The great thing about Royal Ascot day 4 in 2025 is there are two Group 1s on the card. Supporting the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes on Friday, 20 June are the usual mix of other pattern races and fiendishly tricky handicaps.
It all starts with the Group 3 Albany Stakes for juvenile fillies. After that, the Commonwealth Cup for three-year-olds takes the action up a notch. Older middle-distance runners then tackle the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes on the Round Course.
Sharing joint-top billing is the Coronation Stakes of 2025 for the fillies of the Classic generation. Action then goes back to the Straight Course for the Sandringham Stakes, also only open to three-year-old females.
The Ascot Derby, or as we call it today, the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes of 2025 follows on. Concluding this Royal Ascot day 4 card is the Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes, a sprint handicap over the flying five furlongs.
As ever at this meeting, there’s a lot going on. We can help you out here, though, as we have our experts sifting through form lines and prices with the bookmakers who love horse racing events like this.
Get their perspective and Friday fancies from the world famous Royal meeting on the best of the action from the penultimate day of this iconic sporting gala and major social occasion. We might just put you on to a winner.
Royal Ascot Day 4 2025 Preview for Friday, 20 June
2:30 – 6f Group 3 Albany Stakes
We’re taking a watch and learn approach to the juvenile races run here this season. The truth is that we don’t know much about the two-year-olds taking part. These young fillies in the Albany have been in training for weeks, rather than months still, and its still very early on in their careers. Watch the races and pick up pointers for the future, that’s our advice!
3:05 – 6f Group 1 Commonwealth Cup
SYMBOL OF HONOUR 🔵🤩
A gritty win for the grey who tasted Group Two success in the @Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes for @WilliamBuickX and Charlie Appleby @haydockraces 🥇 pic.twitter.com/kX1eNrifeE
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 24, 2025
A strong Irish challenge includes Babouche, but she ran poorly on her only previous UK start for Ger Lyons, Colin Keane and Juddmonte. Aidan O’Brien sprinting star Whistlejacket wants cut in the ground, meanwhile. He looks as though the Prix Maurice de Gheest could suit him better. Ides Of March has run a couple of good races in defeat for Ballydoyle, so don’t discount the second string.
Jonquil didn’t shape as though he wanted to drop back from a mile after just missing out on French 2000 Guineas glory to Henri Matisse. At a bigger price, there’s each-way value in ARABIAN DUSK after her excellent short-head second in the Sandy Lane to Symbol Of Honour. Simon & Ed Crisford’s filly also finished in front of Babouche when third in the Cheveley Park Stakes in the autumn.
Commonwealth Cup Trial winner Big Mojo was unlucky in the same Haydock Group 2 last time out when he couldn’t get a run. He could easily bounce back for Mick Appleby. French and American raiders Rayveka and Shisospicy add flavour and international form lines to the race, but anything at a massive price must step up on all unknown form.
3:40 – 1m 4f Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap (0-105)
The latter meets old rival Hand Of God again here, but Harry Charlton’s lightly-raced horse blew out last time. Instead, the chief threat comes from York 1-2 Almosh’her and Stressfree with the runner-up scoring since. Joining the former in this for Wathnan Racing is French Duke, who hasn’t had a run recently.
If first-time cheekpieces work on Siege Of Troy, then she isn’t out of it either. Last year’s winning trainer Ger Keane looks to strike again with War Rooms, who could be well-handicapped after previously being so highly-tried for Owen Burrows. Completing a rather long shortlist is Auld Toon Loon.
4:20 – 1m (Round) Group 1 Coronation Stakes
Of the known quantities, Exactly deputises for Lake Victoria, but lacks her Ballydoyle buddy’s proven ability at this level. More dangerous still might be Falakeyah, one of two supplemented for the race. She could be anything for Shadwell Estates and produced a more eye-catching performance than Jane Chapple-Hyam inmate Kon Tiki in Listed company last time.
Ollie Sangster runs English 1000 Guineas second and third Flight and Simmering again, but the pair flopped in the Irish equivalent. In front of them both at the Curragh was Cercene, who made late headway up the rail into third. She could run a big race in her for Joseph Murphy. Ralph Beckett has a dark horse in Chantilly Lace, meanwhile.
5:00 – 1m (Straight) Sandringham Stakes Fillies’ Handicap (0-105)
Aidan O’Brien runner Sweet Chariot has already improved in handicaps about a stone, then has 4lb more for finishing out of the frame in a Group 3 last month. Goodwood Harroways heroine Silver Ghost has progressed a similar amount in this sphere too, but was mightily impressive last time. Miss Nightfall was an unlucky second to her last time, so should also enter calculations with Oisin Murphy now taking the ride.
William Haggas pair Supermodel and Purple Rainbow, who runs in the King and Queen’s silks, will prove popular with punters too. Zgharta and Cajole could be anything for Andrew Balding and the Gosdens, meanwhile. Eve Johnson Houghton’s Betty Clover has been knocking on the door in Group and Listed races, so could appreciate dropping down in Class with William Buick booked.
Saariselka could reverse Newmarket form with Ryka at the revised weights and similar comments apply to Oolong Poobong and ARABIAN LEOPARD. The latter has a 5lb pull at the weights for David Simcock with Ed Bethell’s charge, which could be enough over another furlong from Haydock to land this. At even bigger prices, Joseph O’Brien pair Dancing Teapot and Mojave River could outrun their odds.
5:35 – 1m 4f Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes
Amiloc makes it four out of four after landing a convincing victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat Stakes for Richard Kingscote and Ralph Beckett @BritishEBF pic.twitter.com/NNegA8Rg9j
— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) May 24, 2025
Aidan O’Brien doesn’t have strong opposition because of the proximity of this to Epsom this year. Lingfield Derby Trial winner Puppet Master is the pick of the Ballydoyle pair running in the penultimate race of Royal Ascot day 4, yet this demands more than a short-head success. Zahrann, also over from Ireland and sporting last year’s winning silks, rates a big threat after his last to first victor in the King George V Cup around Leopardstown.
The King Edward often goes to a Derby also ran. Into this bracket go Green Storm and Nightwalker, but using Epsom as a form marker brings Chester Vase third Convergent in as an each-way player. He got much closer to the Classic front two on the Roodee for Karl Burke than either of those. Wimbledon Hawkeye tops ratings, meanwhile, but needs his damsire to impart stamina for this longer trip.
6:10 – 5f Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes Handicap (0-105)
Another tricky concluding handicap here where Wathnan Racing’s impressive maiden winner Realign looks plenty short enough. He won at long odds-on last time out and it remains to be seen if an opening mark of 93 is workable on Royal Ascot day 4. Those carrying heavy weights haven’t won this since its addition to the programme, so that count against in-form Hammer The Hammer who frames the handicap.
Epsom 3YO Dash 1-2 Stormy Impact and Lexington Blitz take each other on again with the latter 4lb better off. Chester scorer Redorange has to be on any shortlist despite Ascot presenting a different test. Old rival Zayer could come into calculations at the revised weights too, alongside Brosay. Maw Lam and Miss Lamai share an owner, and both placed at this meeting in the Queen Mary last term, so could go well if replicating that.
It’s Irish sprinting pair BODHI BEAR and JORGE ALVARES who look the value, however. The former beat subsequent Scurry Stakes scorer Town And Country on his penultimate outing, then ran fourth behind horses now contesting the Commonwealth Cup last time. Jorge Alvares, meanwhile, has run consistently well in handicaps and should be there or thereabouts again.
