The never-ending racing roadshow rumbles on into June. Hot on the heels of the Epsom Derby Festival, there is now less than a week to go before the greatest show on Berkshire turf.
As ever, the five-day feast at Royal Ascot lays on 35 contests for our punting pleasure, including eight top-tier Group 1 events. Lit up by iconic races such as the Queen Anne Stakes, the St James’s Palace Stakes, and the Gold Cup, this meeting is amongst the most anticipated of the year.
With Charlie Appleby dominating the Newmarket Guineas meeting and Aidan O’Brien sweeping the board at Epsom, it is easy to be drawn to the established training titans when making our Ascot punting plans. However, there is more to the racing scene than the Godolphin and Coolmore powerhouses of the world.
Each year, a raft of new challengers attempt to shake up the big guns on the lush Ascot turf. Roger Varian is amongst those to have savoured the sweet taste of success in recent years, and so too is one of the rising stars of the Newmarket training scene, George Boughey.
Remarkable Progress at Saffron House
Despite only taking out a training licence in 2019, George Boughey has already ticked off milestones. Picking up a Classic win with Cachet in the 2022 1,000 Guineas, he grabbed a second Group 1 triumph with Via Sistina in the 2023 Pretty Polly Stakes and a third with Believing in the 2025 Al Quoz Sprint.
Royal Ascot has not escaped the Boughey success story, with the yard claiming famous triumphs in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, the Golden Gates Stakes, and the Sandringham Stakes. Having made his presence felt in three of the handicap events at the meeting, Boughey outlined the next item on the bucket list when stating:
“Having a Group winner at Ascot is the next goal”
If that target is hit in 2025, one of the following quartet may be most likely to put Boughey’s name up in lights.
Believing – King Charles III Stakes
With nine outings in Group 1 company, this speedy daughter of Mehmas is a regular visitor to the top table. Failing to handle the soft ground in her first Royal Ascot appearance in the 2023 Commonwealth Cup, she posted two cracking efforts in defeat at the 2024 meeting. Fourth in the King Charles III Stakes on the opening day, she returned on Saturday to fill the same position in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Snapped up by Coolmore at the end of 2024, she made a spectacular start to life in her new silks when storming home to claim a first career Group 1 in the Al Quoz Sprint. With Ryan Moore pencilled in to take the ride, it would be no surprise to see this four-year-old flyer go a few places better in her second crack at the King Charles III Stakes.
Awaken – Albany Stakes
Sharing a sire with Believing, this juvenile filly also appears to have inherited plenty of her father’s speed. Only making her debut on the 14th of May, she made a hugely promising start when finishing a close second to the highly-regarded Gold Digger from the Richard Spencer operation. The third and fourth from that contest both won next time out, lending a solid look to the form. Granted normal improvement from her first to second start, Awaken may not be far away in this Day 4 event.
Soprano – Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
Boughey boasts a particularly strong set of fillies and mares in 2025. Another name to throw into the mix is the horse who hit the high notes in the 2024 Sandringham Stakes.
It’s @loughnane_billy again at Royal @Ascot! Soprano wins the Sandringham Stakes! pic.twitter.com/Rqmx4QNFeY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024
Not up to much in Group 1 company as a juvenile, dropping into handicap company worked the oracle for Soprano in the 2024 Sandringham. Since that effort, she has bagged Listed and Group 3 events and twice hit the frame in Group 1 company. That suggests this Group 2 contest may be the right spot for the daughter of Starspangledbanner, and she looks set to go well.
Viamarie – Queen Mary Stakes
Sticking to the fillies, Viamarie went into many a notebook for the Queen Mary Stakes following an impressive debut success at Kempton in April. Backed as though defeat was out of the question that day, those who took the skinny odds had few moments of concern. Travelling nicely throughout, she had to switch very wide turning for home but displayed an electric turn of foot in the straight. Coming home two lengths clear under hands and heels riding from Billy Loughnane, she left the strong impression that she had much more in the locker.
✅ Homebred Viamarie (Mehmas) opens the account on debut in nice style@gbougheyracing | @loughnane_billy | @kemptonparkrace pic.twitter.com/6atYSSOH00
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 9, 2025
Expected to send a 10-strong team to the Royal Meeting, Boughey will have high hopes of continuing the rapidly ascending trajectory of his career.
