Greg Wood's report from Royal Ascot
That’s this blog wrapped for the day. We’ll be back tomorrow.
Don’t forget to gaze through Tom Jenkins’s photo gallery.
6.10 Royal Ascot result
1st Adrestia 10/1
2nd Hammer The Hammer 9/2
3rd Redorange 12/1
4th Zayer 16/1
24 ran,
Non-runner 15, 16, 18, 3
A fine winner from Oisin Murphy who seems the best judge of these races, give or take Ryan Moore. Realign was nowhere there as another fav goes down. Hammer The Hammer ran very well from start to finish. “It was a great spot. I’m delighted for all His Highness in Bahrain. Today she had the right conditions. I’m trying hard but I have a long way to go until I can match what Frankie Dettori achieved.”
“It was the only one we thought could win,” says Simon Crisford, the trainer. “The sheikh will be loving every minute of it. I knew she had eight, nine pounds in hand.”
Adrestia wins the Palace Of Holyrood Stakes
They load up quickly for one last Friday cavalry charge. Ruby’s Profit up there early, as is Hammer the Hammer. They are spread across the track. Red Orange and Adrestia are the contenders, and it’s another winner for Oisin Murphy, with Hammer The Hammer in second. That’s a winner from stall 23.
Updated
Here’s that Chris Gayle clip.
🏏‼️ 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗬𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗬𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗧 ‼️🏏
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2025
This man's energy is unrivalled 😆 pic.twitter.com/feKts5ysYn
6.10 pm Palace Of Holyrood Stakes odds
Realign 9/2
Hammer The Hammer 11/2
Brighton Boy 7/1
Adrestia 9/1
Dark Cloud Rising 11/1
Miss Lamai 12/1
Redorange 12/1
Zayer 12/1
Mr Lightside 18/1
Jorge Alvares 20/1
Stormy Impact 22/1
BAR 22/1 - 24 Starters
Odds v Oddschecker
Realign the most popular bet today with 17% of total bets.
Miss Lamia second with 12%.
5.35pm Royal Ascot result
1st Amiloc 11/8 fav
2nd Zahrann 11/4
3rd Galveston 20/1
Nine ran
Non-runners 8, 2
Ralph Beckett, winning trainer. “He wasn’t looking for the line. He’s a gelding, we had conversations over whether he should come. It all worked out. I wouldn’t be afraid to take anyone over slower ground. He’s in everything. [King George} if there’s some juice in the ground.”
So, a win at last for Ralph Beckett, and Amiloc looked sharp from the start for Rossa Ryan. That’s Beckett’s seventh overall, and Ryan’s horse looks good for the Eclipse or King George. “He travelled great,” says Rossa. “Because he hated the ground out there. He’s had a busy enough spring, and he’s had a hard race. Been a couple of difficult weeks, losing horses, but the pressure’s right off now.”
Amiloc wins the King Edward VII Stakes
Amiloc is heavy fav over Zahrann as they go in. There’s a delay as Minhad, the outsider, takes a while to go in. And he’s first in. Amiloc broke quickly, which was unexpected. Galveston under Ryan Moore takes up the early pace. Green Storm is the backmarker. Amiloc is sat in second. Galveston takes them up and down Swinley Bottom. He’s trying to win this wire to wire. Moore has set off at a rate and Amiloc goes clear. Amiloc is all out as they go over the line, Zahrann was the second, as forecast. Galveston held on for third.
Updated
5.35 King Edward VII Stakes odds
Amiloc 11/8
Zahrann 11/4
Wimbledon Hawkeye 11/1
Green Storm 12/1
Nightwalker 12/1
Opportunity 14/1
Regal Ulixes 14/1
Galveston 18/1
Minhad 80/1
Odds via Oddschecker
69% of all stakes today have backed Amiloc or Zahrann.
Chris Gayle, the cricketing legend, just did a star turn on ITV, cigar in hand, looking resplendent. Look out for it on social media. That was a true star turn. “My horse is still running,” he says.
That was even more of a bloodbath for fav backers. Racingblogger will presumably be hitching home from Ascot, boys. It’s been quiet on the course, too. Perhaps it’s just too hot.
