Royal Ascot 2025 Tips - Race-By-Race guide to Day 1

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Wed 18 Jun 2025 01:45

Jon Vine 18 Jun 2025

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Royal Ascot 2025 Day 1 previews exciting races and provides betting tips
Highlights include Group 1 races and contenders like Rosallion and Andab
Expect thrilling races with top bets on Field Of Gold, Artistic Star, and Meydaan

Three Group 1's feature on day one of Royal Ascot 2025. (Getty)

Royal Ascot 2025 gets off to a sensational start on Tuesday afternoon.

Royal Ascot 2025 - Day 1 Preview
Race 1 - Queen Anne Stakes Tips
Race 2 - Coventry Stakes Tips
Race 3 - King Charles III Stakes Tips
Race 4 - St James's Palace Stakes Tips
Race 5 - Ascot Stakes Tips
Race 6 - Wolferton Stakes Tips
Race 7 - Copper Horse Handicap Tips

Three fantastic Group 1 races headline the opening day of racing, which also features the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and a couple of lucrative handicaps.

Our race-by-race preview for day one of Royal Ascot 2025 is included below.

Royal Ascot 2025 - Day 1 Preview

Race 1 - Queen Anne Stakes Tips

I'm not going to take the Lockinge Stakes form literally, as I fancy the third and fourth for that Group 1 have more scope for improvement than Lead Artist or Dancing Gemini. Notable Speech is a Classic winner who should love the track at Royal Ascot, but did completely bomb out when finishing seventh of eight in last year's St James's Palace Stakes.

10. ROSALLION came out on top that day, running up to an RPR of 124 when beating Henry Longfellow by a neck.

Richard Hannon's star finished second to a race-fit Notable Speech on his reappearance in last year's 2000 Guineas, and improved plenty to win the Irish version of that Classic, before producing a career-best performance at the Royal Meeting.

Going into the Lockinge, Hannon said openly that there was every chance Rosallion would need the outing and Sean Levey's mount was fairly strong in the market during the build-up, but travelled keen in the early stages and couldn't pick up when asked for an effort, trailing across the line back in third place.

Hannon has been much more bullish ahead of Royal Ascot, stating that Rosallion was "a good bit fitter now, and he will improve a lot for his first run".

I think he's the best horse in this excellent race.

Race 2 - Coventry Stakes Tips

I always think that the stands' side is the best place to be on the straight track at Ascot and most of the market principals have been drawn in double-figure stalls.

Gstaad (14), Military Code (15) and Postmodern (19) are locked in a battle for favouritism, but I'm happy to give another chance to 2. ANDAB, drawn just outside the market leaders in stall 20.

Joseph O'Brien's colt powered to an impressive victory over Gavoo on debut at the Curragh, which took his trainer by surprise, as he hadn't shown much at home.

Andab was then beaten into third in the Marble Hill Stakes by Albert Einstein - who topped the betting for this Group 2 before he was ruled out of the meeting.

O'Brien said in a recent stable tour that his colt had a small problem in-between those runs and he's been training well since that length-and-a-half defeat.

I'm sure Andab will step up to seven furlongs before the season is out, but a stiff six furlongs should be ideal now, given the stamina in his breeding.

If something was to take him into the race on the inside of the straight, 14. RAAKEB could challenge for the places. Richard Hannon's youngster won well on debut at Ripon, and has since placed third in two valuable conditions races.

Sean Levey's mount recovered well after a shocking start to place a close third in the Woodcote Stakes at Goodwood, seeing out six furlongs well on his first attempt.

Raakeb has got plenty of experience, and seems to have improved with each effort thus far.

Race 3 - King Charles III Stakes Tips

My usual MO with the sprints at Royal Ascot is to try and find some value.

Even though the most likely pace setters have been drawn towards the centre, there's every chance, with so many runners confirmed, that the field will split into two distinct groups - so I'm going to back one on either side of the track.

I'm hoping that the highest draw of all won't prove a problem for 23. WEST ACRE, who raced twice on the all-weather before heading out to Meydan in the winter.

George Scott's youngster ran a blinder on his first turf start in the UAE, losing out by just a head to Symbol Of Honour - winner of the Carnarvon and Sandy Lane Stakes since - in the Al Wasl Stakes, with future Group 1 dirt winner Dark Saffron five lengths adrift in third.

West Acre then claimed back-to-back Group wins, beating 109-rated Ponntos on both occasions and setting a new five-furlong track record with a three-and-a-half length demolition job in the Blue Point Sprint.

Callum Shepherd's mount took his chance in the six-furlong Al Quoz Sprint, where West Acre travelled nicely into contention from a wide draw, but couldn't find an extra gear over that longer trip.

Since returning to Britain, Scott has been training his budding stable star for this five-furlong test of speed, and West Acre has enough talent to compete with the best over the minimum distance.

On the low side of the track, I'm also happy to chance 4. KERDOS at a massive price.

Clive Cox's sprinter won the Temple Stakes at Haydock last term, and went on to contend in four top sprints later in the season.

