The five-day Royal Ascot meet at Ascot Racecourse in England kicked off on Tuesday with four group stakes, including a pair of qualifiers for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup.

Chad Brown's 3,000th career win occurred in Friday's $506,263 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) when expectations were lessened.

If all goes well, Notable Speech will begin and end his 2026 season at Keeneland.

The divisional champions and Horse of the Year will be revealed during the awards ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach on Jan. 22.

The Godolphin homebred outclassed eight rivals in the $768,833 Woodbine Mile (G1) despite a slow start.

After a one-year hiatus, Godolphin can return to the winner's circle following the C$1 million Woodbine Mile (G1) on Saturday, when it will be represented by its classic-winning colt Notable Speech.

An action-packed opening Tuesday of racing at Royal Ascot yielded a mix of expected and surprising outcomes as the four group stakes churned out rousing finishes befitting the prestigious five-day meet.