Royal Ascot 5.00 result
1 Never Let Go (K Shoemark) 22-1
2 Cajole (Saffie Osborne) 25-1
3 Tabiti (C T Keane) 18-1
4 Oolong Poobong (Connor Beasley) 10-1
25 ran
Also: 16-5 Fav Miss Nightfall
Non Runners: 7,10,14
A winner coming the far side, and for Kieran Shoemark, jocked off by the Gosden team, who judged it beautifully. That’s one for Ed Walker, his trainer. Shoemark speaks after his second ever Royal Ascot winner. “I was always looking to the far side, she’s got a high finishing speed. She’s a filly that’s not short of speed. That’s the first time I ever sat on her. You just got to remain positive as a professional athlete. You have to hope things will change, and they did change.”
Never Let Go wins the Sandringham
Here comes the fillies handicap over the straight mile. Miss Nightfall and Dash of Azure lead the betting. Lots of money coming in for the royal horse, Purple Rainbow. It’s all a bit heated as they wait to go into the stalls. Purple Rainbow goes into 8-1, the son of Night of Thunder. Dancing Teapot, the Joseph O’Brien horse, under cult hero CD Hayes, is also fancied. They go straight across the course and then split, the second group down the centre. Easy On The Eye is the early leader, and then they close up. Miss Nightfall is trapped. The field spreads out, Never Let Go takes it from Tabiti and Oolong Poolong. Cajole was in there, too.
Updated
Here’s Cercene winning the Group One feature race.
33/1! CERCENE WINS THE CORONATION STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/cba83YNxWV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2025
5.00 pm Sandringham Stakes odds
Miss Nightfall 3/1
Dash Of Azure 6/1
Silver Ghost 15/2
Betty Clover 8/1
Zgharta 10/1
Oolong Poobong 12/1
Alfareqa 14/1
Purple Rainbow 14/1
Arabian Leopard 14/1
Dancing Teapot 20/1
BAR 22/1 - 25 Starters
Odds via Oddschecker
Biggest single win bet today has been on Dash Of Azure @ 7/1.
Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll receive the Coronation Stakes trophy from King Charles and pose for photos. They couldn’t be more happy. Francis Graffard is very sporting on Zarigana’s loss. “I will have to look for the blinkers,” he says. Princess Zahra, daughter of the late Aga Khan, says the horse has done a good enough job to be sent to stud. “Like her mother, she’s a bit nuts,” says the princess.
Updated
Joe Murphy, winning trainer of Cercene. “It’s 50 years of work, switching from the jumps to the flat. It’s a lifetime’s dream, she’s the sire of Australia, who I love. If she was an inch bigger, I wouldn’t have it. Gary gave her a great ride. She’s very tough, very resilient. The plan was for today so we draw up new plans.”
Royal Ascot 4.20 result
1 Cercene (G F Carroll) 33-1
2 Zarigana (M Barzalona) 6-4 Fav
3 January (R L Moore) 8-1
11 ran
Also: 33-1 Cathedral 4th
Big win for trainer Joseph Murphy, and a fine ride from Gary Carroll, the jockey. “This was my first Group One and if I wanted to win it was for Joe Murphy. She ran a blinder at the Curragh but the slow pace didn’t suit. She’s very tough, she wanted to win. So hard to come by, good horses, some get only one in their lifetime but she’s magic. She’s taken a step forward from the Guineas.”
Cercene wins the Coronation Stakes at 33/1
Ken Pitterson, the paddock expert, is well taken by Chantilly Lace, the Beckett horse. He fancies Falakeyah, though. It’s baking heat out there in Royal Berkshire. They go away well, Duty First goes forward, with Exactly, the Ballydoyle pacemaker. January is at the back. Falakeyah wants the lead but there’s plenty of chances, Zarigana looks to have it but Cercene holds them off to win at 33/1. January couldn’t take advantage of the pacemaker. The daughter of Australia gets it done.
Updated
3.40pm Coronation Stakes odds
Zarigana 6/4
Falakeyah 3/1
January 7/1
Kon Tiki 9/1
Exactly 11/1
Chantilly Lace 20/1
Flight 22/1
Cercene 22/1
Cathedral 40/1
Simmering 66/1
Duty First 66/1
Odds via Oddschecker
56% of total money staked today has backed Zarigana or Falakeyah
A quiet day so far for the O’Brien team, but the feature race may deliver, with January being ridden by Ryan Moore. Zarigana – the French Guineas winner, on a technicality – is favourite. Lots of money coming for her in this fillies race.
