Royal Ascot 2025 news: A celebration of heritage, horsepower and high stakes
In the realm of British sport, few spectacles capture tradition, elegance and sporting excellence quite like Royal Ascot.
From Tuesday, June 17 to Saturday, June 21, the world’s finest flat racing will once again grace the hallowed turf of Ascot Racecourse for the 2025 renewal of this prestigious meeting.
More than a sporting event, Royal Ascot is a cornerstone of the British social and cultural calendar - and it is one Sports News Blitz will be watching (and betting on) with glee.
Woven into the very fabric of the nation’s history, the five-day festival combines the thrill of world-class racing with the regal pageantry of a bygone era - and in 2025, it proudly marks the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession.
Across 35 races, including eight Group Ones, racing’s elite will chase glory, with over £15 million in prize money at stake.
Some 300,000 spectators are expected to flock through the gates across the week, from racing aficionados to the fashionably curious, each eager to witness moments of equine greatness unfold beneath Ascot’s iconic grandstand.
📆 The Royal week at a glance
Royal Ascot 2025 begins on Tuesday, June 17, with the Queen Anne Stakes (Group One) opening the festival at 2:30pm.
It is one of three Group Ones on day one, along with the King’s Stand Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes.
As the week progresses, each day brings its own crown jewels:
Wednesday, June 18: The £1 million Prince of Wales’s Stakes sets the stage for middle-distance mastery.
Thursday, June 19 (Ladies Day): Tradition and stamina combine in the historic Ascot Gold Cup.
Friday, June 20: Young talent takes the spotlight with the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes.
Saturday, June 21: The meeting ends in style with the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, worth £1 million and due off at 4:20pm.
🧠 Trainers to watch in 2025
Aidan O’Brien
The Ballydoyle genius arrives off the back of a dominant Derby Festival.
With stars like Minnie Hawk, Jan Brueghel, and Lambourn, O’Brien’s stable is brimming with talent.
He seeks to build on his 11 Derby wins and maintain his iron grip on British Classics.
Charlie Appleby
The Godolphin trainer has a stellar Ascot pedigree - from Blue Point’s sprint double to Coroebus and Naval Crown, his runners are always major players.
His early-season form suggests another successful Royal Ascot lies ahead.
Andrew Balding
Second in the British standings, Balding is a consistent force at Ascot.
Having trained Alcohol Free to Coronation Stakes success in 2021, he’ll be looking to return to the Group One winner’s enclosure.
John & Thady Gosden
Back in form after their Irish 2000 Guineas win, the father-and-son duo bring a smart team to Ascot this year, hoping to make up for earlier Newmarket misfortunes.
🧲 Riders who could rule the turf
Ryan Moore
With 85 Royal Ascot wins, Moore remains the gold standard.
The O’Brien number one has been top jockey at this meeting 11 times, including the last three.
His tactical brilliance and deep book of rides make him a perennial threat.
Oisin Murphy
The reigning Champion Jockey is in blistering form, and his win in the Lockinge Stakes has set the tone for the summer.
He was last seen celebrating victory in the King Charles III Stakes and is hungry for more.
William Buick
Always a contender, Buick is Appleby’s go-to man and continues to deliver for Godolphin.
With a sharp strike rate and multiple Group Ones under his belt, he remains one of the sport’s most reliable big-race riders.
Colin Keane
Ireland’s Champion Jockey is now riding for Juddmonte, and his win aboard Field of Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas marked a new chapter in his rise to the top.
Expect him to be seen on several key mounts throughout the week.
The Marquand-Doyle duo
Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle, racing’s power couple, return to the big stage once more.
Doyle, the most successful female jockey in British racing history, and Marquand, a Group One regular, are both capable of grabbing headlines.
📺 Where to watch: TV coverage and streaming
Every race will be broadcast live and free-to-air on ITV via the ITV Racing programme. The daily build-up begins with The Opening Show, featuring expert analysis and insights.
For dedicated fans, Sky Sports Racing (channel 415) will provide wall-to-wall coverage for subscribers, including in-depth previews and replays.
🏇 A tradition unlike any other
Royal Ascot is more than five days of racing - it's a celebration of British heritage, fashion, pageantry and world-class sport.
From the thundering hooves on the track to the elegance in the Royal Enclosure, Ascot is where legends are born and memories are made.
And in 2025, as the Royal Procession marks its 200th year, the world will once again turn its eyes to Berkshire - where history and high stakes come together in unforgettable harmony.
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