Notable entries for the Group 1s at Royal Ascot
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Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of the Flat season, and this year’s renewal is shaping up to be one of the most compelling in recent memory. With high-class performers from Europe, Australia and beyond targeting the prestigious Group 1s, punters looking for a horse racing bet will have plenty to weigh up across the five days at Berkshire. Here is a look at some of the most notable entries for the week’s top prizes.
Bow Echo: St James’ Palace Stakes
The excitement around Bow Echo following his impressive 2000 Guineas victory has been palpable, and connections are set to keep him at a mile with a tilt at the St James’ Palace Stakes on day one. Trained by George Boughey and ridden by the brilliant young talent Billy Loughnane, the partnership has captured plenty of attention this season, and a Royal Ascot victory would represent another landmark moment for both trainer and jockey. He arrives at the meeting as the one to beat.
Daryz: Prince of Wales’s Stakes
The French raider Daryz offers a fascinating storyline heading into the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. He disappointed in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York last year, but an encouraging return to form on home soil tells a very different story. Back at his best, he beat Minnie Hawk in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before producing another eye-catching effort in the Prix Ganay. If that form translates to Ascot, he could prove a thorny opponent for the home contingent.
True Love: Coronation Stakes
Aidan O’Brien’s True Love was breathtaking in the 1000 Guineas, landing her trainer a first win in the Classic since 2021. The natural next step could be the Coronation Stakes, where she would face her own sex again over the same mile trip. O’Brien rarely travels to Ascot without plenty of firepower, and stablemates Precise and Diamond Necklace are also in contention for the race, meaning Ballydoyle could dominate the market. It shapes up as a potentially fascinating renewal with strong Irish representation at the top end.
Joliestar: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
Australian raiders have a proud history at the Royal meeting, and Joliestar looks set to continue that tradition in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. The Chris Waller-trained mare has been in scintillating form at Randwick this season, winning three races in succession, including back-to-back Group 1s.
She heads the market for the six-furlong showpiece, and if you are shopping around for Ascot odds on one of the most intriguing cross-hemisphere matchups of the week, her price could be well worth monitoring as the meeting approaches. The anticipation around her arrival adds real star quality to the sprint division.
Scandinavia: Ascot Gold Cup
The staying division has a fascinating dynamic this year, with St Leger winner Scandinavia set to challenge reigning champion Trawlerman in the Ascot Gold Cup. O’Brien’s stayer is the favourite heading into the two-and-a-half-mile feature, and his seasonal reappearance at Navan in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes was encouraging: he won comfortably enough and gave the impression he would come on for the run. Trawlerman will not surrender his crown without a fight, but Scandinavia’s classic form and improving profile make this a Gold Cup with genuine intrigue at the head of the market.
Royal Ascot 2025 has all the ingredients for a memorable week, and the Group 1 programme looks particularly strong across all five days.