Unbeaten Records on the Line in Coronation Stakes

Thoroughbred Horse Sprayed with Water

Royal Ascot keeps the Group 1 good times rolling with another top-tier double bill on Day 4. The speediest three-year-olds are first up in a captivating renewal of the Commonwealth Cup. Later on the card, the classic generation of fillies tackles the prestigious Coronation Stakes.

First run in 1840 and named in honour of the coronation of Queen Victoria, the Day 4 feature offers £725,750 in prize money. Taking place over a mile of the round course, the race is the fillies’ equivalent of the St James’s Palace Stakes on the opening day.

In common with the colts’ event, the Coronation Stakes boasts an illustrious roll of honour. Russian Rhythm, Attraction, Immortal Verse, Winter, and Inspiral are among those to have strutted their stuff to victory in recent years. Who will join them in 2025?

Coronation Stakes 2025 Betting

Following the final declarations, a fascinating field of 11 remains in contention – including two who have yet to taste defeat at the track.

Falakeyah Flawless to Date

Having hit the Group 1 crossbar with Anmaat on Day 2, Lambourn handler Owen Burrows will hope to go one better here. In the Shadwell filly Falakeyah, he may have the horse to do it.

Falakeyah is closely related to another Burrows mare, Rowayeh, who won two of 12 starts at the track. In just two outings, Falakeyah has already matched that winning tally.

Far too good for the opposition on her sole maiden outing as a juvenile, she returned to claim the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in fine style. With the third and fourth from that contest finishing first and second in a Listed event next time out, the form looks solid.

Stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time demands more from this daughter of New Bay. However, she can scarcely have been more impressive in two starts to date. Second in the betting at a general price of 11/4, the market likes her chances of extending her record to three wins from as many outings.

Kon the One for Chapple-Hyam?

Night Of Thunder has emerged as a sire to note in recent years. Since retiring to the breeding sheds, the 2,000 Guineas champ has produced stars such as Economics, Highfield Princess, Desert Flower, and Ombudsman, who claimed the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes in sizzling style on Day 2 at this meeting.

Kon Tiki has yet to hit those heights, but she is certainly on the right track. Like Falakeyah, the Jane Chapple-Hyam filly raced only once at two when picking up a Maiden success at Wolverhampton.

Kept to a low level for her first start at three, she swept her rivals aside in a novice contest at Kempton. Moving up to Listed level and racing on turf for the first time, the chestnut faced her toughest test in the Listed Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes at York. She passed that test with flying colours, scoring by half a length.

On paper, her form doesn’t look quite as strong as that of Falakeyah, but she remains open to improvement.

Zarigana Flies the Flag for France

With four wins in the past 10 years, French trainers merit the utmost respect in this contest. When the filly making the trip across The Channel already has a Classic win to her name, punters have further cause to sit up and take notice.

Sporting the famous Aga Khan silks, Zarigana finished a nose adrift of the Charlie Fellowes’ runner Shes Perfect in the French 1,000 Guineas but looked unlucky, having suffered interference. The stewards agreed and promptly promoted the Francis-Henri Graffard runner to the top spot.

Now successful in four of five starts, this impeccably bred filly looks like a big threat to all.

Don’t Forget O’Brien

Three leading contenders, and still no mention of Aidan O’Brien? Rest assured, the Ballydoyle maestro isn’t about to let the 2025 Coronation Stakes pass him by, and sends a talented duo in pursuit of the prize.

Sitting on a mark of 111, the Frankel filly Exactly lies behind only Zarigana, according to the official handicapper. Whilst yet to strike at above Group 3 level, she boasts form figures of 334 in Group 1 company and finished just over a length behind Zarigana in the French 1,000 Guineas.

Despite Exactly’s solid claims, Ryan Moore jumps ship to take the ride aboard January. By Kingman and out of the Group 2 winning miler I Can Fly, January is nicely bred for the task at hand.

Never out of the first three in six starts during a busy juvenile campaign, she recently returned to the track in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Whilst only eighth that day, she can be expected to improve fitness-wise, and the jockey bookings may prove telling.

Lace Looks Best Of The Rest

Moving further down the list reveals a host of contenders with realistic hopes of at least hitting the frame. Having finished second, third, and fifth in the 1,000 Guineas, Flight, Simmering, and Chantilly Lace all bring solid form to the table.

Of that trio, the Ralph Beckett-trained Chantilly Lace is the most open to improvement on what will be just her third career start. Irish raider Cercene is another to note, having stayed on well for third behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1,000 last time out.

Will Falakeyah or Kon Tiki extend their unbeaten records? Can Zarigana land the prize for France? Or will Aidan O’Brien claim a fourth Coronation Stakes success? You can find out at 4:20 pm on Friday.