Royal Ascot 2025: Thursday full card preview and betting tips
Royal Ascot 2025 delivered more drama on Wendesday afternoon and with little time to catch our breath, it's already time to turn an eye to Thursday's action.
Races Now's Harry Fowler (@Harry_Fowler8) guides us through the day three card along with his betting fancies.
It's Gold Cup Day, and the racing action comes thick and fast with another thrilling afternoon in store.
Let's get into it!
Royal Ascot betting tips – Thursday June 19, 2025
2:30pm – Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) – 5f
Day three kicks off with a 16-runner two-year-old contest over the minimum trip.
Aidan O’Brien made a strong start to the week with a dominant Coventry Stakes winner. Interestingly, he suggested that Albert Einstein, who missed that race, could be the stable's best juvenile.
Here, he saddles Charles Darwin, a short-priced favourite with three runs under his belt, improving each time. He holds the strongest form in the book and looks a worthy market leader.
If you're looking to oppose the favourite, Wise Approach makes appeal. A good winner on debut over this course and distance, he failed to improve when stepped up to 6f. Dropping back to 5f at a track he clearly enjoys, he could take a significant step forward.
3:05pm – King George V Stakes (Heritage Handicap) – 1m5f
This looks a high-quality handicap, with several runners likely to progress beyond this level in time.
Merchant is vying for favouritism, and rightly so. He ran a strong third at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas day in a race that has worked out well, with the first and second both placing again and the fourth winning. He followed that with an easy victory over this trip at York, and there appears to be plenty more to come.
Gunship is also interesting. He won well last time out, but his previous effort at Sandown - where he finished behind today’s rival Sing Us A Song - was just as promising. He stayed on well that day and should relish this step up in trip, which could unlock further improvement.
3:40pm – Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) – 1m4f
This doesn’t look the strongest renewal, and although Aidan O’Brien has won the last two runnings, I'm happy to take on his apparent first string, Garden Of Eden.
Catalina Delcarpio made a brilliant debut, winning by over four lengths, and followed up with a solid second behind the eventual Oaks fourth. She looks a classy filly, and the extra distance today could bring out even more - she may prove hard to beat.
At a bigger price, Life Is Beautiful deserves a mention. She was second last time out behind Falakeyah, a leading hope for the Coronation Stakes later in the week. Outpaced that day, this longer trip looks just what she needs and she could give the favourite plenty to think about.
4:20pm – Gold Cup (Group 1) – 2m4f
The feature race of the day, and one of the marquee contests of the entire meeting. With Kyprios absent, the race looks wide open.
Illinois represents Aidan O’Brien and steps into big shoes. The main question is whether he’ll stay the trip, but his form is solid - narrowly beaten by Los Angeles and Jan Brueghel last season. If he stays, he could be the next star in the staying division.
Trawlerman has no stamina concerns and was second in this race last year behind Kyprios. With no Kyprios to beat this time, he's the solid choice on known form. While Trawlerman is the percentage play, Illinois could prove top class.
5:00pm – Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) – 1m
One of the biggest handicaps of the year with all 30 runners declared. With around 10/1 the field, this looks even more open than yesterday’s Royal Hunt Cup.
Three horses stand out for me:
• Brave Mission ran a strong second on seasonal reappearance and handicap debut here behind Power Fizz, who ran well again at Goodwood. He's only been raised 1lb for that effort and should come on for the run.
• At a bigger price, Shout also catches the eye. Just a neck behind Brave Mission last time despite a slow start. He finished strongly, and with a visor added for the first time, he could improve further up to a mile.
• Hawksbill is another to note. He finished second to Glittering Legend, who has since won a listed race. At Goodwood, he raced too keenly early on but still stayed on for second behind Amiloc, who is favourite for the King Edward VII later this week. That form reads well.
5:35pm – Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) – 1m2f
Trinity College is favourite after a good fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club and represents the powerful Moore/O’Brien team.
However, I prefer Jackknife. He impressed on debut at Epsom, a performance franked by the runner-up winning since. Last time he finished third in listed company behind a smart Godolphin runner, and was arguably unlucky not to place second after being short of room 2f out.
He finished strongly and should appreciate the step up in trip.
6:10pm – Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap – 7f
We close the day with a typically wide-open 29-runner handicap.
Gleneagle Bay ran a cracker in the Victoria Cup here last month, beaten just a neck. Raised only 3lbs for that run, he should be in the mix once more.
Ramazan is a speculative play but has serious back form. Though disappointing in three starts this season, he was a head second in last year’s Victoria Cup off a 9lb higher mark. Jockey Warren Fentiman claims 5lbs and is excellent value for that. If he bounces back, he could be thrown in.