“He was going well enough to go where he wanted to go, unlike last year,” said Willie Mullins. “York, that’s where we normally go from here. These are just fantastic days. To have a winner on top is the cherry on the cake.”
Royal Ascot 3.40pm result
1 Ethical Diamond (R L Moore) 3-1 Fav
2 Mutaawid (Jim Crowley) 12-1
3 Naqeeb (Ryan Sexton) 33-1
4 Siege Of Troy (Oisin Murphy) 16-1
18 ran
Non Runners: 3,4
Ethical Diamond was fourth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, and now wins at Ascot. Mullins the master, the 91st win for Ryan Moore, who speaks to ITV: “He won easy, he picked up the bridle more than I liked, he won despite me making a mess of it. Last year’s was probably a stronger race.”
Ethical Diamond wins the Duke of Edinburgh stakes
Ethical Diamond is 3-1, and French Duke the second fav as they go in ahead of a stiff 1m 4f test. This is the round track so no lane bias as in the cavalry charges. Ethical Diamond is keen, with Ryan Moore having to calm him. He’s in midfield as they go past the first half-mile. Mount Atlas makes progress as the bell sounds. Ethical Diamond goes down the centre, and an armchair ride from Ryan Moore. Another win for Moore, another Ascot win for Willie Mullins. Well worth putting on a top hat and getting in a carriage for.
Updated
So, here’s the race where Willie Mullins has two horses, with Ethical Diamond and Blue Lemons, the former ridden by Ryan Moore. All the money coming for the Diamond. It’s not been a good day for the fav backers, after Thursday’s bookies’ bloodbath.
3.40pm Duke of Edinburgh Stakes odds
Almoshher 7/2
Ethical Diamond 7/2
French Duke 6/1
Hand Of God 13/2
Mutaawid 9/1
War Rooms 10/1
Stressfree 10/1
Mount Atlas 10/1
Siege Of Troy 14/1
Blue Lemons 25/1
Naqeeb 33/1
Biggest single win bet placed on Oddschecker today backing Ethical Diamond.
Here’s Tom Jenkins’ photo diary from the Royal meeting.
Another football connection, Kia Joorabchian, saw his Arizona Blaze come in second. Hitting the crossbar, so to speak. Harry Eustace, winning trainer, says. “It was very smooth. She’s been training very well and we felt we hadn’t seen the best of her. Delighted for Rich. All credit to the staff back home. She turned up in perfect shape. We knew we needed the racing luck and we got it.”
Richard Kingscote speaks to ITV Racing: “Since Sir Michael retired it’s always been a case of building back up and I was delighted to get such a good ride. She done a spectacular piece of work. Delighted for Harry, he’s such a good guy. I’m delighted.”
Royal Ascot 3.05 result
1 Time For Sandals (R Kingscote) 25-1
2 Arizona Blaze (D Egan) 28-1
3 Rayevka (M Barzalona) 20-1
21 ran
Also: 6-4 Fav Shadow Of Light, 66-1 Sayidah Dariyan 4th
Non Runner: 17
Time For Sandals wins the Commonwealth Cup
Lots of money goes in for Shadow of Light, also for Jonquil as they enter the stalls ahead of the 6f race. Strong Warrior goes off string as does She’s So Spicy. Shadow of Light is handy. The split in the field sees the nearside horses favoured. Time For Sandals goes it alone in the middle and takes the prize for Harry Eustace, and nobody from the nearside can get close. She was motoring under Richard Kingscote. Arizona Blaze led the nearside team home.
Updated
3.05pm Commonwealth Cup odds
Shadow Of Light 15/8
Babouche 11/2
Jonquil 11/2
Shisospicy 9/1
Ides Of March 12/1
Whistlejacket 14/1
Big Mojo 18/1
Rayevka 22/1
Time For Sandals 22/1
Sky Majesty 33/1
BAR 40/1 - 21 Starters
42% of stakes today have backed Shadow Of Light
Market Mover: Shesospicy 16/1 into 9/1
Patrick Veitch, master punter, was involved with that last winner. “Britain’s most feared punter,” as the Daily Mirror once described the Oxbridge mathematician. He’s turned horseman these days.
