There is a reason why Royal Ascot is considered the finest flat racing event of the season in Britain. From the best horses and jockeys to the most stylish outfits and most refined cuisines, it carries the “royal” status with dignity.
First established by Queen Anne in 1711, the Ascot Racecourse was supported by many monarchs who visited the grounds during the race week. Today the Royal Ascot week is the most spectacular summer event in Britain’s social life — and also the most valuable one, with the prize money counted in millions of pounds.
This year the Royal Ascot falls between 17 and 21 June. The opening race of the event is traditionally The Queen Anne Stakes, named after the course founder. The racecourse hosts 35 races during its course, with eight of them classified as Group 1.
Key Dates & Timings
Royal Ascot 2025 will take place in the third week of June and last for five days. Each day will include five races.
The gates open at 10:30 am local time. At 2:00 pm the visitors will have a chance to witness a royal procession in all its grandeur, as the members of the royal family arrive at the racecourse. Every day, the first race sets off at 2:30 pm, while the last one starts at 6:10 pm.
The daily race cards for the event are as follows:
Tuesday, 17 June
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 2:30 pm | THE QUEEN ANNE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 1m | 4YO+ £750,000.00 |
| 3:05 pm | THE COVENTRY STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 6f | 2YO £175,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE KING CHARLES III STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 5f | 3YO+ £650,000.00 |
| 4:20 pm | THE ST JAMES’S PALACE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 7f 213y | 3YO £650,000.00 |
| 5:00 pm | THE ASCOT STAKES (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 2m 3f 210y | 4YO+ £110,000.00 Rating 0-100 |
| 5:35 pm | THE WOLFERTON STAKES (CLASS 1) (Listed Race) (CL 1) | 1m 1f 212y | 4YO+ £120,000.00 |
| 6:10 pm | THE COPPER HORSE STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 6f 34y | 4YO+ £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
Wednesday, 18 June
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 2:30 pm | THE QUEEN MARY STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 5f | 2YO £150,000.00 |
| 3:05 pm | THE QUEEN’S VASE (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m 6f 34y | 3YO £265,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 7f 213y | 4YO+ £225,000.00 |
| 4:20 pm | THE PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 1m 1f 212y | 4YO+ £1,000,000.00 |
| 5:00 pm | THE ROYAL HUNT CUP (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (CL 2) | 1m | 3YO+ £175,000.00 |
| 5:35 pm | THE KENSINGTON PALACE STAKES (CLASS 2) (Fillies’ Handicap) (CL 2) | 1m | 4YO+ £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 6:10 pm | THE WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Listed Race) (CL 1) | 5f | 2YO £110,000.00 |
Thursday, 19 June
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 2:30 pm | THE NORFOLK STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 5f | 2YO £150,000.00 |
| 3:05 pm | THE KING GEORGE V STAKES (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 3f 211y | 3YO £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 3:40 pm | THE RIBBLESDALE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m 3f 211y | 3YO £250,000.00 |
| 4:20 pm | THE GOLD CUP (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 2m 3f 210y | 4YO+ £650,000.00 |
| 5:00 pm | THE BRITANNIA STAKES (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (CL 2) | 1m | 3YO £120,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 5:35 pm | THE HAMPTON COURT STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 3) (CL 1) | 1m 1f 212y | 3YO £150,000.00 |
| 6:10 pm | THE BUCKINGHAM PALACE STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (CL 2) | 7f | 3YO+ £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
Friday, 20 June
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 2:30 pm | THE ALBANY STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 3) (CL 1) | 6f | 2YO £125,000.00 |
| 3:05 pm | THE COMMONWEALTH CUP (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 6f | 3YO £650,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 3f 211y | 3YO+ £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 4:20 pm | THE CORONATION STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 7f 213y | 3YO £650,000.00 |
| 5:00 pm | THE SANDRINGHAM STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (CL 2) | 1m | 3YO £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 5:35 pm | THE KING EDWARD VII STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m 3f 211y | 3YO £250,000.00 |
| 6:10 pm | THE PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (CL 2) | 5f | 3YO £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
Saturday, 21 June
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 2:30 pm | THE CHESHAM STAKES (CLASS 1) (Listed Race) (CL 1) | 7f | 2YO £110,000.00 |
| 3:05 pm | THE HARDWICKE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m 3f 211y | 4YO+ £250,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II JUBILEE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 6f | 4YO+ £1,000,000.00 |
| 4:20 pm | THE JERSEY STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 3) (CL 1) | 7f | 3YO £150,000.00 |
| 5:00 pm | THE WOKINGHAM STAKES (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (CL 2) | 6f | 3YO+ £175,000.00 Rating 0-110 |
| 5:35 pm | THE GOLDEN GATES STAKES (CLASS 2) (Handicap) (CL 2) | 1m 1f 212y | 3YO £110,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 6:10 pm | THE QUEEN ALEXANDRA STAKES (CLASS 2 CONDITIONS RACE) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 2m 5f 143y | 4YO+ £110,000.00 |
How to Buy Tickets
Tickets are available for three enclosures: Queen Anne Enclosure, Village Enclosure, and Windsor Enclosure. The Royal Enclosure is exclusive to its members and their guests.
