There are few events in the sporting calendar quite like Royal Ascot. Combining centuries of tradition with some of the finest flat racing in the world, it’s a meeting that captures national attention. With the Royal Procession, top-tier international racing, and an electric social atmosphere, the five-day festival from Tuesday 17th to Saturday 21st June promises a world-class sporting spectacle and plenty of betting intrigue.
Royal Ascot rightly dominates the racing interest this week, and the hugely celebrated event will be almost our sole focus in this week’s review. The only other meeting of note we want to mention is occurring at Down Royal. The Northern Irish course will be hosting the Ulster Derby on the final day of Royal Ascot, with the race scheduled for 4:30. As the most valuable flat race in Northern Ireland, this Premier Handicap is well worth a brief diversion of attention from Ascot’s grand finale.
Tue 17th: Opening Day Drama
The curtain rises on Royal Ascot 2025 with a bang. Day one traditionally gets off to a flyer with the Queen Anne Stakes, and this year is no exception. The one mile contest, held on Ascot’s straight mile, has some very recognisable names among the entries including last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes winner, Rosallion.
Speaking of the St James’s Palace Stakes, this is another of the three Group 1 races that day one of Royal Ascot enjoys. Restricted to three-year-old colts, this is usually a fiercely competitive contest and one which often sees the 2,000 Guineas champion in attendance, as looks set to be the case again. Although run over a distance of one mile, unlike the Queen Anne Stakes, this race is run on Ascot’s round mile track.
There are no bad races at Royal Ascot, such is the prestige of the event, but the biggest focus tends to be on the Group 1 events. The last of these to mention, happening on the opening day is the King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King’s Stand Stakes) is the standout sprint of the day. This five-furlong dash brings together some of the world’s fastest horses in a battle decided by split seconds. Whether you’re a seasoned punter or a casual viewer, it’s one of the purest adrenaline rushes in racing.
Wed 18th: Elegance and Excitement Continue
Although not quite as top-class as the opening day, Wednesday still promises to deliver plenty of quality entertainment at Ascot. The day begins with a trio of Group 2 races, including the Queen Mary Stakes, the second of the minimum-distance sprints to take place. After this hat-trick of Group 2’s it is time for the feature race of the day, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. This 1m2f Group 1 event is worth a whopping £1m and we are set for a fascinating renewal this year.
For Wednesday’s final three races, expect to see some very large odds and possibly some big-odds winners. The Royal Hunt Cup is especially popular among trainers, often attracting the maximum of 30 runners. The Windsor Castle Stakes meanwhile, has drawn in at least 23 runners for the past four years. It is not at all unusual across these two, and the Kensington Palace Stakes, to see winners 20/1 or even greater.
Thu 19th: Gold Cup Glory
On Thursday, the focus is on endurance thanks to the day’s biggest highlight, The Gold Cup. This gruelling affair, which tests horses over two and a half miles is the ultimate prize for any stayer and has been won by some truly great names since its foundation in 1807.
No trainer has won the contest more often than Aidan O’Brien, and unsurprisingly he has more than one possibility for it this year. Most notably though, he is responsible for the early favourite Illinois. This is a good omen for this race as favourites (or joint favourites) have won eight of the last 12 renewals of the contest.
Supporting races include the Ribblesdale Stakes, a key contest for three-year-old fillies which often features names that competed in the Oaks. There is also the Norfolk Stakes, the opening race of the day, which is an exciting sprint for two-year-olds which can unearth future Group 1 stars. Similar to Wednesday, there are two big field races later on in the day in the Britannia Stakes and the Buckingham Palace Stakes, which always give punters plenty to think about.
Fri 20th: Commonwealth Contenders and More
As we reach day four of Royal Ascot, the high-quality action just keeps on coming. There are two major races of the day, the Coronation Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup, worth a considerable £650,000 each. Both boasting Group 1 status, the second and fourth races of the day are the ones that will produce the most headlines.
Of the two, up first is the Commonwealth Cup, a relatively new but much-loved Group 1 sprint over six furlongs for three-year-olds. Since its introduction, it has provided a platform for sprinters too quick for the mile classics, and its roll of honour already includes stars like Caravaggio and Perfect Power. Later, it is the Coronation Stakes, an elite one-mile contest for three-year-old fillies. It is a regular target for 1,000 Guineas or Poule d’Essai des Pouliches participants.
Sat 21st: The Grand Finale
Saturday marks the final day of Royal Ascot 2025, but there’s no sense of winding down. The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes headlines the day, and it is a six-furlong Group 1 sprint open to older horses aged four and above. It’s a true international affair, often featuring top-class challengers from overseas. This year could well be no exception as the top four among the early betting include French, Japanese and Australian-bred horses.
The Hardwicke Stakes, a Group 2 contest over 1m4f for older horses, is another highlight of Saturday. It is often used as a stepping stone for horses targeting the King George later in the summer. Winning both races in the same year is a difficult feat, though, something last achieved by Harbinger in 2010. Elsewhere, the marathon Queen Alexandra Stakes fully deserves a mention. Once the longest professional flat race in the world, the 2m5f143y contest is the curtain closer to the Royal meeting and what a way to do it.