Clifford Lee told ITV: “Winning jockey Clifford Lee told ITV Racing: “When she ran the first time at Carlisle she did it very nicely. She was very babyish, wasn’t quite switched on, but after that first run she’s come on by maybe 20 lbs. We knew at home that we had a very good filly. Fingers crossed for the rest of the day. It’s not easy – you come here thinking you have a great chance but there are 20 others like that.”
Ian McAleavy: “Karl told us it’s the best two-year-old filly he’s ever had.”
Bloom: “After all Karl told us, we had a nice bet.”
Karl: “She’s kicking older horses all over the show.”
The talk is of the 1,000 Guineas for next year.
That was a win for Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner, with Ian McAleavy. Karl Burke’s horse didn’t get much applause as he came in. Looks like everyone was backing Signora.
🎥🚨 On board for the Albany Stakes with the winning jockey Clifford Lee@CliffordleexLee | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/MEEQq97zXM
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2025
Updated
Royal Ascot 2.30pm result
1 Venetian Sun (C Lee) 7-1
2 Awaken (Billy Loughnane) 66-1
3 Balantina (Tom Marquand) 40-1
17 ran
Also: 15-8 Fav Signora, 4-1 Fitzella 4th
That win came from being drawn in stall one, but she ran in midfield, central to the track. One for those looking for the best position on the track have something to consider. Great ride from Clifford Lee on Venetian Sun.
Updated
Venetian Sun wins the Albany Stakes
Ryan Moore rides Signora in the Tabor colours of the Ballydoyle collective. They load up slowly. It’s hot out there, and nobody wants to sweat up in the stalls. Signora goes off 15/8 favourite as the 17 horses load up. Magny Cours is last to go in. Signora takes up an early stride, sat just off the front. Reminders for Signora with two furlongs to go, and Venetian Sun takes it up, over Awaken, a win for Karl Burke, going well clear, at 7/1, having come in overnight.
Updated
The horses – the two-year-old fillies, are in the paddock, where’s it looks sticky, and with Yeats Bar just a short walk away for a refreshing drink. Hugo Palmer’s Fitzella takes on Aidan O’Brien’s Signora. “We’ll just have to see if she’s good enough,” says Palmer.
2.30pm Albany Stakes odds
Signora 2/1
Fitzella 5/1
Green Sense 11/2
Ipanema Queen 7/1
Gold Digger 8/1
Venetian Sun 9/1
Balantina 25/1
Tahalel 33/1
Awaken 33/1
Fairy Oak 33/1
BAR 50/1 - 17 Starters
Odds via Oddschecker
22% of total money staked on Oddschecker today has backed Signora.
Market Mover: Green Sense 9/1 into 11/2
Updated
Sound of the summer.
We LOVE this 😍
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2025
No better way to start the day for staff at @ascot 💃🕺 pic.twitter.com/qsxWUjUHGv
Here comes the Royal Procession, as they enter the course. The weather is less bright than before, a little more cloud cover than before. The King has a smile on his face, the Queen chatting away to Lord and Lady Cavendish. Sheikh Al-Thani is the owner of Quipco, who you may recall as sponsor of many a race. Also in the coaches is none other than Willie Mullins, who has a much fancied runner later on in Ethical Diamond. Didn’t recognise him in that top hat. Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s in the last coach. He was last seen at a sporting event – with brother Julian – when Leyton Orient lost the League One play-off to Charlton.
Updated
Market movers via Oddschecker.
1.30pm Green Sense 9/1 into 11/2
3.05pm Ides Of March 18/1 into 11/1
3.40pm Mutaawid 18/1 into 9/1
4.20pm January 5/1 into 15/2
5.00pm Miss Nightfall 8/1 into 7/2
6.10pm Brighton Boy 20/1 into 7/1
Kevin Prendergast 1932-2025
Sad news from Ireland
The death has been announced of renowned trainer Kevin Prendergast at the age of 92.
Prendergast, son of the legendary Paddy ‘Darkie’ Prendergast, was a leading amateur jockey before taking out a trainer’s licence in 1963.
