Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for day one’s racing coming your way from Royal Ascot 2025.
ROYAL ASCOT BEST BETS DAY 1 TUESDAY
Race 1 QUEEN ANNE STAKES (Group 1)
No3 DANCING GEMINI
Trainer: Roger Teal – Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
The Lockinge Stakes form from last month almost certainly holds the key to this mouth watering opener, with each of the first four home engaging in a rematch. While LEAD ARTIST appeared to score fair and square, albeit by a narrow margin, there’s a school of thought that suggests DANCING GEMINI can take his revenge.
The latter came to win his race approaching the final furlong, but having mastered his ‘obvious’ foes ROSALLION and NOTABLE SPEECH, was then mugged by the winner in the last few strides. The race was run in record time and should produce at least three of the first four home today.
DANCING GEMINI has Kieran Shoemark back on his saddle and the combination may find Rosallion the main barrier to success, as he looked in need of the race at Newbury, while my selection was iron fit on the back of a Listed and Group 2 success. Last year’s 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech also looked as if the race would do him good, and has to be in the shake up as he will also improve.
If there was to be an upset the Coolmore runner DIEGO VELAZQUEZ might be the one to provide it, but he’s looking to overcome a nine month absence.
Prediction: 1st DANCING GEMINI, 2nd Rosallion, 3rd Notable Speech, 4th Lead Artist
Race 2 COVENTRY STAKES (Group 2)
No1 AMERICAN GULF (Each Way)
Trainer: Paul Cole – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
This ranks as one of the hardest races of the week to find the winner along with the Britannia, and it’s with a degree of hope that I nominate AMERICAN GULF as a value option. The son of Ardad impressively landed some good bets on his debut at Windsor and hails from a stable that knows how to win this race. With the champion jockey in his saddle he can outperform his price.
Ryan Moore has chosen GSTAAD and this once raced individual stated his case when flooring a well regarded and more experienced filly at Navan. Coolmore also challenge with Wootton Bassett colt WARSAW, who also made his debut at Navan though starting at 18-1, and probably took his connections by surprise.
Godolphin’s MILITARY CODE brings solid form to the table courtesy of successes at Newmarket and Ascot where he had to dig deep to land the odds. He will break from a part of the gate that includes the first three in the betting, which brings in Yarmouth scorer POSTMODERN.
Prediction: 1st AMERICAN GULF, 2nd Gstaad, 3rd Military Code, 4th Warsaw, 5th Postmodern
Race 3 KING CHARLES III STAKES (Group 1)
No12 ASFOORA (Each Way)
Trainer: Henry Dyson – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Australian sprinter ASFOORA produced a sustained change of gear in the final 220 metres to beat REGIONAL in the corresponding race 12 months ago and a similar outcome would be no surprise. Henry Dwyer’s mare has prepared for this with back-to-back visits to Morphettville, scoring on her first run of the year only to run below expectations last time. She’s equipped with first time blinkers, and will probably remain on British soil to contest big sprints at Goodwood and York later in the summer.
REGIONAL was afforded a select campaign with only three outings in 2024, whilst returning with a solid effort to trouble the judge in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in early April. Ed Bethell’s charge can again make a race of it with his old adversary.
BELIEVING doesn’t know how to run a bad race and under Ryan Moore looks poised for another big earn. She came out best in a blanket finish to the Al Quoz and seems bullet proof, while hat-trick seeking MGHEERA is an upwardly mobile new kid on the sprinting block, and could easily be involved.
Prediction: 1st ASFOORA, 2nd Regional, 3rd Believing, 4th Mgheera
Race 4 ST JAMES’S PLACE STAKES (Group 1)
No 1 FIELD OF GOLD (Nap)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Colin Keane
Any arguments about who is the best three-year-old miler should be settled in a fascinating race that FIELD OF GOLD can dominate. Rider error cost the grey victory over RULING COURT in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and he then showed with a clear cut success in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh that he’s going to be hard to topple at the mile trip.
In the meantime RULING COURT, who got first run on my selection on the Rowley course, was an eleventh hour defector from the Betfred Derby with connections thinking a defeat over that mile and a half on holding ground would cost the colt six weeks of the season. Godolphin’s challenger therefore, comes here with a view to stepping up to a mile and a quarter in the Eclipse going forward. But granted how unfortunate Field Of Gold was not to catch him in the Classic, he could have to settle for minor honours.
Breeders’ Cup winner HENRI MATISSE brings added flavour to the table after landing the French Guineas under a fine ride and is the one that can cause most problems to the odds-on favourite.
Prediction: 1st FIELD OF GOLD, 2nd Henri Matisse, 3rd Ruling Court
Race 5 ASCOT STAKES HANDICAP
No 15 REACHING HIGH (Each Way)
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Nothing could be more appropriate for the Ascot opening day than a success for the King, which could happen in this two and a half miler with REACHING HIGH. The four-year-old is by Sea The Stars out of Gold Cup winner Estimate who was owned by the late Queen Elizabeth. He seems to be realising his potential since a move to Willie Mullins on the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute.
EAST INDIA DOCK looks a formidable threat, as this dual-purpose performer took out the Chester Cup under an astute ride having won three of his four outings in juvenile hurdles for James Owen.
ASCENDING could also take away a decent cheque, although his recent success was achieved over a mile and a half, while he needs to prove he stays this distance for Henry de Bromhead.
The 2024 Chester Cup winner ZOFFEE was less than three lengths adrift of East India Dock in last month’s renewal, is better off at these revised weights and can also be a factor.
Prediction: 1st REACHING HIGH, 2nd East India Dock, 3rd Ascending, 4th Zoffee
Race 6 WOLFERTON STAKES (Listed)
No9 HAATEM (Each Way)
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: James Doyle
HAATEM is a horse on a retrieval mission following an underwhelming display in soft ground at Longchamp. Last season’s 2000 Guineas third and Jersey Stakes winner came away with a genuine excuse and should be given the chance to show that form to be all wrong, as the spearhead of three runners in the silks of Wathnan Racing.
The jury is out regarding ENFJAAR after his lack lustre run in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, from which he could easily bounce back.
LIBERTY LANE landed the Cambridgeshire under a big weight last autumn and returned with a decisive success in a Listed race at Goodwood. He’s at the same class level today, and should not be underestimated.
Prediction: 1st HAATEM, 2nd Enfjaar, 3rd Liberty Lane
Race 7 COPPER HORSE HANDICAP
No7 FRENCH MASTER
trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: James Doyle
Frankel colt FRENCH MASTER relished the step up to a mile and three-quarters when scoring at Goodwood and now has blinkers added for this first day finale. He’s a progressive individual who hasn’t stopped improving, and if enjoying the rub of the green can prevent Willie Mullins from bagging the race for a third year is succession with CHARLUS, who had winning form in France but might prefer easier ground than he will encounter today.
Multiple scorer CABALLO DE MER has had this in his sights for several weeks and saw out the two miles well when winning at Haydock. At a longer price, CHAMPAGNE PRINCE is considered and can make the podium.
Prediction: 1st FRENCH MASTER, 2nd Charlus, 3rd Caballo De Mer, 4th Champagne Prince
