Lane will see that she's sent off favourite here.

2. John & Thady Gosden

Clarehaven Stables are a real force to be reckoned with on the global stage and Royal Ascot has been very good to them over the years.

It's hard to select one from their plethora of chances this week but Ombudsman has to be the team captain. He was one of the stories of the season throughout 2025, winning two Group 1s, including the Prince Of Wales's Stakes where he is back for more on Wednesday.

Racing fans surely rejoiced at the news that Trawlerman will head to the Ascot Gold Cup to defend his crown and, sporting a unique pair of ski goggles in the prelims, will bid to defy a 243-day break at his beloved Ascot.

1. Aidan O'Brien

O'Brien has made Royal Ascot his own throughout his illustrious career and this year promises to be no different.

The Ballydoyle supremo is the all-time leading trainer at the meeting and is in a great position to add to his 91-strong tally, primed to send a frightening team of runners over the Irish Sea.

Gstaad goes in the St. James' Palace with the aim of turning around the Guineas form with Bow Echo from Newmarket off the back of his own Irish Guineas victory at the Curragh.

Scandinavia and Minnie Hauk are two established stars bidding for Group 1 glory in the Ascot Gold Cup and Prince Of Wales's Stakes respectively while Precise waits until Friday, bound for the Coronation Cup.

It wouldn't be like O'Brien to leave without a juvenile winner either; Sergei Diaghilev, Confucius and Victorious all boast impressive credentials through the week.