Starting with Pidget’s victory in the 1972 Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Curragh handler would go on to win eight Classics at home, the last of which was Awtaad’s victory in the 2,000 Guineas in 2016.
His sole English Classic success came when Nebbiolo triumphed at the 1977 Newmarket 2,000 Guineas.
In all, Kevin Prendergast trained more than 2,000 winners. His last winner was Copie Conforme, ridden by Chris Hayes at Bellewstown last August.
Qatari royalty joins British royalty in the procession today.
The Royal Procession carriage list for Friday 20th June, the fourth day of #RoyalAscot 2025. pic.twitter.com/dZjPwX6UOu
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 20, 2025
ROYAL ASCOT 6.10, PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE STAKES HANDICAP, 3YO, 5F preview
Four non-runners bring the field here down to 24, but it is still a fearsomely difficult contest to close out the fourth day. The lightly-raced Realign, with James Doyle riding, has been well backed this morning to head the market, and he quickened well to go nearly six lengths clear of the runner-up in a novice event at Salisbury last time. An opening mark of 93 looks perfectly fair but his draw in stall 9 is a little off-putting. No such problems, though, for Oisin Murphy’s mount Adrestia, in stall 24, and she teed herself up for this race nicely with a close third at Windsor, her first start for nine months, a couple of weeks ago. Hammer The Hammer, who completed a hat-trick from a tricky draw at Chester’s May meeting, is another to consider, along with Andrew Balding’s Brighton Boy, seventh behind Silver Ghost and Miss Nightfall, who run in the previous race and should give an idea of the strength of the form, at Goodwood last month.
SELECTION: ADRESTIA
Updated
ROYAL ASCOT 5.35, KING EDWARD VII STAKES, GROUP TWO, 3YO, 1M 4F preview
Puppet Master, Aidan O’Brien’s Lingfield Derby Trial winner, is a notable absentee from the field due to the fast ground, which leaves Amiloc, who took his unbeaten record to four starts in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last time, and Irish raider Zahrann, impressive in the King George V Cup at Leopardstown earlier this month, as the only runners at single-figure odds. Timeform has them separated by just 1lb on ratings, although the much more experienced Wimbledon Hawkeye, a 14-1 shot who was third home in the Dante Stakes at York last time, is actually top on their figures, 2lb in front of Amiloc. One or both will be expected to improve past him here, though, and Zahrann, who has made rapid progress after making his racecourse debut as recently as 8 April, could have the quality to inflict a first defeat on Amiloc.
SELECTION: ZAHRANN.
Updated
ROYAL ASCOT 5.00, SANDRINGHAM STAKES HANDICAP, 3YO FILLIES, 1M preview
Time for a blast of the Royal Runner Klaxon, as the King and Queen’s third runner at this year’s meeting goes to post for this impossibly competitive fillies’ handicap. The first two – Reaching High on Tuesday and Rainbows Edge a day later – both set off as favourites and never really threatened to oblige for their backers, but Purple Rainbow, with the very capable apprentice Warren Fentiman taking off 5lb, is going to set off at more of a working person’s price and is currently on offer at 20-1. She started the season with an entry in the Oaks, and there was a smidge of encouragement in her run into fourth at this track in late April but the placed horses have done little to advertise the form and it is hard to argue that the handicapper has been unduly patriotic in handing her an opening mark of 84. More plausible winners include Silver Ghost and Miss Nightfall, first and second respectively in a strongly-run race at Goodwood in May, and Miss Nightfall, with Oisin Murphy booked to ride, has been a huge springer in the market this morning from double-figure odds down to clear 3-1 favourite. Silver Ghost is 6lb worse off at the weights today but she won with something in hand at Goodwood and, like Miss Nightfall, is drawn towards the favoured stands’ side, so 8-1 looks a fair price for her to confirm the form. Dash Of Azure, in the blue and white colours of Brighton & Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom, is also attracting support and is up just 5lb in the weights after a comfy success on the all-weather at Kempton in May, while Andrew Balding’s Zgharta, making her handicap debut with Hollie Doyle holding the reins, is another with a live chance from the 20-something stalls.
SELECTION: SILVER GHOST.
