Royal Ascot Review

Hi all,

Royal Ascot is done and dusted for another 12 months. Inside today’s main piece It’s the first of a two-part review of Royal Ascot 2025.

Royal Ascot 2025 – Tuesday to Thursday Recap

Five days of brilliant weather and high-class racing made this year’s Royal Ascot a proper summer spectacle. If anything, it was too hot but you can’t have everything.

There was a good spread of winners, with smaller yards getting in on the action. And while the racing delivered, the ground and watering policy caused plenty of discussion.

The Going is Fast

The official going on Tuesday was good to firm, but Timeform had it as FIRM from Wednesday through Friday. Any watering evaporated quickly under the hot sun, and it seems they may have underwatered, which isn’t a bad thing.

That said, the watering that did happen brought its own controversy. There was a clear stands-side bias on Thursday, only to see the bias completely reverse on Friday. It’s hard not to conclude that Thursday night’s watering erased the “golden highway” punters were expecting to be used again.

Some jockeys may have figured it out when they walked the track on Friday morning that going stands side wasn’t the place to be. Otherwise, why wouldn’t they have headed that way as they had done on the Thursday.

Sadly, the only ones truly in the dark were the punters.

Tuesday Highlights

Field Of Gold was the most impressive winner of the entire week, blitzing the St James’s Palace Stakes field. Just like his sire Kingman did in 2014. He quickened 2f out and strode clear to win by 3 lengths from Henry Matisse. He’s the best 3-year-old miler in Europe and indeed it’s hard to see any of the older generation of milers beating him. Timeform gave him 132p — just 2 shy of Kingman’s peak 134 after Tuesday race. He could end the season with a higher rating than Kingman.

Docklands nosed out Rosallion in a slowly run Queen Anne Stakes. The runner-up had come with what looked like a winning run inside the final furlong, but the winner had his head down when it mattered. Neither look like they can beat a Field Of Gold at his best

American Affair took the King Charles III Stakes, which frankly highlighted the lack of top-class 5f sprinters in Europe. Nice result for Jim Goldie, though.

Gstaad, from Aidan O’Brien, looked a sharp and mature juvenile when taking the Group 2 Coventry Stakes. He may get caught later in the season, but for now, his speed and professionalism gives him an edge over most of juvenile rivals outside the Aidan O’Brien yard.

Eyecatcher – Tuesday:

Aeronautic (Joseph O’Brien):

Improved for 1m6f in the Copper Horse Handicap when a 3 ¾ lengths 5th of 16 in French Master.  He remains a work in progress in handicaps and should be able land a decent staying handicap later this season.

Wednesday Highlights

Ombudsman proved he belonged in Group 1 company with a good win in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. The pace was red-hot early, with pacemaker Continuous help setting up the race for the closers. Ombudsman who had been held up in the rear came with a well timed for an impressive success. Other Group 1’s won’t be run at such a fast tempo, but the winner is a clearly a smart performer.

Anmaat ran a cracker in 2^nd. His performance was up there with last autumn’s Champion Stakes success, and he looks as good as ever at the age of seven. Softer ground would be more in his favour.

See The Fire (3rd) ran with credit but if she’s to land a Group 1 it will be against her own sex.

Map Of Stars (4th) couldn’t match the winner and runner-up’s pace in the final two furlongs and looks worth a try over 1m 4f.

Los Angeles (5th) was done no favours by the pace set by his stablemate. He’ll be better back over further and can bounce back later in the season.

True Love runner-up to stablemate Gstaad on her previous start was suited, by a strong pace on the drop to 5f when winning the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes.  She should stay 6f and could be up to winning a Group 1 juvenile contest this season.

Carmers smashed the 1m6f track record in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase. Billy Lee made his move turning into the straight, and it paid off to give Paddy Twomey first Royal Ascot winner. Now 3-3 connections have every right to be looking at the St Leger with his improving stayer.

Eyecatcher – Wednesday:

Dickensian (Kevin Ryan):

Showed bags of speed when a 1½ lengths 2nd of 23 to Havana Hurricane in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.  A sharp 5f at Goodwood or York could be ideal. Expect to see him pick up a nice prize this summer.

Thursday Highlights

Trawlerman runner-up to Kyprios in last year’s Gold Cup went one place better on Thursday. Using his guaranteed stamina William Buick judged the pace beautifully form the front and galloped his seven rivals into the ground. Kyprios’ stablemate Illinois briefly look like he would threaten entering the straight, but he could land a blow when Trawlerman kicked for home.  Dare one say it but even Kyprios may have struggled to contain the winner who was in no mood to be passed.

French challenger Candelari was a disappointment. He likely didn’t stay and possibly hated the firm ground. Either way he ended up well beaten.

Charles Darwin’s form coming into the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes was already good enough to win the previous five running’s of the race.  He was well ahead of his rivals on ratings and so it proved as he powered clear 1f out to wins in a good time. He’s built to be a sprinter like his sire No Nay Never and seems likely to be just as effective over 6f. With Gstaad and Albert Einstein, Aidan O’Brien has a stranglehold on the juvenile colt’s division.

Garden Of Eden relished the step up to 1m 4f when a dominate winner of the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes. She handled the quick ground well, and when getting a good stamina test like she’ll be a threat in the Group 1 races against her own sex. Given the talented 3-year-old fillies Aidan O’Brien has in his yard it will be interesting to see how she’s campaigned for the rest of the summer.

Eyecatcher – Thursday:

Daiquiri Bay (Alan King)

Daiquiri Bay was expected to improve for the step up to 1m4f and he did, finishing a never nearer 6½-length 8th of 19 to Merchant in the King George V Stakes (Handicap). Held up, he didn’t have the pace to land a blow but was doing his best work at the finish. A further step up in trip beckons. He looks a good candidate for the 1m 6f Melrose Handicap at York’s Ebor Festival. He’s an improving 3-year-old handicapper to keep firmly onside going forward.

In Tuesday's column I will conclude my look back at Royal Ascot 2025.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John