Royal Ascot needs no introduction. Every summer, the meeting’s popularity continues to soar as more and more punters make even more noise than the year before. And 2025 promises to be no exception. Royal Ascot offers five days of relentless quality – from international raiders to homegrown superstars, the meeting has once again drawn the best horses, trainers and jockeys from across the globe.
For Irish fans, Royal Ascot is often seen as the extension of the flat season’s opening chapter, where the fruits of the spring campaigns get their proper test in front of thousands of racing fans. And this year, the emerald contingent looks as strong as ever.
The spotlight will be firmly on Ballydoyle and its maestro Aidan O’Brien, who arrives loaded and ready to go across all five days. Joseph O’Brien brings a quieter but typically thoughtful team, while Willie Mullins, fresh off a dominant jumps season, returns with ambitions on the flat – including a Royal runner in the Ascot Stakes.
From the Queen Anne to the Gold Cup, the Commonwealth Cup to the St James’s Palace Stakes, Royal Ascot 2025 is built for punters and purists alike. Here’s the full schedule breakdown, key Irish entries, and current odds via Tonybet ahead of the biggest flat festival of the summer. Let’s dive in.
Daily schedule breakdown
Each day of Royal Ascot sticks to a well-polished routine that blends ceremony with serious racing.
- Gates open: 10:30am
- Royal procession: 2:00pm sharp – marking the arrival of King Charles III and the Royal Family
- First race: 2:30pm
- Last race: 6:15pm
For many, the pomp is part of the charm, but for seasoned racegoers, those daily six or seven races bring enough drama and excitement, which keeps them coming back year on year.
Race-by-race guide
Tuesday 17th June
Queen Anne Stakes
The curtain-raiser sets the tone in style. Richard Hannon’s Rosallion is your current 4/1 favourite for the mile Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, while there are a whole host of top-class horses close behind in the market.
Aidan O’Brien has an outside chance with Diego Velazquez (16/1), who arrives on the back of two victories at Leopardstown – albeit in weaker races than this one. O’Brien hasn’t won this race since back in 2002, but he will be hoping that his four-year-old can defy the odds and complete the hattrick.
King’s Stand Stakes
Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora heads the market at 7/1 in this burn-up over five furlongs. Once again, O’Brien’s chances are towards the other end of the market, with Storm Boy (20/1) and Whistlejacket (20/1) shortlisted to compete in the King’s Stand Stakes.
There has been plenty of noise around George Boughey’s five-year-old Believing, who is challenging Asfoora at the top of the market at around 8/1.
St James’s Palace Stakes
This is a key race for Classic-generation colts over a stiff mile, and John Gosden’s Field Of Gold is the hot favourite at 6/5. However, O’Brien has every chance with Henri Matisse, currently priced at 7/2. The French 200 Guineas winner will link up with Ryan Moore and will be Ireland’s best chance in this encounter.
Wednesday 18th June
Prince of Wales’s Stakes
Run over 10 furlongs, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is arguably the race of the week. This race could be all about O’Brien’s four-year-old Los Angeles, who is currently the clear 4/1 favourite to romp home. William Haggas will have something to say about that with Economics at 11/2, while Anmaat and Map Of Stars are other leading contenders.
“No horse likes a fight better than Los Angeles”
stated O’Brien after his horse won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, shrugging off Anmaat, who settled for second place. The rematch looks to be just as intriguing.
Queen’s Vase
This race is typically targeted by the Irish, and it could be all about Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, who won decisively in a Listed race at Navan, and was well supported from 4/1 into 6/4.
“He’s a stayer and has enough experience to win a race like the Queen’s Vase”
stated Twomey after that win at Navan – and all eyes will be on Carmers heading into this race.
Thursday 19th June
Gold Cup
This Group 1 contest is run over two miles and four furlongs, but once again, it appears to be all about Aidan O’Brien, as Illinois leads the market at 6/4. He also runs Jan Brueghel at 7/1, but the focus is very much on the former.
