THIS year’s Royal Meeting at Ascot Racecourse will boast a record prize fund.

The total pot will be boosted to a whopping £5,310,000, an increase of £310,000 on last year’s event.

In another change, the feature Group One race on Tuesday, the St James’s Palace Stakes, and thereafter the Group One highlight each day will be run as the fourth race on the card, whereas previously it has been staged as the third race.

Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We have added £25,000 to all seven Group One races and the same to the Royal Hunt Cup, Buckingham Palace Stakes and Wokingham Handicap.

“In all, 16 of the 30 races have received prize money increases, including the Queen’s Vase which we obviously want to see back as a Group Three as soon as possible. The minimum value of any race at Royal Ascot remains £60,000.

“We felt that the time was right to move the traditional feature Group One race to later on the card, now that all six races are shown live on Channel 4.

“In the BBC era, when the programming changed from BBC1 to BBC2 after the third race, it made sense to run the best race earlier. But that no longer applies and it seems sensible to give Channel 4 more time to build up to the big story of the day.” He added: “We have retained three Group One races on Tuesday, opening with the Queen Anne, as we strongly feel that it is right for the meeting to start with a bang.

“If we can get the Coventry promoted to Group One, something we will continue to push for, it is likely at that point that one of the Group One races would move to Wednesday.

“Also, we wanted to establish a loose pattern, where possible, of running the big handicap each day as the fifth or sixth race on the card as evidence suggests that this is best for betting turnover.” Early indications suggest this year could be a vintage Royal Ascot with the likes of Arc winner, Treve, and top Australian sprinter, Zoustar, potential runners.

Fellow international stars including USA’s No Nay Never and possibly Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente could also line up in the Gold Cup against The Queen’s double-seeking Estimate.

TICKETS for the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championships are on sale now. The race takes place on August 16 and 17.

Tickets start at £25. For more information go to www.ascot.co.uk.