Royal Ascot 2025 Preview
Day 3
Thursday 19th June 2025
2.30: Norfolk Stakes: The opener on Thursday of the Royal Meeting once again comes at 2.30, and this is the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, which is set to be ridden over a distance of five furlongs. I think that CHARLES DARWIN could prove tough to beat here for the Ballydoyle battalions of Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He’s progressed markedly from his racecourse debut in April, where he finished fourth, winning his next couple of starts by a combined total just shy of nine lengths. He looks as though he’s only just getting going progression-wise, and it will likely take a big performance to get him beat in this.
Karl Burke won the race last year, and he sends Naval Light to take his chance in the Wathnan colours under James Doyle. He was beaten by Old Is Gold on his racecourse debut, who was prominent in the betting for the Windsor Castle stakes at the time of writing, and he was subsequently purchased by Wathnan. That form looks solid, and he’ll almost certainly improve coming into his second start here. Another one for the shortlist for me will be Richard Hannon’s First Legion, who’s set to be ridden by Shane Foley. He won a hot novice event on his racecourse debut at York in May before finishing a length second of seven within the Listed National Stakes at Sandown most recently. He arguably could’ve got closer to the winner that day, and I think he’s got every chance of running a big race in this. One at a bigger price that could run outrun his odds is Hey Tru Blue for George Boughey and Billy Loughnane, he was a length and a quarter behind Rock On Thunder on his debut at Leicester last month and that rival could be useful, he should improve for that run here and could get into the placings.
Shortlist: Charles Darwin, Naval Light, First Legion, Hey Tru Blue
3.05: King George V Stakes: The second of the day on Thursday is the 3.05 and this is the King George V Stakes, which is a Heritage Handicap that’s contested over a mile and four furlongs. MERCHANT looks like a big player here for the team of William Haggas and Tom Marquand. He progressed from his seasonal reappearance third at Newmarket to be an impressive winner at York last month over today’s distance, travelling powerfully into the race being winning readily. The step up in distance appeared to unlock a significant amount of improvement, and despite being up eight pounds here, he could still be firmly on the upgrade.
Ralph Beckett’s Sing Us A Song kept on strongly last time out over ten furlongs when winning at Sandown, and looks sure to appreciate a further step up in trip here given his pedigree. Another to note would be Gunship for James Ferguson and Oisin Murphy, he got the better of Merchant on the all-weather at Newcastle in the winter and was a winner over ten furlongs at the same track last time out. If he converts his all-weather form to the turf here, he can be involved. We have to mention Serious Contender for Aidan O’Brien, who could be just that. He won on his handicap debut at Leopardstown back in March, and could be a cut above this level.
Shortlist: Merchant, Sing Us A Song, Gunship, Serious Contender
3.40: Ribblesdale Stakes: We move back up in grade at 3.40 with the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, which is ridden over a distance of a mile and four furlongs. I think that the John & Thady Gosden trained LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL looks interesting here, who’s set to be ridden by Tom Marquand. She beat a subsequent winner on her racecourse debut on the all-weather at Kempton back in November, and was most recently second behind the exciting Falakeyah in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month. She was slightly outpaced that day and did her best work late, keeping on in the closing stages, which gave the impression that a further step up in trip should suit here. She looks as though she has plenty still to offer and could go well in a race in which her yard has had success in the past.
Catalina Delcarpio will be a warm order here for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee. She was a very impressive winner of a maiden at Leopardstown on her racecourse debut, and followed up by finishing second in a Group 3 at Navan on soft ground next time. A return to a quicker surface could suit her more here, and she looks highly progressive. Andrew Balding’s Serenity Prayer concludes my shortlist. She was a maiden winner on debut at Newbury and was second behind Oaks runner-up Whirl next time out in the Musidora Stakes at York. She should have more to offer.
Shortlist: Life Is Beautiful, Catalina Delcarpio, Serenity Prayer
4.20: Gold Cup: The feature race of the day, and the meeting comes up at 4.20 on Thursday, and this is none other than the Ascot Gold Cup, which is Group 1 action over two miles and four furlongs. A race which has seen many staying greats take its honours over the years, we have an intriguing renewal this time around. I think that TRAWLERMAN looks the most solid for John & Thady Gosden who will sport the blue silks of Godolphin under William Buick. He was second to Kyprios in last year’s race and asserted his dominance on his latest outing when beating Coltrane by five lengths in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown last month. He’s proven at the course and the distance, and with no Kyprios here this time around, he could well have his day in the sun.
