Looking over Royal Ascot day 5 for 2025, the concluding card to this supreme horse racing gala on Saturday, 21 June brings the curtain down on another absorbing edition. There is Group 1 action on the final day, plus other pattern races and tricky handicaps.
Headlining proceedings is the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes for 2025, a six-furlong sprint that has runners from France and even Japan taking part. Starting the card off before all that, though, is the Chesham Stakes over seven furlongs for two-year-olds.
Another historic race for older horses, meanwhile, is the Hardwicke Stakes of 2025 over a mile-and-a-half. Attention then turns to three-year-olds in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes back on the Straight Course and over seven furlongs.
Handicaps then follow on Royal Ascot day 5 with the cavalry charge that is the Wokingham Stakes. One last three-year-olds only event in the Golden Gates Stakes over a mile-and-a-quarter is the final handicap.
The Royal meeting comes to a close with the Queen Alexandra Stakes, the longest Flat race under Rules in the British Isles. Keeping their eye on any gambles with horse racing bookmakers are our experts, who also know value when they see it, Read their race-by-race analysis and Saturday selections below…
Royal Ascot Day 5 2025 Preview for Saturday, 21 June
2:30 – Listed 7f Chesham Stakes
As with every other juvenile event at the meeting, we advise watching this race. This is because two-year-olds develop at different rates. You can learn plenty from this for the future, and that’s what our experts do.
3:05 – 1m 4f Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes
If Al Riffa doesn’t deliver, then Rebel’s Romance looks an obvious threat. He didn’t get home over the course and distance in the King George for Godolphin last summer, however. At bigger prices instead, Space Legend seeks to go one better than his own placed effort at this track and trip during the last Royal meeting in the King Edward.
John & Thady Gosden now have 2024 German Derby winner Palladium in their yard, so he’s obviously a classy individual. He could also be a bit of each-way value despite a curtailed hurdling campaign for Nicky Henderson since coming to the UK. The only question mark with Palladium is the faster conditions with Ryan Moore booked to ride after a Goodwood pipe opener earlier in the month.
3:40 – 6f Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
What a horse Lazzat is! The three year old remains unbeaten in the G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest🏆
— British Champions Day (@Champions_Day) August 4, 2024
Pushing that one all the way on reappearance, however, was Wathnan’s other purchase Flora Of Bermuda. As a filly, Andrew Balding’s runner receives weight from the boys. The most interesting runner, meanwhile, is Australian import Storm Boy. He’s now with Aidan O’Brien and, although he bombed out on his stable debut in Ireland, there’s every chance of him making great strides for that first Northern Hemisphere run.
Speaking of international runners, none at the Royal meeting has travelled further than Japanese raider Satono Reve, who has a domestic top level success under his belt. He’s also been hanging tough in Hong Kong sprints that are arguably stronger than their European equivalents.
4:20 – 7f Group 3 Jersey Stakes
In a trappy contest, the dangers include Irish 2000 Guineas fifth Commanche Brave for Donnacha O’Brien and the Coolmore partners. He didn’t so as well in Classic company, though, and there are others to consider who didn’t go down that route. Brother Joseph O’Brien has the lightly-raced Saracen who looks a player if building on his last run.
Owen Burrows’ unbeaten Remmooz could be anything still, meanwhile. At bigger odds, wily trainer Stan Moore has Brian who could outrun his price. He ran third over course and distance in the Chesham Stakes on this card 12 months ago conceding 5lb to Bedtime Story, a filly who produced the standout juvenile performance of the Royal meeting in 2024.
5:00 – 6f Wokingham Stakes Heritage Handicap
Other contenders in this wide-open cavalry charge include Jarraaf, who has two wins and a second here. Such a previous Ascot record is the same for first reserve Holkham Bay, but he needs a late defection to sneak in off bottom weight. Also low down the handicap are Richard Fahey’s Golden Mind and Tom Ward inmate Woodhay Wonder, who could both go well.
Top rated Symbol Of Honour doesn’t frame things because of a weight for age allowance. Charlie Appleby can’t run his three-year-old Godolphin gelding in the Commonwealth Cup on Friday, because he isn’t a colt. Symbol Of Honour is another massive improver, but the stable haven’t had much luck at the Royal meeting this week.
There are also some old favourites who, on the pick of their form, could roll back the years. Into this category go Get It and Vadream. Last season’s third Orazio arrives without a run, so Charlie Hills might be up against it. Ralph Beckett’s Zoum Zoum has a welter burden, meanwhile, but could come on for his reappearance. Many more will fancy their chances of Ascot glory.
5:35 – 1m 2f Golden Gates Stakes Handicap (0-105)
Hard to rule many out of the last handicap on Royal Ascot day 5. At big prices, London Gold Cup third QUAI DE BETHUNE, and Johnny Murtagh pair DAKOTA BLUE and FANTAZY MAN all look each-way value. Although the former is 1lb worse off with re-opposing fourth Ernst Blofeld, who has first-time cheekpieces on, he dwelt at the start and could easily won if breaking from the stalls better. Oisin Murphy is again aboard.
Murtagh duo Dakota Blue and Fantazy Man look closely matched through Sunriseontheboyne, so could easily hit the frame minimum. Besides Ernst Blofeld, the Gosdens also have handicap debutant Tycoon in first-time cheekpieces for Amo Racing. He’s very lightly-raced, as is Ralph Beckett’s Seraph Gabriel. French raider Best Secret tries even faster ground after his ready Longchamp handicap victory.
Haggas duo Archivist (one of the reserves) and Royal runner The King’s Falcon look well-weighted, but whether the former gets in and what the riding plans are just aren’t clear at this stage. Aidan O’Brien runs two with Ryan Moore on Roosevelt. There could also be even more to come from Roger Varian inmate Sallaal and George Boughey’s El Burhan for Shadwell.
6:10 – 2m 5.5f Queen Alexandra Stakes
It’s two for @the_doyler and Wathnan on the day, as FRENCH MASTER wins the Copper Horse Stakes for trainers John & Thady Gosden, wrapping up day one of #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/86G5FARebm
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 17, 2025
That leaves the field with it to do against them. Wild Waves should go well for the Balding stable, while Amo Racing’s Dallas Star finished in front of the selection at Down Royal earlier in the season. You can never rule out one of Sir Mark Prescott’s runners in these marathon Flat races, so Trooper Bisdee looks interesting at a bigger price.
Tashkhan lacks a recent run for Brian Ellison, meanwhile. Ben Pauling pitches King Of The Road in here for his Flat debut, so he’s another good jumps handler with representation here. Recent Sandown scorer Youthful King has a short turnaround like the selection, but is the only in-form runner in the line-up.