Illinois heads into the race looking for a hattrick of wins, having impressed to win by over a length at Chester in the Ormonde Stakes with Ryan Moore on board. The pair will link up once more, and it will take something special to stop the four-year-old winning again.
Willie Mullins may look to run Absurde (25/1) and Sober (40/1), but either winning would be a huge shock considering the fierce opposition.
Norfolk Stakes
This fast and furious affair for two-year-olds is where Irish juveniles so often perform well, and this year is no different. Once again, Aidan O’Brien holds all the cards, with Charles Darwin the favourite at 7/2.
Despite struggling when odds-on at Curragh on debut, the two-year-old won decisively at Navan before winning at an extremely skinny price at Naas. If Charles Darwin doesn’t live up to the hype, then Wesley Ward’s Outfielder at 9/2 could be the horse to take advantage.
Friday 20th June
Commonwealth Cup
This Group 1 race is a battle over six furlongs for three-year-olds. Although Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light is the favourite at 5/2, Aidan O’Brien will try his hand with Whistlejacket (8/1) and Ides Of March (14/1).
Ides Of March was the hot favourite when last seen at Newbury in the Carnarvon Stakes, but fell short to another of Appleby’s horses. However, excuses can be made that day as O’Brien’s horse dwelt at the start. A quicker start to the race this time around may see him go one better.
King Edward VII Stakes
This is a race that is also known as the ‘Ascot Derby’. Multiple Irish entries are expected, with stable whispers suggesting that Capulet (O’Brien) could be the one to watch. Odds of around 6/1 suggest that he’s a touch under the radar, which is exactly how Ballydoyle likes it.
Saturday 21st June
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
This Group 1 contest over six furlongs looks set to be one of the more popular contests among racing fans attending or watching Royal Ascot. O’Brien enters Storm Boy, who is currently priced at 8/1, as the trainer bids to win the race for the first time since 2018.
The last three winners have been priced at 14/1, 80/1 and 33/1, and this might be a race set to spring another upset this year. It’s worth noting that only two favourites have won in the last decade.
Hardwicke Stakes
This is a key Group 2 race that is held on the final day of Royal Ascot, and it’s run over one mile and four furlongs. Favourite backers may want to steer away from their usual strategy, as you have to go back to 2019 for the last time that the market got this race right.
O’Brien won this with Broome back in 2022 at 6/1. It’s the only time he has won the race in the last 10 years. Perhaps this is a race to take him on.
Are you tempted by any of Aidan O’Brien’s horses? If so, you can bet on them with Tonybet here.
Irish highlights
Ireland’s impact on Royal Ascot is impossible to overstate. Aidan O’Brien alone has trained a record 85 Royal Ascot winners to date and is odds-on to break through the 90 mark in 2025.
Los Angeles, Illinois and Charles Darwin are not just Irish hopes – they’re headline acts who could well steal the show. This could, once again, be O’Brien’s Royal Ascot.
Joseph O’Brien, always one for precision targeting, has several entries bubbling under the radar. While his final team will emerge closer to declarations, watch for horses entered in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes and Britannia.
Then there’s Willie Mullins, who is back again with dual-purpose entries. Many of his horses are double-figure prices, but it would be foolish to rule out the leading trainer from springing a surprise or two at Royal Ascot.
Keep an eye on the betting markets throughout the week as conditions change and declarations firm up.
For the most up-to-date prices and specials across all of the Royal Ascot markets, bettors should visit Tonybet. With so many moving parts – weather, form, declarations – having a responsive bookmaker on hand is essential.
And there we have it. Royal Ascot 2025 has all the ingredients of a classic: elite runners, royal connections, and, of course, the ever-strong Irish challenge.
Stay close to the betting and keep your form books open. Royal Ascot week rarely disappoints, and 2025 looks set to be one for the ages.