ROYAL ASCOT 4.20, CORONATION STAKES, GROUP ONE, 3YO FILLIES, 1M preview
A race which lost its likely favourite just over a week ago when Lake Victoria, the emphatic winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas, was ruled out, and with Desert Flower, the 1,000 Guineas winner at Newmarket, also missing after running a brave third in the Oaks at Epsom two weeks ago, the only major Classic winner in this year’s field is the warm favourite, Zarigana.She was awarded the Poule D’Essai Des Pouliches, France’s equivalent of the 1,000 Guineas, in the Longchamp stewards’ room after finishing a nose behind Charlie Fellowes’s Shes Perfect. That decision provoked plenty of comment – you can see what you think of it here – as well as an unsuccessful appeal from Shes Perfect’s connections. The other Guineas winners may be missing, but Ollie Sangster’s Flight was a runner in both, finishing an excellent one-length second behind Desert Flower at Newmarket before running a little below that level when sixth home at the Curragh. Aidan O’Brien has two runners in the absence of Lake Victoria, and January is presumably the pick of the pair as Ryan Moore is booked to ride. The most interesting runners against the favourite, though, are the two unbeaten fillies that were added to the field at the weekend, Falakeyah and Kon Tiki. The former was a deeply impressive winner of the 10-furlong Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting, where she raced freely in front but still had more than enough left to win unchallenged by three-and-a-quarter lengths. Her run-style there suggests the drop back to a mile will not be an issue. Kon Tiki, meanwhile, represents the top-class but, I feel, still somewhat under-rated Jane Chapple-Hyam stable. She won a Listed event at York’s Dante meeting with a good deal more to spare than a margin of half-a-length might suggest and posted a very good time in the process.
Key form:
1,000 Guineas, Newmarket, 4 May 25 (Flight, Simmering, Chantilly Lace, Duty First)
Irish 1,000 Guineas, Curragh, 25 May 25 (Flight, January, Duty First, Simmering, Cercene)
Poule D’Essai Des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas), Longchamp, 11 May 2025 (Zarigana, Exactly)
Prix Marcel Boussac, Longchamp 6 Oct 24 (Zarigana, Exactly, Simmering)
Michael Seely Memorial Fillies’ Stakes, York 16 May 24 (Kon Tiki)
Pretty Polly Stakes, Newmarket, 4 May 25 (Falakeyah)
SELECTION: KON TIKI
ROYAL ASCOT 3.40, DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAKES HANDICAP, 1M 4F preview
This is the slot once occupied by the King Edward VII Stakes, which is now the sixth race on the card, and the Group Two was bounced to the early evening primarily to give World Pool punters in Hong Kong a juicy handicap just before bedtime. That says a lot about the competitiveness and unpredictability involved when 20+ runners hare around the mile-and-a-half course, but also about the importance of World Pool to Ascot in maintaining its prize money at an internationally competitive level. Hand Of God is a familiar name from last year, when he won the Golden Gates Handicap over 10 furlongs, and he has had only one run since – which he probably needed – when finishing ninth of 13 in a handicap at Newmarket. Ethical Diamond, fourth in this race last year and also fourth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, runs for the Willie Mullins /Ryan Moore combination, while the Qatar-based Wathnan Racing operation has two runners, Almosh’her and French Duke. James Doyle, their retained jockey, would presumably have had the pick of the pair, and while Almosh’her is currently a point shorter in the betting, I’m inclinded to side with Doyle and go with French Duke, who will be having his first start of the season here.
SELECTION: FRENCH DUKE.
