Royal Ascot 2025 Review

Last week’s Royal Ascot 2025 delivered five dazzling days of top-tier racing, drama‑filled moments, and standout performances that will long be remembered. Here we spotlight the biggest performances and stories that defined last week’s thrilling festival:

Scintillating Winners

Venetian Sun Becomes Joint Highest Rated GB 2yo
Venetian Sun - bought for Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy by Patrick Veitch, who also heads the RaceShare buying team - became the joint highest rated GB 2yo when impressively winning the Albany Stakes. With trainer Karl Burke reporting that she works better than any 2yo he’s had, she looks to have an extremely bright future in Group company.

Docklands Wins Opener
On the sun-drenched Tuesday, Docklands, ridden by Mark Zahra, triumphed over favourite Rosallion in the opening race despite Zahra losing his whip mid-race. It marked trainer Harry Eustace’s third Royal Ascot winner, a thrilling start to the five-day meeting

Garden of Eden & Charles Darwin Extend Moore’s Mastery
Ryan Moore continued his dominance by securing victories aboard Garden of Eden in the Ribblesdale Stakes and Charles Darwin in the Norfolk Stakes. These wins helped him achieve a treble on day three, taking his Royal Ascot tally to 90 victories, cementing his place in the all-time top 10 of British flat jockeys

Trawlerman and Buick Rewrite Gold Cup History
Trawlerman, under William Buick, shattered expectations with a front-running Gold Cup win, setting a new course record of 4:15.02 and defeating Illinois by seven lengths—a perfect acceleration test after Kyprios’s retirement. This was Buick’s first Gold Cup victory and the Gosdens’ fifth in eight years

Ombudsman’s Prince of Wales’s Power Move
In the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ombudsman, ridden by Buick, capitalised on Ballydoyle’s premature pace. He surged clear, overtaking drained leaders and showcasing his closing speed—raising his profile as a potential Eclipse Stakes contender

Lazzat’s Furious Sprint and Wild Escape
Lazzat, trained by Jérôme Reynier for Wathnan Racing, stormed home in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, clocking a blistering 71.3 seconds over six furlongs. Rider James Doyle not only secured his first big Group 1 of the week but also endured a comedic 15-minute chase as Lazzat bolted loose post-race

Rebel’s Romance: Appleby Breakthrough
The veteran Rebel’s Romance, under trainer Charlie Appleby and ridden by Ryan Moore, delivered a long-awaited impact in the Hardwicke Stakes, reviving Appleby’s Ascot form and proving the gelding's global prowess

Ladies’ Day Records
The ferocious heat on Ladies’ Day saw temperatures soar near 30 °C, resulting in 42 heat-related treatments

Royal Innovations & Front‑of‑House Debut
In a first-ever move, self-service betting terminals were introduced on-course, accepting bets up to £100 and contributing to over £60 million handled by the World Pool over the first two days

While praised for modernising punter access, traditional bookies voiced concerns about losing business—and the unique atmosphere of race-day

Other Big Headlines

• American Affair, trained by Jim Goldie and ridden by Paul Mulrennan, gave Scottish racing a boost by winning the King Charles III Stakes, marking the trainer’s first-ever Royal Ascot victory

• Friday’s Coronation Stakes delivered a shock as Cercene triumphed at 33/1, another big upset

Standout Riders & Trainers

William Buick stole the headlines with his Gold Cup–Prince of Wales’s double, continuing his spectacular resurgence

Ryan Moore claimed seven wins overall—including his 90th career Royal Ascot victory—securing his status as leading jockey of the week and claiming a £35,000 donation to the Retraining of Racehorses under a new initiative.

The Gosdens claimed the Leading Trainer title on countback, maintaining their hold on the championship alongside Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien’s teams

Record Attendance & Revenue Boost

The meeting drew over 285,000 attendees—a 5% increase—buoyed by royal pageantry, potent racing stars, and the infusion of modern betting technology

The World Pool partnership significantly strengthened the race’s international betting footprint, contributing to its £10 million prize fund