ITV Racing and Sky Sports will provide comprehensive live coverage across all five days of Royal Ascot 2020.
British horse racing’s biggest summer meeting will look very different this year as the Royal meeting takes place behind closed doors for the first time in its 250-year history.
Whilst no racegoers, nor Her Majesty The Queen, will be in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic, some of the best horses from around the world will still be competing at the highest level.
In this unprecedented year, there are several alterations to the race schedule, including six extra races being added to the meeting.
Live TV coverage of all five days of Royal Ascot 2020 will be shown on ITV and Sky Sports, with all six of the extra races to be broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports Racing, while ITV Racing is permitted to show free-to-air coverage of six races per day (seven on Saturday), 31 in total across the five-day meeting, including all of the feature races.
Full details of ITV and Sky Sports’ coverage, including TV times and daily race cards, can be found below.
ITV Racing will bring all the excitement of five days of top class racing to everyone watching Royal Ascot at home in 2020.
Daily free-to-air coverage will be shown from 1.30pm (12.50pm on Saturday), with race two onwards across all five days to be broadcast live on ITV and STV.
All programmes will be produced in line with social distancing guidelines with some members of the team joining virtually.
Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani will be at the racecourse to present ITV’s coverage, alongside classic winning jockey Jason Weaver.
Paddock reports will be provided by Mick Fitzgerald, with Luke Harvey down at the starts, while the team will have virtual input tipping and betting action from Matt Chapman and Kevin Blake.
Oli Bell will also be at the helm of the popular Social Stable, encouraging viewers at home to join in with the action and remotely interviewing some of the famous faces who would usually be there.
He will also present The Opening Show virtually from his home across all five days on ITV4 at 9.30am, where he will be joined remotely by Matt Chapman and Kevin Blake.
Richard Hoiles will be in the commentary box from Tuesday until Friday, with Mark Johnson taking over on Saturday.
Although Royal Ascot will look rather different in 2020, many participants in the sport, including owners, trainers and jockeys, will join the ITV team via remote technology throughout the live broadcasts.
Commenting on ITV’s coverage, presenter Ed Chamberlin said:
“Royal Ascot will be different this year but could be extra special. The race schedule looks spectacular and we’ll try and involve owners and people watching at home in the unique thrill and excitement only this meeting can produce.”
ITV Racing co-presenter Francesca Cumani added:
“No crowds, no royal procession, no singing around the bandstand… Royal Ascot 2020 will be a very different experience. It will be a year where, more than ever before, we will saviour the top quality action on the track and where we at ITV Racing, will be hoping also to have more interaction with you at home than ever before!”
ITV’s Royal Ascot coverage will also be simulcast online via the ITV Hub – itv.com – with further news and video content available via the ITV Racing website – itv.com/racing.
Sky Sports Racing is the only place to see every race live from Royal Ascot, featuring a bumper 36 races, eight Group One races and some of the finest racehorses on the planet.
With the meeting extended this year and six further races added, the opening race each day and the first two races on Saturday will be live and exclusive on Sky Sports Racing, with coverage of the meeting in full continuing thereafter.
Alex Hammond presents Sky Sports’ coverage alongside Jim McGrath, Hayley Moore and Josh Apiafi trackside, with support from a studio team including Freddy Tylicki and Jamie Lynch, who will provide in-depth SkyPad analysis of the best performances and biggest performances every day.
In the build-up to Royal Ascot, Sky Sports Racing viewers enjoy exclusive features on Royal Meeting legends including Frankie Dettori, plus hour-long pieces on the Group Ones, featuring the most iconic races and winners from years gone by.
Daily in-depth previews, race cards, analysis and video content will be available via Sky Sports’ dedicated Royal Ascot website – ascot.attheraces.com
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TUESDAY 16th JUNE – DAY 1
The Opening Show
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ITV Racing: Royal Ascot
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Raceday Live: Royal Ascot
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The meeting kicks off with the Buckingham Palace Handicap and includes two Group One’s, the Queen Anne Stakes, usually one of the best races of the week and King’s Stand Stakes, an exciting sprint up the straight.
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1.15 Buckingham Palace Handicap
1.50 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)
2.25 Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2)
3.00 King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)
3.35 King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1)
4.10 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
4.40 Ascot Stakes (Handicap)
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WEDNESDAY 17th JUNE – DAY 2
The Opening Show
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ITV Racing: Royal Ascot
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Raceday Live: Royal Ascot
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The Group One Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the highlight of day two, plus the Royal Hunt Cup is perhaps one of the spectacles of the week as the field thunder up the mile and provide a race that punters always relish.
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1.15 Silver Royal Hunt Cup Handicap
1.50 Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3)
2.25 King George V Stakes (Handicap)
3.00 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1)
3.35 Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap)
4.10 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed)
4.40 Copper Horse Handicap
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THURSDAY 18th JUNE – DAY 3
The Opening Show
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ITV Racing: Royal Ascot
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Raceday Live: Royal Ascot
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The highlight of day three remains the Group One Gold Cup, the meeting’s oldest race and its longest over two and a half miles.
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1.15 Golden Gates Handicap
1.50 Wolferton Stakes (Listed)
2.25 Jersey Stakes (Group 3)
3.00 Chesham Stakes (Listed)
3.35 Gold Cup (Group 1)
4.10 Britannia Stakes (Handicap)
4.40 Sandringham Stakes (Handicap)
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FRIDAY 19th JUNE – DAY 4
The Opening Show
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ITV Racing: Royal Ascot
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Raceday Live: Royal Ascot
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Day four’s highlight will be the Group One Commonwealth Cup, a spectacular sprint for three-year-olds.
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1.15 Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap
1.50 Albany Stakes (Group 3)
2.25 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)
3.00 Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)
3.35 Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
4.10 Queen’s Vase (Group 2)
4.40 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)
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SATURDAY 20th JUNE – DAY 5
The Opening Show
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ITV Racing: Royal Ascot
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Raceday Live: Royal Ascot
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A trio of Group Ones headline the last day with the Coronation Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes and Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
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12.40 Silver Wokingham Handicap
1.15 Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)
1.50 Coronation Stakes (Group 1)
2.25 Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
3.00 St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1)
3.35 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)
4.10 Wokingham Stakes (Handicap)
4.40 Queen Alexandra Stakes Conditions Race
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