Kerdos wasn't beaten far when fifth in this Group 1 12 months ago, before finishing behind largely the same rivals when fifth again in the King George Qatar Stakes.

Clive Cox's raider then placed fourth behind Bradsell and Believing in the Flying Five at the Curragh, before struggling a little from a low draw when sixth in the Prix de l'Abbaye.

Despite all of his best form coming over the minimum distance, Cox upped Kerdos to six furlongs for his return in the Duke Of York Stakes, where he was far too keen early on to have a chance of getting that longer trip.

Dropping back down in distance will suit this former Group 2 winner and Cox has secured the services of top French pilot, Christophe Soumillon, who will attempt to execute waiting tactics on this very capable sprinter.

Race 4 - St James's Palace Stakes Tips

We're almost guaranteed a fast pace in this year's St James's Palace Stakes.

Windlord took them along quickly enough at the Curragh, and Oisin Murphy will execute similar tactics, while both Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien will want an honest early gallop for their leading contenders too, so I'd be surprised if First Wave and Opera Ballo didn't push Windlord through the first half of the race.

Ruling Court was being trained to get the Derby trip since his victory in the 2000 Guineas and returning to a mile on fairly fast ground could prove to be a bit of a shock.

Henri Matisse may need a little luck in running from his customary position at the rear of the field, and I don't think the French 2000 Guineas form is anywhere near as strong as the British or Irish.

1. FIELD OF GOLD relished a fast early gallop in both the Craven and the Irish 1000 Guineas, quickening smartly to win both races by comfortable margins.

The pace was a little slower in the British 2000 Guineas and - whether it was his fault or Kieran Shoemark's - the favourite took longer than expected to find full stride, coming up half-a-length short of Ruling Court.

Colin Keane's mount will relish fast ground at Ascot and the stiff track will suit a horse who has been talked up as a potential Coral-Eclipse contender later in the summer.

Field Of Gold is the best three-year-old colt in the sport at the moment, and I'm expecting him to prove that at Royal Ascot.

That being said, I wouldn't rule 5. RASHABAR out too lightly.

I might have a soft spot for Brian Meehan's star, having tipped him up at 80/1 when he won the Coventry Stakes last year, but I thought his effort at the Curragh was much better than the bare result.

There's a chance he goes for the Jersey Stakes instead, but if Rashabar did turn up on day one, I'll be having a small each-way saver.

Race 5 - Ascot Stakes Tips

A tight affair, as usual, where Willie Mullins plays a particularly strong hand. I'm struggling to split the leading contenders, so I've decided to take a punt on 2. ARTISTIC STAR at a massive price.

Ralph Beckett's gelding finished seventh in the Epsom Derby on his third career-start back in 2023, and went on to run solid races in the King Edward VII Stakes here at Royal Ascot and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

Artistic Star only ran twice during a troubled 2024 campaign, and finished last on the all-weather at Kempton at the start of this year.

Beckett's five-year-old was much more competitive on his return to turf at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas day, keeping on to finish fourth having sat prominently throughout the Betfred Handicap.

That was a huge effort under 9-12 and Beckett has called upon talented claimer, Luke Dace to take seven pounds off Artistic Star's back on Tuesday.

With just 9-5 to shoulder, I'm hopeful that this once classy operator can see out this marathon distance.

Race 6 - Wolferton Stakes Tips

Simon & Ed Crisford thought they might have a St Leger contender on their hands after 12. MEYDAAN (20/1) made an encouraging start to his career last term.

This son of Frankel proved to be a little one-paced over middle distances, however, and simply hated soft ground on his final three-year-old start at Longchamp.

After an autumn gelding operation, the Crisfords dropped Meydaan down to a mile for his return in the Paradise Stakes, where he ran a solid race to finish fifth, having tracked Sardinian Warrior through the early stages.

Back over ten furlongs in the Festival Stakes, Harry Davies' mount made stealthy progress from the rear, but hung a little right in the closing stages as Liberty Lane repelled him.

I liked the way Meydaan travelled in the Paradise Stakes, and ten furlongs seems to be his optimum trip.

A wide draw can often be favourable on the round course at Ascot and Meydaan has enough quality to get involved in this competitive affair.

Race 7 - Copper Horse Handicap Tips

Just nine pounds separate the entire field in Tuesday's card closing handicap, where the four-year-olds have a stranglehold on this betting heat and I'm quite interested in Oisin Murphy's mount, 8. BARNSO.

Natalia Lupini's youngster won on his second start in handicaps at Fairyhouse in May, and has since gone close a number of times.

Barnso was touched off in the Ulster Derby, finished second to Aeronautic in a rated race, and then kept on to finish a very close third behind two decent operators in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at Leopardstown last August.

The son of Belardo was last seen finishing fourth behind Kyprios in the Vintage Crop Stakes and Lupini has opted to lower his sights since that Listed effort.

He remains open to further progress and could be worth chancing at an each-way price.

Verdict

Our best bets for Royal Ascot day one are:

Andab

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$9.50 - 5 Units

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Meydaan

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Barnso

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$13.50 - 5 Units

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Artistic Star

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$39.00 - 5 Units

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