Once kicking into gear, the flat season delivers a wonderfully consistent stream of highlights through the spring, summer, and on into autumn. Hot on the heels of last week’s Guineas Festival, we have the Chester May Meeting, Dante Festival, Derby Meeting, and more to look forward to before the big summertime double of Royal Ascot and the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Each of the aforementioned meetings has something to offer, but if pomp, pageantry, and Group 1 excellence float your betting boat, Royal Ascot is the standout fixture of the year. For many fans, the Berkshire bonanza is the meeting around which the entire season revolves, leading to significant interest whenever the latest entries are announced.
The first landmark entry stage came in late April, with the release of the potential runners for the eight Group 1 events. As ever, the assembling cast included many familiar names, a healthy dash of international talent, and even a superstar from the yard of Nicky Henderson.
Queen Anne Stakes – Grand Mo a First for Victor Barboza Jr.
The 2024 Irish 2000 Guineas and St. James’s Palace Stakes winner Rosallion heads the early market for the Richard Hannon team in the Day 1 opener. Lying in wait amongst the potential opposition are 2000 Guineas champ Notable Speech, the much-improved Dancing Gemini, and the 2.4 million Guineas horse Diego Velazquez.
International interest arrives in the shape of French duo Facteur Cheval and Ozat, and US star Grand Mo The First, who would be a first Royal Ascot runner for Florida handler Victor Barboza. Jr.
King Charles III – Asfoora at the Double?
In the long history of the Royal Meeting, no horse based outside of Europe has won the same race more than once. That may change in 2025, as the defending champ, Asfoora, near the top of the betting for the King Charles III Stakes. An easy one-length winner 12 months ago, the Australian mare looks set to defend her crown for Henry Dwyer.
The 2024 runner-up Regional and Breeders Cup hero Starlust is amongst the opposition, with the French trio Monteille, Keran, and Estepona adding to the international flavour.
St. James’ Palace Stakes – Shin to Strike for Japan
The 2000 Guineas runner-up, Field Of Gold, heads the betting for this 1m event, followed by the Guineas winner, Ruling Court, and The Lion In Winter, who topped the Guineas ante-post list for much of the winter.
Charlie Appleby and Aidan O’Brien are predictably mob-handed at this stage but who knows how many of those will make it to the line. However, the most intriguing entry is Japanese ace Shin Forever, who brings smart international form to the party.
Prince of Wales’s Stakes – Economics Tops the Market
Whilst disappointing in the Champion Stakes, the William Haggas-trained Economics had previously looked like a superstar in the making. With the soft ground a reasonable excuse for that effort, he is well fancied to bounce back on a more suitable surface.
Champion Stakes winner Anmaat returns as a seven-year-old and is prominent in the market for the Owen Burrows team. Elsewhere, Prix Ganay runner-up Map Of Stars looks like the pick of the three French entries.
Gold Cup – Star Stayer and Hurdling Great to Collide?
Having dominated the staying division in 2024 and returned with a smooth win in the Vintage Crop Stakes, stayer-supreme Kyprios is a hot favourite to claim a third Gold Cup.
The established British and Irish staying talents have work to do to turn the tables, but the Aidan O’Brien star may face a few new rivals in 2025. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fifth Sevenna’s Knight joins Candelari in a two-pronged French attack, whilst Daishin Pisces may represent the Land Of The Rising Son.
The intriguing entries from the National Hunt yards include Ebor and County Hurdle winner Absurde and none other than the highest-rated hurdler in training, Constitution Hill, from the yard of Nicky Henderson. Whether he ultimately takes his place in the lineup remains to be seen after a third successive loss in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, but Constitution Hill vs Kyprios is enough to set the pulse racing at this early stage.
Commonwealth Cup – Light Looms at Head of Market
Whether Shadow Of Light heads here or to the St. James’s Palace Stakes is yet to be decided after a third-place finish in the 2000 Guineas at the weekend. Nevertheless, the 2024 Dewhurst Stakes champ is out on his own at the head of the market for this 6f affair. Henri Matisse and Jonquil also feature prominently in the market, whilst unlucky Prix Sigy third Polyvega looks like the pick of the French raiders.
Coronation Stakes – French Fillies Catch the Eye
After locking horns in the 1000 Guineas this weekend, Desert Flower and Lake Victoria dominate the market for the big 1m event for the 3yo fillies. However, with three wins in the past decade, the French have an excellent record in this event. Francis-Henri Graffard is the man to fly Le Tricolore in 2025, with Prix Marcel Bousac 1-2, Vertical Boue and Zarigna, joining the unbeaten Mandanaba on the list of entries. Having finished second with Sharing (2020) and Spendarella (2022), US trainer Graham Motion will hope to go one better with Laurelin.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – Japan Joy in Jubilee?
Japan’s Satono Reve has suffered the misfortune of bumping into the world’s highest-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, in two of his three most recent outings. Whilst he proved no match for the Hong Kong superstar, he finished best of the rest last time out at Sha Tin. If repeating that effort, he may have solid claims of handing his nation a first success in the Day 5 highlight.
Other notable entries include ex-Aussie sprinter Storm Bay, who now resides at the yard of Aidan O’Brien, Champion Sprint winner Kind Of Blue, and impressive Newmarket Group 2 winner Topgear, who represents leading French trainer Christopher Head.
There is much water to flow under the bridge between now and the 17th of June, when Royal Ascot 2025 will start, and no doubt the markets will look rather different on the day. Nevertheless, the latest edition of the finest flat festival on British shores is shaping up to be a cracker.
