Who to follow at Royal Ascot 2025?

JOCKEY - Colin Keane

Colin Keane could have a memorable Royal Ascot in his new role as Juddmonte’s retained rider. Securing this new role ensures he will be riding some incredibly talented horses across the week, with four standout horses to keep an eye on.

Field Of Gold is the short price favourite for the St James’s Palace Stakes, after a scintillating display in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Keane rode her that day and will be hoping for a repeat performance to start the Royal Ascot week in style.

He also takes the ride on Group 1 Lockinge winner, Lead Artist, in the opening race of the week. While the Queen Anne looks a fantastic race, Keane will be hoping John and Thady Gosden’s colt can confirm placings with rivals such as Dancing Gemini, Rosallion and Notable Speech.

Kalpana made an incredibly encouraging return to action when third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and with race fitness now assured, she may be able to improve further in the Prince Of Wales Stakes.

Babouche is also of interest in the Commonwealth Cup, after impressing in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes at Naas. Keane could have a brilliant week and is certainly a jockey to keep an eye on.

TRAINER – Francis-Henri Graffard

The phrase quality over quantity certainly applies for Francis-Henri Graffard’s Royal Ascot contingent, with only three runners making the journey over from France.

However, there is a live possibility that the team could have a clean sweep of success, with strong chances in the Ascot Gold Cup, Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Coronation Stakes.

Candelari is very much the unknown horse in what appears to be a weaker Gold Cup than in previous years. He was very impressive in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp and brings untapped potential to an exposed staying division.

Map Of Stars is set to line up in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, for powerful owners Wathnan racing. He won the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt on his penultimate start, before doing very little wrong when second in the Group 1 Prix Ganay.

Perhaps Graffard’s best chance is French 1000 Guineas winner Zarigana, who will look to capitalise on Lake Victoria’s absence in the Coronation Stakes. She has won four from her five starts and holds an excellent chance in winning her second Group 1.

HORSE - Knight Raider

Recent Wathnan purchase Knight Raider is a fascinating candidate in the King Charles III Stakes for Karl Burke. He has been doing all his racing over six furlongs, so this drop to five presents intrigue and uncertainty.

One thing we do know, is he shows plenty of speed every time he races, often taking lengths out his rivals in the early stages. It will be fascinating if this can translate to a flying five, taking on the very best rivals such as Asfoora and Believing.

If he can, he presents real value at around 8/1 in an open looking contest.

TWO-YEAR-OLD – Power Blue

Power Blue is currently priced at 25/1 for the Coventry Stakes, a race for two-year-olds over six furlongs.

He will be bidding to give trainer Adrian Murray a second Royal Ascot winner, two years on from Valiant Force’s huge upset in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at odds of 150/1.

Son of three-time Group 1 winner Space Blues, Power Blue has done little wrong to date, winning her maiden before finishing a length behind Lady Iman and Albert Einstein on her second and third start respectively. If either of those horses were in this contest, they would be close to favouritism, so the odds of Power Blue are simply too big.

STALLION – Wootton Bassett

You won’t go far wrong if you follow the sire responsible for recent French Derby winner Camille Pissarro, French 2000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse and recent English Derby third Tennessee Stud.

Wootton Bassett continues to produce exceptional horses, and you can expect to see top level performers such as Topgear, Bucanero Fuerte and the above mentioned Henri Matisse, all at Royal Ascot 2025.