Which races are the most significant at Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot stands as the definitive showcase of European flat racing excellence, combining centuries of tradition with elite competition across its historic five-day program.
While the pageantry and social spectacle captivate broader attention, it's the championship races that define the meeting's sporting significance – always proving hard to call in the racing tips.
The meeting's Group One portfolio offers a comprehensive examination across distance categories, with each contest presenting unique tactical challenges and performance requirements.
From explosive sprinting to gruelling stamina tests, these races establish the seasonal benchmarks for excellence. Read on as we assess Ascot’s key races.
Queen Anne Stakes
The meeting's traditional curtain-raiser delivers a straight-mile examination where tactical positioning meets cardiovascular efficiency.
The demanding uphill finish exposes limitations in even accomplished milers, with sectional data revealing winners typically maintain superior breathing efficiency through oxygen-deprived closing stages.
Early positional awareness proves critical with limited recovery opportunities across the punishing final furlong.
This year’s favourites include Rosallion and Dancing Gemini, who picked up a victory in a Group 2 miler at Sandown over Tamfana under the impressive Rossa Ryan.
King's Stand Stakes
The King's Stand Stakes, now known as the King Charles III Stakes, has evolved into a truly international contest, attracting top sprinters from around the globe.
This intercontinental participation has elevated the competition, introducing diverse racing styles and strategies that enrich the spectacle.
Five furlongs of pure velocity—the King's Stand Stakes is ultimate test of explosive acceleration and stride efficiency, with notable winners including Australia's Nature Strip, who delivered a commanding performance in 2022, and the American filly Lady Aurelia, whose 2017 victory showcased her exceptional speed, going onto win the Causeway back on the other side of the Atlantic.
Prince of Wales's Stakes
Open to horses aged four and older, this ten-furlong race is a highlight of the meeting. In 2024, Auguste Rodin delivered a standout performance for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien.
Since attaining Group 1 status in 2000, the race has seen champions like Dubai Millennium, Highland Reel, and Auguste Rodin claim victory, cementing its status as a highlight of the British flat racing season.
The 2025 race is expected to feature a competitive field vying for the £567,100 prize, with Economics, Los Angeles, Anmaat and Kalpana all forming the antepost favourites with incredibly tight odds.
Ascot Gold Cup
The meeting's historic centrepiece, the Gold Cup, presents racing's definitive stamina examination over a testing two-and-a-half miles.
Notable champions like Yeats, who secured four consecutive victories from 2006 to 2009, and Kyprios, who reclaimed the title in 2024 after his initial win in 2022, exemplify the race's prestige and the enduring appeal of stamina needed to compete at the top.
O’Brien will be looking to make it a hat-trick, but there is plenty of competition in an open field. Among the challengers is Gregory, a younger adversary who finished third on his seasonal debut, indicating potential for further improvement.
Vauban, trained by Willie Mullins, brings experience and speed to the field, making him a noteworthy competitor. Caius Chorister has demonstrated consistency with two second-place finishes this season, suggesting readiness for a breakthrough.
Additionally, both Coltrane and Sweet William have shown promise, with performances that hint at their capability to make a significant impact in the 2025 Ascot Gold Cup.
