15:40 Ascot

Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies & Mares)

1m · Flat · Class 1 · Good To Firm · 15 runners · £141,775 · Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Result

Race report

AI top pick wonat SP 5/2F·3.50

1st
Blue Bolt (IRE)AI top pick · 74.1
Colin Keane·Andrew Balding
5/2F·3.50
SP
2nd
Jancis (IRE)
Sean Levey·W McCreery·beaten 1.75 lengths
16/1·17.00
SP
3rd
Friendly Soul (GB)
Oisin Murphy·John & Thady Gosden·beaten .5 lengths
7/2·4.50
SP

Race time

1m 39.07s−0.13s vs std

On standard — typical pace for the course/distance.

Settled · 1pt level stake = 2.50 pt return on the winnerTipping P&L →

Furlong's verdict

Reading the form…

AI-written, grounded in our data on this race. May be wrong. Verify before staking. Opinion, not advice.

Pundit corner

Racing Post · third-party

Pundit pick: Blue Bolt

Blue Bolt arrives here with strong credentials — she finished second in a Group 1 mile last autumn and returned this season in excellent nick, winning a Goodwood Listed with authority. She is reported to have strengthened over the winter, suggesting there may be more improvement to come, and good-to-firm ground at Ascot suits her profile ideally. Friendly Soul is the obvious danger on her best form but missed the whole of last season, then was pulled up on her comeback only three weeks ago, leaving too many doubts to oppose our selection with confidence; Cathedral has undeniable class but was compromised by a strong pace last time, while Arisaig merits respect. **Blue Bolt** to finally land that Group prize.

Editorial from Racing Post analysts via the Racing API — not generated by Racing Alpha. Formbook forecast prices are estimates, not market prices.

Why the model rates this top

Blue Bolt

Colin Keane · Andrew Balding · 4yo

Top-rated of 15

score 74.1 · +4.2 clear of next best (69.9)

Scores compare runners within this race only

The Racing Alpha rating combines four signals. Below is the breakdown — components driving this pick first.

Form20% weight
90very strong
Last 6: 1-1-2-2-1
Freshness10% weight
85very strong
46d since last run (fresh)
Ratings50% weight
73strong
OR 110 — above field median
Trainer20% weight
55average
Andrew Balding: 11/49 winners last 14d (22%)

MarketNo market price available yet.

v1.3 rating — a field-relative score, not a win probability; for market-derived value see the Fair column in the runners table. Weights and method on /about. Tips are opinions, not advice.

Draw bias — Ascot 1m

full course data →

Moderate: high (outside) favoured (IV 1.16).

Low (1–5)

IV 0.87

Mid (6–10)

IV 0.98

High (11–15)

IV 1.16

Today: Blue Bolt (draw 11) and Cathedral (draw 15) get the bias; Friendly Soul (draw 5) is in the least-favoured band.

IV = impact value: 1.00 is neutral, above it a stall band wins more often than its share of runners predicts. 130 qualifying races at this course and trip, 3-year window.

Runners · sorted by finishing position

Pos	No.	Horse	Form	Wt	OR	RPR	TS	AI	SP
1	3	Blue Bolt J: Colin Keane · T: Andrew Balding · draw 11 4yo · F · b	11221	9-02	110	—	—	74.1	5/2F·3.50 SP
2	1	Jancis J: Sean Levey · T: W McCreery · draw 9 5yo · M · cht	46215	9-05	112	—	—	61.9	16/1·17.00 SP
3	10	Friendly Soul J: Oisin Murphy · T: John & Thady Gosden · draw 5 5yo · M · b	7111P	9-02	113	—	—	69.9	7/2·4.50 SP
4	12	Kon Tiki J: Billy Loughnane · T: Jane Chapple-Hyam · draw 10 4yo · F · ch	1172	9-02	105	—	—	61.1	12/1·13.00 SP
5	15	Snellen J: Mark Zahra · T: Gavin Cromwell · draw 7 5yo · M · b	42163	9-02	107	—	—	58.9	16/1·17.00 SP
6	4	Carolina Jetstream J: Ryan Moore · T: Robson De Aguiar · draw 2 4yo · F · b	11402	9-02	105	—	—	62.5	33/1·34.00 SP
7	6	Cathedral J: David Egan · T: Kevin Philippart De Foy · draw 15 4yo · F · b	45432	9-02	113	—	—	61.3	7/1·8.00 SP
8	2	Arisaig J: Jamie Spencer · T: Charlie Johnston · draw 1 5yo · M · ch	33024	9-02	102	—	—	57.1	40/1·41.00 SP
9	11	Godspeed J: James Doyle · T: C & Y Lerner · draw 12 4yo · F · b	81472	9-02	109	—	—	58.9	9/1·10.00 SP
10	8	Falakeyah J: Tom Marquand · T: Owen Burrows · draw 8 4yo · F · b	1966	9-02	102	—	—	66.5	22/1·23.00 SP
11	9	Francophone J: Christophe Soumillon · T: Charlie Johnston · draw 14 5yo · M · b	56140	9-02	105	—	—	57.3	50/1·51.00 SP
12	7	Dash Of Azure J: Rossa Ryan · T: Ralph Beckett · draw 13 4yo · F · b	01287	9-02	98	—	—	57.0	66/1·67.00 SP
13	5	Catalina Delcarpio J: W J Lee · T: P Twomey · draw 4 4yo · F · b	12341	9-02	104	—	—	63.0	13/2·7.50 SP
14	14	Shes Perfect J: Kieran Shoemark · T: Charlie Fellowes · draw 6 4yo · F · chtpFT TP	22936	9-02	108	—	—	53.9	33/1·34.00 SP
15	13	Noche Clasica J: Kevin Stott · T: Edward Bethell · draw 3 4yo · F · b	13114	9-02	98	—	—	64.4	40/1·41.00 SP

OR = official rating · AI = model score (0–100) · form reads oldest → latest

Frequently asked questions

Who won the 15:40 Ascot on 17 June 2026?

Blue Bolt (IRE) won the 15:40 Ascot at SP 3.50. Ridden by Colin Keane. Trained by Andrew Balding.

Did the Racing Alpha AI tip win the 15:40 Ascot?

Yes — the AI top-rated horse, Blue Bolt, won the race (AI score 74.1).

What were the placings in the 15:40 Ascot?

Top finishers: 1. Blue Bolt (IRE) (3.50), 2. Jancis (IRE) (17.00), 3. Friendly Soul (GB) (4.50).

What was the winning time for the 15:40 Ascot?

The winning time was 1m 39.07s, on standard time.

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