Royal Ascot 2025 tips - Best bets for Day 1

Published: June 17 2025 | 15:05

Last updated: June 17 2025 | 18:09

Sports Mole provides our Royal Ascot 2025 race-by-race tips and picks for Day 1 of the Royal Meeting.

Royal Ascot opens with the prestigious Queen Anne Stakes, the Group 1 mile race for older milers. In 2024, Charyn, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, claimed victory in this race with a time of 1m 38.04s, besting Docklands and Maljoom.

The Queen Anne Stakes set the tone for an electrifying week of racing in 2024 and is expected to do so again this year. Below, Sports Mole provides our top tips for each race on Day 1 of Royal Ascot 2025.

14:30 - Queen Anne Stakes (G1)

Rosallion - The dual Ascot winner needed his comeback in Lockinge, but still finished strongly behind top-class rivals. Trainer Richard Hannon has said that he is fitter now and that he will relish the mile trip. He ran RPR 124 back in April, and with Sean Levey likely to look to secure an early position, he remains the benchmark of the field. We make this our NAP of the day.

Our each-way value pick for the curtain raiser is the double Guineas winner Notable Speech. He ran into traffic at Newbury but clocked several sub-11-second furlongs late, indicating his ability at top speed. He is fitter this time out, and his acceleration down Ascot’s straight mile could easily see him track down horses late on.

15:05 - Coventry Stakes (G2)

Gstaad - The Aidan O’Brien-trained Gstaad produced a dominant win on debut at Navan, where he showed his speed and ability despite looking a little green. Notably, connections of Gstaad have openly admitted that they have been targeting this race with their prep, which is another tick in the right box.

The lurker for us, currently showing up at a tempting 10/1, is American Gulf. He is well-bred (half-sibling to multiple winners) and was visibly impressive when running on debut at Windsor. With the services of champion jockey Oisin Murphy, which is a major bonus, he offers strong value if improving from that debut effort.

15:40 - King Charles III Stakes (G1)

Believing - Ryan Moore gets the ride of Believing in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, and it is difficult to find too many reasons not to like this seven-time winner with 19 places in 25 starts. A model of consistency so far, and with a big engine, Believing looks perfectly suited for Ascot’s dip-and-camber sprint.

Asfoora pulled off a shock last year and is now fitted with the blinkers for added focus. If the Aussie mare can replicate that change of gear from 2024 into the final 200 metres or so this time, she could go close again. A solid option for place accumulators.

16:20 - St James’s Palace Stakes (G1)

Field of Gold - In the St James’s Palace Stakes, there is massive support coming in for Field of Gold after reversing his Newmarket 2000 Guineas loss in the Irish equivalent at Curragh. Now under Colin Keane for Juddmonte at Ascot, Field of Gold is the highest rated colt in this field and proven over a mile, suggesting he is set to dominate.

However, should the market leader fluff his lines, we like the look of Henri Matisse at 4/1. The French Guineas winner is bred for acceleration with a devastating finish. He ran a 33.15s closing furlong in Ireland and gets the services of Ryan Moore. Do not leave this one out of any bets for the day.

17:00 - Ascot Stakes (Handicap)

Reaching High - The Ascot Stakes sees Poniros set to go off as the favourite, but we like the look of the Willie Mullins-trained Reaching High to improve from his stable debut a month ago at Leopardstown. By Sea The Stars out of Gold Cup winner Estimate, the added trip looks right up his alley, given his stamina-laden pedigree.

At a mouth-watering 25/1, Leinster could be the boost for extended bets or as an each-way punt. He carries weight here, but took it on in the Chester Cup and ran a huge race. If Declan McDonogh can settle him better this week, Leinster’s natural stamina and untapped potential offer serious upside.

17:35 - Wolferton Stakes (Listed)

Haatem - The Wolferton Stakes is one of the most open on Tuesday’s card, with Kings Gambit and Sons and Lovers expected to duke it out at the finish. However, we are in the camp of the former Jersey Stakes winner and the highest rated runner in the field - Haatem. Strike a line through the flop on soft ground in France; this will be his redemption run at 9/1, and it will not surprise us if Richard Hannon and James Doyle end up in the winner’s enclosure.

Another that we are keeping tabs on is Liberty Lane, a progressive handicapper that won the Cambridgeshire under high weight and came back with a Listed win at Goodwood. A solid shout for the back-end of quartets.

18:10 Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap)

French Master - Tuesday’s get-out-of-jail pick is John Gosden’s Frankel colt French Master, who is unbeaten over this distance and produced an impressive run at Goodwood when going over the mile. Gosden mentioned that this race was the target for French Master, and has also fitted him with blinkers to sharpen concentration.

At 11/2, we make Willie Mullins’s Charlus out to be the biggest threat to the market leader. He struggled in the G1 Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham a few months ago, but carries solid French form, which Ryan Moore will look to use. If the ground holds, he could be a big runner.