Illinois will be an obvious big danger to all should he handle the step up in distance here; he’s a very classy horse and will try and step into the big shoes that his former stablemate Kyprios has left for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He won the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester last time out when beating the very solid Al Qareem, and he’ll be popular among punters here. French raider Candelari is somewhat of an unknown quantity here for Francis-Henri Graffard and Mickael Barzalona. He won a Group 1 by three and a half lengths last time out at Longchamp and looks like a serious improver. If he handles a faster surface than he’s generally used to, he has to enter calculations.
Shortlist: Trawlerman, Illinois, Candelari
5.00: Britannia Stakes: The fifth race of the afternoon is the 5.00, and this is another Heritage Handicap in the form of the Britannia Stakes over the straight mile. TEROOMM makes a lot of appeal for me here, who represents the team of Roger Varian and Silverstre De Sousa. He’s been making rapid progression so far this term, winning within maiden and novice company in April before taking his form to the next level when winning a Heritage Handicap at Haydock in May in the Silver Bowl. He kept on strongly that day to win by three-quarters of a length, and a six-pound rise may not be enough to halt his progress here.
A case can be made for most of them in this fiercely competitive affair, I’ve added Brave Mission to the shortlist, though, for Ralph Beckett and Colin Keane. He’s a novice winner who ran well on his handicap debut here in May over seven furlongs, finishing second of ten and just a length behind the winner. He should be competitive once again here up to a mile and just a pound higher. Parole d’Oro was just three-quarters of a length behind Teroomm when last seen in novice company at Thrisk in April; he certainly makes some appeal here on that form and on his handicap debut. Elsewhere, God Of War could go well at a big price for Tom Clover and Neil Callan, he was a neck second of nine at Chester last time out in a Class 2 handicap on his seasonal reappearance last month and could outrun his odds here off just a pound higher mark.
Shortlist: Teroomm, Brave Mission, Parole d’Oro, God Of War
5.35: Hampton Court Stakes: Moving onto the 5.35, and this is the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes, which is run over a distance of a mile and two furlongs. Another intriguing affair, of which HIGH STOCK looks a lively contender for Andrew Balding and William Buick. He was a winner on debut in a Newmarket maiden back in April and was only a neck behind the much more experienced Mount Kilimanjaro in Listed company at Chester last time out. He should take another big step forward following that run, and that makes him a player here.
Detain sets a very solid standard here for John & Thady Gosden under Colin Keane, he’s been running in Group 1 company on his last two starts and run very well in both, finishing two and a half lengths behind Henri Matisse and three-quarters of a length second behind Camille Pissarro, a repeat of either of those runs here could be enough. Elsewhere, there should be more to come from Jackknife for Roger Varian and Oisin Murphy, who was third last time out behind the potentially exciting Opera Ballo in Listed company at Sandown.
Shortlist: High Stock, Detain, Jackknife
6.10: Buckingham Palace Stakes: The concluding race on Thursday is the Buckingham Palace Stakes at 6.10 and this is a Class 2 handicap that’s contested over seven furlongs. I’m pretty strong on ENGLISH OAK here for the team of Ed Walker and James Doyle. He won this race last year in impressive style by three lengths, and has dropped back down in the weights to just a one-pound higher mark here. This plan has clearly been to come back here again, and he actually ran a decent race last time at Newbury when keeping on to finish sixth after a slow start. He’s a further three pounds lower following that run, and he has to have a huge chance if returning to the form of last year.
Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave makes appeal on the back of his fine effort at Chester last month when finishing a nose second of thirteen, he’s four pounds higher as a result of that run, but still looks a player on his second run of the campaign. Elsewhere, Billyjoh was second in the race last year and will contest this year’s renewal off just a pound higher mark. He comes into the race in form, having placed in competitive handicaps at Leicester and Doncaster in his last two runs. I’m also giving a tentative mention to Ramazan for Richard Fahey, he’s not shown much this term, however, he’s started to look well-handicapped and has a further five pounds coming off his back via Warren Fentiman, he could be competitive at a big price.
Shortlist: English Oak, Never So Brave, Billyjoh, Ramazan
