Ascot Stakes

Handicap, Ascot 17:00 £120,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 3f 210y, Class 2

Tweet Tuesday 16th June 2026

1 Kizlyar 25/1
2 Defiantly 25/1
3 Tinto 8/1
4 Barnso 40/1
5 Annabel's Ghost 40/1
20 ran Distances: hd, 2½l, shd
Time: 4m 20.94s (slow by 0.44s)

A battle of TWO horses 🥊🥊

Kizlyar denies Defiantly but trainer Joseph O'Brien trained them both to win the Ascot Stakes pic.twitter.com/zLs6oe5PXy

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 16, 2026

Kizlyar sprang a 25-1 surprise to lead home a Joseph O’Brien one-two after outstaying stablemate Defiantly in a gripping duel over the closing stages.

Having saddled the second, third and fourth in the race 12 months earlier, O’Brien fielded a seven-strong team and it was one of his outsiders who emerged victorious under Joey Sheridan.

Kizlyar edged to the front inside the final furlong and continued to respond when challenged, holding off the rallying Defiantly by a head to provide Sheridan with his first Royal Ascot winner.

Tim Toe stayed on for third on behalf of last year’s winning trainer Henry de Bromhead, while Barnso was the best of the British-trained runners in fourth.

O’Brien said: “Kizlyar came here after a good win last time and, after we couldn’t get into the Fred Winter, this became his next target.

“I’m absolutely delighted to win such a prestigious race with him.

“I’m especially pleased for Margaret Heffernan and her family. They lost her husband, Dr Andrew Heffernan, a few months ago and I honestly felt Kizlyar found something extra in the final 100 yards.

“For a moment it looked as though Defiantly might have outbattled him, but he dug deep and fought back all the way to the line.

“He could now be one to travel abroad with, depending on what the handicapper does.”

Margaret Heffernan, who established the H O S Syndicate for her grandchildren, said: “Today is incredibly special because I lost my husband Andrew 12 weeks ago and this was always going to be his week.

“The syndicate was really his idea. He believed in it and had enormous faith in Joseph.

“I’ve owned horses all my life, but we’ve never enjoyed success like this. It’s been wonderful for the grandchildren and Andrew would have been absolutely thrilled.

“We had two winners at Ascot last year, but this one means even more. Racing has brought our whole family together, with grandchildren travelling from all over the world to be here today.”

Sheridan said: “I genuinely didn’t know if I’d won. My right arm became tangled with James Doyle’s on Defiantly and I thought he might have got back past me.

“But I knew this horse was genuine and when I finally got my arm free, I just asked him to lower his head at the line and he responded.

“It means everything to ride my first Royal Ascot winner.

“I only started riding regularly for Joseph last year and his support has kept me in Ireland. When Dylan Browne McMonagle was sidelined earlier in the season, Joseph gave me plenty of opportunities, so it’s fantastic to repay him with a winner here.”

James Doyle said of Defiantly: “I’m delighted with his performance. The team felt stepping up in trip would suit him and the addition of headgear helped him settle and travel better. It all worked very well.”

Ronan Whelan said of Tim Toe: “He ran his heart out. He was all courage to keep on for third because he was beginning to empty late on.

“Turning in I felt I was travelling like the winner, but the front two simply found a little bit more.

“He’s produced a career-best effort and I think there’s still further improvement to come.”

Ascot Stakes Handicap
£120,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 3f 210y, Class 2
20 ran
Going: Good to Firm

Ascot Stakes Winners