As the season’s most prestigious and anticipated flat meeting, Royal Ascot features a collection of the biggest targets of the year for the most talented performers from Britain, Ireland, and beyond.
With so many top trainers ensuring that the best of their runners arrive at Berkshire in tip-top condition, the Group class events over the five days are amongst the most competitive of the season. It therefore stands to reason that, should a horse prove up to winning in the white-hot heat of Royal Ascot battle, they may well have the ability to add further success to their CV in the remaining Group class contests in the year.
With that in mind, we look back at the subsequent exploits of the eight Group 1 winners from the 2023 edition. Will the 2024 winners follow a similar trajectory?
Queen Anne Stakes – Triple Time
- Trainer – Kevin Ryan
- Sire – Frankel
- Subsequent Wins – None
Not the strongest of starts for Royal Ascot form trends. Raced just once more following his 33/1 shock success in the Queen Anne, the son of Frankel was promptly retired to stud at the end of his four-year-old campaign. Runner-up Inspiral did her bit to advertise the Queen Anne form – going on to land the Jacques le Marois and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
King Charles III Stakes – Bradsell
- Trainer – Archie Watson
- Sire – Tasleet
- Subsequent Wins – None
Another blank for the winner of the meeting’s major five-furlong contest. Following his career-best effort in the King Charles III Stakes, Bradsell finished a solid third in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York before rounding off the season with a below-par effort in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh. As with the Queen Anne, the runner-up fared better, with the ill-fated Highfield Princess claiming the King George Qatar Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Prix de l’Abbaye.
St James’s Palace Stakes – Paddington
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Sire – Siyouni
- Subsequent Wins – Coral-Eclipse, Sussex Stakes
Brilliant when slamming Chaldean in the battle of the Irish and English 2,000 Guineas winners, Paddington went on to deny Emily Upjohn in a thrilling edition of the Coral-Eclipse before confirming himself as the king of the mile division in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Retiring with four Group 1 wins, he joins the Coolmore Stud roster.
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – Mostahdaf
- Trainer – John & Thady Gosden
- Sire – Frankel
- Subsequent Wins – Juddmonte International Stakes
The second son of the greatest racehorse of all time on our list, Mostahdaf followed up his jaw-dropping 10/1 success in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes with a second career Group 1 in the Juddmonte International when benefitting from a perfectly judged front running ride by Frankie Dettori. Behind Auguste Rodin in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, he now resides at Shadwell Stud.
Gold Cup – Courage Mon Ami
- Trainer – John & Thady Gosden
- Sire – Frankel
- Subsequent Wins – None
The Gosden/Frankel combination also proved irresistible in the staying centrepiece of the season, with Courage Mon Ami producing a power-packed finish to land the Gold Cup. That was as good as it got for the Wathnan Racing runner, who was beaten in two subsequent outings before an injury-enforced spell on the sidelines. With the decline of Courage Mon Ami, it was left to runner-up Coltrane to confirm the Gold Cup form with wins in the Lonsdale Cup and Sagaro Stakes.
Commonwealth Cup – Shaquille
- Trainer – Julie Camacho
- Sire – Charm Spirit
- Subsequent Wins – July Cup
Striking a blow for the smaller operations, Shaquille took his winning streak to five when seeing off the hot favourite Little Big Bear with a remarkable last-to-first effort in the Commonwealth Cup. Repeating the trick when giving the field a head start in the July Cup at Newmarket, one of the stars of the 2023 season retired to stud following a blowout in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.
Coronation Stakes – Tahiyra
- Trainer – Dermot Weld
- Sire – Siyouni
- Subsequent Wins – Matron Stakes
Following a narrow second in the 1,000 Guineas, Tahiyra handed her veteran handler a Classic success in the Irish version of the race before proving a length too good for her rivals at Ascot. A silky smooth victory in the Matron Stakes followed before a solid third-placed outing on unsuitably soft ground in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – Khaadem
- Trainer – Charles Hills
- Sire – Dark Angel
- Subsequent Wins – None
Sent off at monstrous 80/1 odds, few saw the success of the seven-year-old Khaadem coming in the Group 1 highlight on the final day. Despite largely maintaining his form for the remainder of the season, he failed to hit the frame in four subsequent outings following his day in the sun. The aforementioned Highfield Princess finished third in the Jubilee, whilst fourth-placed Artorius grabbed Group 1 gold in the Canterbury Stakes back in Australia.