ROYAL ASCOT 3.05, COMMONWEALTH CUP, GROUP ONE, 3YO, 6F preview
By the standards of most British racecourses and festival meetings, Royal Ascot has Group One races coming out of its ears, but it would still be a little embarrassing to lose one under the Group-race system’s quality-control rules, which is a threat that was hanging over this race 12 months ago. It was awarded Group One status when it was founded in 2015, which itself caused some muttering at tracks which can only hope to upgrade their races to the highest level the old-fashioned way - via significant investment, hard graft and patience – but the average end-of-year rating for the first four home in 2021 and 2022 was a long way below the required standard of 115. But it got the decent renewal it urgently needed last year, not least thanks to the subsequent exploits of Lake Forest, the runner-up behind Inisherin, who went on to win one of the world’s richest turf events, the $10m Golden Eagle in Australia. It would further ease the fears over a possible downgrade if Shadow Of Light, last year’s Dewhurst Stakes winner over seven furlongs, could get the job done dropping back to six, and he ran as though he could well be most effective at sprint trips when fading late into third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Babouche, last season’s Group One Phoenix Stakes winner at the Curragh, and Whistlejacket, second in the Phoenix and then the winner of the Prix Morny at Deauville, are two more high-achieving juveniles in the field, and also finished first and second respectively in a Group Three at Naas in mid-May. Among the less-exposed potential improvers, Jonquil, has serious claims on his close second to Henri Matisse in the French 2,000 Guineas, although the winner did not do much for the form in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes. William Haggas’s filly Sky Majesty, in the same colours as Lake Forest 12 months ago, was unbeaten in three starts as a juvenile including a Group Two on heavy ground at Chantilly in October, and while she was a beaten favourite on her three-year-old debut on the all-weather at Chelmsford in April, her super-shrewd trainer is hardly renowned for running horses out of their depth. And there was also a lot to like about the way Shisospicy went about her business in the Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs in early May. Oisin Murphy is booked to ride for Jose D’Angelo and the daughter of Mitole, a cracking dirt sprinter in his time, has been attracting support this morning.
KEY FORM:
2,000 Guineas, Newmarket 3 May 25 (Shadow Of Light)
Phoenix Stakes, the Curragh, 10 Aug 24 (Babouche, Whistlejacket)
Prix Morny, Deauville, 18 Aug 24 (Whistlejacket)
Poule D’Essai Des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas), Longchamp 11 May 25 (Jonquil).
Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket 12 Oct 24 (Shadow Of Light)
Lacken Stakes, Naas, 18 May 25 (Babouche, Whistlejacket)
Mamzelle Stakes, Churchill Downs, 10 May 25 (Shisospicy)
SELECTION: SHADOW OF LIGHT.
Updated
ROYAL ASCOT 2.30, ALBANY STAKES, 2YO FILLIES, 6F preview
The two-year-old fillies’ equivalent of Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes for colts has a fine recent record when it comes to identifying the stars of the future, with both Meditate (trained by Aidan O’Brien) and Porta Fortuna (saddled by his son, Donnacha) going on to win Group One races later in their careers. And all three of the racehorse-training O’Briens have live runners in this year’s race, as Green Sense, who is stabled with Donnacha’s older brother, Joseph, tops the Timeform ratings, with Aidan O’Brien’s Signora not far behind. Green Sense and Signora finished second and third respectively in the Group Three Blackbear Fillies’ Sprint Stakes at Naas in May, when Joseph’s runner was having a second outing and his dad’s filly was making her racecourse debut. The market definitely expects Signora to make significant progress today and she is currently trading at around 9-4, with Hugo Palmer’s Fitzella next in at 5-1. She beat the re-opposing Tahalel by three-and-a-half lengths at Haydock last month, and is a big chance for Oisin Murphy to move within one win of Ryan Moore in the race for the jockeys’ title this week. Ipanema Queen and Gold Digger also have a single win against their name, and Richard Spencer’s runner, a 260k gns (£273k) purchase at the Newmarket breeze-up sale in April, showed a useful turn of foot to win his first start at Yarmouth and could well outrun his odds of around 9-1.
SELECTION: GOLD DIGGER.
Thursday was a big day – another big day – for Ryan Moore. The world’s best jockey? Perhaps so, and he’s moving into historical achievements.
A 2,594th British Flat success was enough to bring up one of the most impressive milestones of Moore’s incredible career, joining the likes of Sir Gordon Richards, Pat Eddery, Lester Piggott, Willie Carson and Frankie Dettori as one of the greatest-ever jockeys in the history of British Flat racing.
Moore remains a staggering 2,275 adrift of Richards in top spot, but has Fred Archer next in his crosshairs. Ninth on the list will be achieved with another 154 winners on British soil.
Trends and insights for day four
Via Oddschecker
Albany Stakes
Five of the past seven winners have come from the top three in the betting
All 12 winners have won that season before winning here
Last four winners have been from stall 8 or lower
31% of all bets this morning has backed Signora on Oddschecker
Green Sense 9/1 into 6/1
Commonwealth Cup
Four of the past five winners have come from the top three in the betting
Eight of 10 winners have been rated 113+
6/8 winners have come from stalls 5 or lower.
