The big head-to-head clashes at Royal Ascot 2025

This week’s five-day Royal Ascot meetings promises to be an absolute cracker with great racing from Tuesday through to Saturday. There are a host of high-class horses bidding for some of the most prestigious races on the planet. I have focused on specific head-to-head clashes on each day of this racing extravaganza, writes Paul Alster.

Day One, Tuesday 17th June – 3:40 – Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes

This could potentially be the race of the meeting as we see not one, not two, but three 2000 Guineas winners taking each other on in a mouthwatering contest. Aidan O’Brien’s Henri Matisse came with a withering late burst to land the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp five weeks ago and is very much respected, but it is the rematch between Ruling Court and Field of Gold that will have most tongues wagging.

Charlie Appleby’s Ruling Court showed a fine turn of foot to seal the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in early May, getting first run on the John & Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold who flew up the hill and failed by just half a length to reel in the Godolphin-owned winner. Many observers felt that Keiren Shoemark on board the runner-up made his move a few strides too late and Shoemark was replaced by Colin Keane (who rides again on Tuesday) when Field Of Gold bolted up in the Irish 2000 Guineas at Curragh a little over three weeks ago.

In what might prove a race for the ages, will William Buick and Ruling Court (3/1) confirm form with the Newmarket runner-up, or will Field Of Gold (5/6) gain his revenge? This could be one hell of a contest.

Day Two, Wednesday 18th June – 4:20 – Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes

Last month’s Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh produced one of the best races so far this season. Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles, winner of last year’s Irish Derby and Great Voltigeur Stakes, then a fine third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October, had already made a winning reappearance at the Curragh in early-May in Group 2 company and was sent off favourite to follow up. He was always close to the pace before moving through to lead two furlongs out, but then faced a mighty challenge from last season’s Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes hero Anmaat who arrived upsides at the furlong pole then briefly headed the Ballydoyle colt.

With stamina proving his strong suit, Los Angeles rallied against the far rail and eventually got back up to score by a half a length after a fine battle. The rematch is on in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes on Wednesday with Los Angeles currently preferred in the market at 9/4 while Anmaat is offered at around 10/3. Anmaat was having his first run of the season when just outgunned at the Curragh against his race-fit rival and some observers wonder if he might gain his revenge this time with that run under his belt, especially if delivered to challenge closer to the finishing post by regular partner Jim Crowley. A great race is in prospect.

Day Three, Thursday 19th June – 4:20 – Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup

Twelve months ago the mighty Kyprios galloped to another emotional Gold Cup success for the all-conquering Aidan O’Brien. The seven-year-old was retired last month after picking up an injury when winning his prep race for his title defence, leaving the way open for a new stayers’ champion to be crowned. The O’Brien camp has brought in Illinois to try and fill the shoes of Kyprios, the winner of the Group 2 Queen’s Vase over 1m6f at this meeting last year and the subsequent St Leger second is apparently expected to stay the 2m4f. He made a winning return in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month (over 1m5f) to confirm his wellbeing. If Illinois (6/4) stays he might prove good enough, but we won’t know if he has the necessary stamina until Ryan Moore asks him to go win his race inside the two furlong from home marker.

Chasing home Kyprios last year in second and third places respectively were Trawlerman and Sweet William, both trained by John & Thady Gosden. Trawlerman (7/2) has been a great servant to connections and ran a marvellous race against Kyprios, leading most of the way before rallying, forcing the great stayer to pull out all the stops to score by one length. A repeat of that performance may well be good enough this time.

Sweet William (6/1) has been showing up for the feature Cup races for a number of seasons and always seems to run his race. He was set plenty to do when staying on from the rear to finish third in last year’s Gold Cup, then finished second in the Goodwood Cup before winning the Doncaster Cup at the St Leger meeting in September. If ridden a little closer to the pace this time Sweet William may well give his year older stable companion something to think about. It will be fascinating to see how the race turns out for these two old warriors on Thursday.

Day Four, Friday 20th June – 3:05 – Group 1 Commonwealth Cup

Assuming they both take their chance in what looks to be a fine renewal of this six furlong sprint championship for three-year-olds only, the clash between the anticipated favourite Shadow Of Light and Jonquil could be worth waiting for.

Shadow Of Light (Charlie Appleby) was a high-class two-year-old, achieving a rare Group 1 Newmarket double last autumn in winning both the Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs and the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs on the famous Rowley Mile track. Connections decided to let him take his chance at a mile in the Group 1 Betfred 2000 Guineas back at HQ in early May and Shadow Of Light ran a fine race, showing a blistering turn of foot to make rapid headway to lead two furlongs out but then being outstayed by Ruling Court and Field Of Gold on the uphill run to the line inside the final furlong.

In the end, the Justify colt finished an honourable third, but most people watching the race felt he didn’t quite see out the mile so it is no surprise to see Appleby dropping him back to six furlongs here. His very smart form thus far has come on ground no faster than good, so there is a possibility that Shadow Of Light might be a little less effective on the forecast quick surface. That said, he may still prove a very tough nut to crack.

Jonquil, trained by Andrew Balding, also has questions to answer about his ability to handle fast ground, but this son of Lope De Vega has done well this season, first landing the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April, then stepping up on that effort when failing by only head to beat Henri Matisse in the French 2000 Guineas over a mile at Longchamp in mid-May. The Kingsclere-based colt has always shown a fine turn of foot so it is not totally unexpected that connections now try his hand at sprinting – he has never raced over less than seven furlongs in four career starts – and if he takes to it he could be a force to reckon with.

If indeed Jonquil (8/1) takes on Shadow Of Light (7/4), we could be in for quite a race.

Day Five, Saturday 21st June – Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

The exciting French colt Lazzat (Jerome Reynier), winner of last season’s Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and an easy winner in his warm-up race for Saturday’s contest when scoring in listed company at Chantilly seven weeks ago, is clear early ante-post favourite for this high-quality six furlong sprint, even though he is unproven on fast ground.

Lazzat (7/2) may still be a force to reckon with, but old rivals Inisherrin, trained by Kevin Ryan, and James Fanshawe’s Kind Of Blue are both likely to have a say in proceedings. Inisherrin is tremendously versatile and has smart form on a variety of ground. Twelve months ago he powered to victory in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over this course and distance with Kind Of Blue four lengths back in fourth, but was a beaten favourite on his final two starts, finishing fifth in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket and a well beaten thirteenth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock. He has already shown his wellbeing this campaign in landing the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes at York last month in good style. He looks sure to be a player at a track that suits him well.

Kind Of Blue, although behind Inisherrin at this meeting in 2024, proved the more consistent of the pair for the remainder of last season. After finishing placed in a couple of Group 3 races during mid-summer, the son of star sprinter Blue Point took his form up a notch or two when caught close home by Montassib in the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock (in which Inisherrin was a well beaten favourite). He went one better though in October, storming home to win the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint, beating the tough Swingalong by a head.

Odds-on for his seasonal return at Chantilly in France a few weeks ago, Kind Of Blue (10/1) reared up as the stalls opened and lost all chance, eventually trailing home last of nine. That run can be overlooked. Assuming he jumps off on terms this time he should have quite a battle with old rival Inisherrin (5/1).

Paul Alster has broadcast and reported on the British racing industry for almost four decades as a commentator, journalist, presenter, betting correspondent, SP Returner, tipster and form analyst, among other things.