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SARGA.CO – Almeraq brought the curtain down on Royal Ascot 2026 in dramatic fashion, denying Japan's Satono Reve by a nose in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, 20 June. The narrow victory delivered the four-year-old his first Group 1 success and provided one of the most memorable finishes of this year's meeting.
The result carried even greater significance given Almeraq's recent history. The colt was making only his second start since returning from a serious accident suffered in 2025, and after a lengthy road back to full fitness, he returned to the biggest stage to conquer one of Europe's premier sprint contests.
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Run over six furlongs (1,207 metres) and worth £1 million in prize money, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes stands among the flagship sprint races of the British flat racing season. As the traditional closing Group 1 event of Royal Ascot, it once again delivered a fitting spectacle on the meeting's final day.
A field of 18 runners charged down Ascot's straight course on good-to-firm ground, with several contenders still holding winning chances approaching the final furlong. Among them was Satono Reve, who carried Japanese hopes of securing a major overseas sprint victory, while Australia's Joliestar also entered the race with strong credentials.
As the finish line drew closer, Satono Reve appeared poised to land a breakthrough international success. But Almeraq had one final effort left.
In the last few strides, he lunged forward to snatch victory right on the line, prevailing by a nose in a photo finish. Satono Reve was forced to settle for second, while Joliestar completed the international trifecta in third after a fiercely contested stretch duel.
Almeraq stopped the clock in 1 minute 11.82 seconds.
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Beyond the result itself, the victory carried deep emotional significance for connections.
In 2025, Almeraq suffered a serious fall that also sidelined his regular jockey, Jim Crowley. Their paths to recovery became closely intertwined, making the Royal Ascot triumph feel like much more than another Group 1 victory.
"He won nicely at Salisbury, but this is a completely different jump in class and he has managed to cope with it. He is a beautiful horse, we have always loved him, and I think he will get better because he is pretty lightly-raced," trainer William Haggas said after the race.
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trainer William Haggas said about Almeraq comeback to race.
Winning jockey Tom Marquand admitted his thoughts immediately turned to Crowley after crossing the finish line.
"I am not just saying this for effect, but my first thought when I thought I had won was for Jim. This horse and he both took horror falls at the back end of last year,” Marquand said.
He only hope the winning that Almeraq get, in his first G1 since comeback, were with Crowley. The jockey still in sideline since the accident back in September 2025. "Jim is fighting for his career, he should be aboard this horse, it is his ride," Marquand said
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Once again, Royal Ascot lived up to its reputation as one of the world's most prestigious horse racing festivals. Staged over five days at Ascot Racecourse, the meeting showcased some of Europe's finest Group 1 contests and remained one of the highlights of the British sporting summer.
The 2026 edition produced no shortage of memorable storylines, from Ombudsman's historic back-to-back victory in the Prince of Wales's Stakes to Almeraq's emotional triumph in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
For Almeraq, however, this success was about more than lifting a Group 1 trophy. After months of recovery and uncertainty, his dramatic victory on Royal Ascot's closing day became one of the most inspiring stories of the entire meeting.
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