35% of total stakes on Shadow of Light
Time For Sandals 40/1 into 25/1
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
11 of 12 winners have come from stall 9 or higher.
Favourite hasn’t finished outside the top for in 9/12 meetings.
10/12 winners have been age 4/5.
French Duke 13/2 into 5/1. Most backed with 18% of all wagers today
Coronation Stakes
10/12 winners have come from the top three in the betting.
11/12 winners with SP of 6/1 and lower.
Four of the last five winners from stalls 5 and lower.
SP favourite has finished inside the top three in 7/8 renewals.
11/12 winners rated 108 and higher
Zarigana and Falakeyah taken up 57% of all bets placed this morning.
Zarigana 9/4 into 6/4
Sandringham Handicap
All four previous winners have carried 9st 2lbs or more.
7/10 winners have come from the top three in the betting.
Last four winners have come from stalls 16 and higher
10/12 winners have been rated 88+.
Miss Nightfall 18% of all bets this morning. 6/1 into 3/1.
Biggest single win bet backing Miss Nightfall @ 4/1.
King Edward VII Stakes
Seven of last eight winners come from the top three in the betting.
Favourite has won four of the past six.
73% of the total money today backing Amiloc and Zahrann.
Biggest single win bet of the day so far backing Amiloc.
Palace of Holyrood Stakes
All five winners have come from stall 11 and higher.
4/5 winners had 3 or 4 runs that season.
Brighton Boy 20/1 into 8/1
Biggest five single win bets this morning
1. Amiloc
2. Zahrann
3. Miss Nightfall
4. Shadow Of Light
5. Signora
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Friday's race schedule
Today at Royal Ascot
2.30pm Albany Stakes (Group 3) six furlongs
3.05pm Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) six furlongs
3.40pm Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) one mile, four furlongs
4.20pm Coronation Stakes (Group 1) one mile
5.00pm Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) one mile
5.35pm King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) one mile four furlongs
6.10pm Palace Of Holyroodhouse (Handicap) five furlongs
Ascot weather report
Forecast: A gentle breeze will provide light relief as it’s set to be another scorching, dry day.
High: 29 degrees celsius
Low: 16 degrees celsius
Ascot going report
Official Going
The latest ground report conducted at Ascot on Friday, 20th June has the official going as Good to Firm.
GoingStick
Stands Side: 8.7
Centre: 8.4
Farside: 8.5
Round: 7.1
Tom Jenkins is our snapper on course.
The Gold Cup is the big race of the week, and the spoils went to the Gosden team.
Preamble
Welcome to Ascot on the fourth morning of Royal Ascot 2025, where the sun is shining as it has been all week, crowds are up – again – year-on-year, and there are two Group One races for the near-capacity crowd to enjoy alongside three daunting handicaps where a winner could well pay for your ticket, a bottle of bubbly and a carriage ride home.
The Coronation Stakes, for three-year-old fillies over a mile, is the feature event on the card at 4.20, and while only one of the three major 1,000 Guineas winners is in the field – Zarigana, who won in France - two unbeaten up-and-comers were added to the race at the weekend and will give her plenty to think about.
The top-rated two-year-old of 2024, Shadow Of Light, is up against 20 opponents in the day’s first Group One, the Commonwealth Cup at 3.05, while in the King Edward VII Stakes later on the card “Ascot Derby”, Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc will attempt to extend his unbeaten record to five races against another very promising colt, Johnny Murtagh’s Zahrann.
Both the straight and round courses were watered overnight – 6mm on the straight course and 5mm on the round – and the going remains good-to-firm all over, but it will be drying all the time with temperatures heading into the upper 20s again today and Leovanni, in the Commonwealth Cup, is one of four scratches so far on today’s card due to the ground.
The action is underway at the immutable time of 2.30 with the Albany Stakes, a juvenile contest that has been won by several future Group One winners in the recent past, and as ever, you can follow all the news and action as it happens, from the publication of the carriage list right through to the last horse across the line in the concluding sprint handicap, here on the Guardian’s live blog.
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