Out of the three public enclosures, the Windsor Enclosure is the most affordable one. Day tickets range from £35 to £45, depending on the race day. There is no dress code and guests are welcome to bring their own picnic baskets.
The Village Enclosure opens on Thursday and stays open until the end of the Royal Ascot week. Prices start from £85. Besides having great views over the home straight, guests are treated to live music, street food stalls and cocktail bars, as well as an afterparty. You will have to follow a dress code.
Offering premium experience, the Queen Anne Enclosure tickets range between £99 and £110 and give you access to the Parade Ring, the Bandstand, and the Grandstand. You will have the best views of the tracks. Dress code applies.
If you would like to upgrade your experience, each enclosure offers a variety of options, from picnic tables to gazebos and fine dining.
Travel and Transport Guide
Royal Ascot is conducted at Ascot Racecourse located at the following address: High Street, Ascot, Berkshire. You can reach your destination by various means of transportation from different directions.
Trains
You can take a South Western Railway train from Reading, Aldershot, and London Waterloo. Trip duration varies depending on your starting point:
- From Reading: approximately 27 minutes
- From Aldershot: approximately 30 minutes
- From London Waterloo: approximately 52 minutes
The racecourse is a 7 minute walk from the Ascot train station.
Cars
From London & The North: M4 Junction 6 onto the A332 Windsor by-pass and follow the signs to Ascot.
From the West: M4 Junction 10 to the A329(M) signed to Bracknell and follow the signs to Ascot.
From the South & East: M3 Junction 3 onto the A332 signed to Bracknell and follow the signs to Ascot.
From the Midlands: M40 southbound, Junction 4. Take the A404 towards the M4 (Junction 8/9). On the M4 head towards Heathrow/London. Leave M4 at Junction 6 and follow the A332 Windsor by-pass to Ascot.
During Royal Ascot days car parking must be purchased. While we recommend doing it in advance, it is also possible to buy it on the spot on the day. Day passes will be available at Car Park 8.
Taxis
If you use a taxi to reach Ascot Racecourse, there are three designated drop-off and pick-up spots during Royal Ascot:
- For Royal Enclosure: Car Park 1 or Car Park 3
- For all other enclosures: Car Park 3 and Car Park 6
Featured Races at Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot includes 35 races evenly distributed over 5 days of the event. The variety of conditions, tracks, and runners caters to different interests and preferences of all Ascot Racecourse visitors.
The Queen Anne Stakes (Tuesday, 17 June)
The opening race of Royal Ascot is symbolically named after the person who laid the foundation for one of Britain’s most luxurious racecourses. This Group 1 flat horse race is run over the distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres). Horses of both genders need to be four years or older to be eligible.
Initially called the Trial Stakes, it got its current name in 1930. When the race was established in 1840, the age range was broader, allowing three year old horses to participate too. In 1971 the Queen Anne Stakes was graded for the first time and was classified as Group 3. It was promoted to Group 2 in 1984, and finally received the highest Group 1, which also imposed a restriction on the age range, narrowing it down to four years or older.
Currently, there are 21 runners announced to compete in this year’s competition, but this number may change before the day of the race. The jockeys for the race are still to be confirmed.
Rosallion has been the latest talk of the town. The four year old male has been known to come first in most of his starts since his debut in June 2023. He started 2025 with a bit of a disappointment for the fans, when he placed third in the Lockinge Stakes, but is still considered a very likely winner.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Cairo (age 5, trainer Alice Haynes)
- Checkandchallenge (age 6, trainer William Knight)
- Dancing Gemini (age 4, trainer Roger Teal)
- Diego Velazquez (age 4, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Docklands (age 5, trainer Harry Eustace)
- Facteur Cheval (age 6, trainer Jerome Reynier)
- Kikkuli (age 4, trainer Harry Charlton)
- Kinross (age 8, trainer Ralph Beckett)
- Lake Forest (age 4, trainer William Haggas)
- Lead Artist (age 4, trainers John & Thady Gosden)
- Notable Speech (age 4, trainer Charlie Appleby)
- Quddwah (age 5, trainer Simon and Ed Crisford)
- Rosallion (age 4, trainer Richard Hannon)
- Royal Scotsman (age 5, trainers Paul and Oliver Cole)
- Sardinian Warrior (age 4, trainers John and Thady Gosden)
- Ten Bob Tony (age 4, trainer Ed Walker)
- Volterra (age 4, trainer Kevin Ryan)
- Fallen Angel (age 4, trainer Karl Burke)
- Porta Fortuna (age 4, trainer Donnacha A. O’Brien)
- Tamfana (age 4, trainer David Menuisier)
- Carl Spackler (age 5, trainer Ciaron Maher)
The Ascot Gold Cup (Thursday, 19 June)
Winning the Ascot Gold Cup is one of the biggest achievements for any racing horse or jockey. It is a Group 1 flat horse race that accepts both female and male horses aged four years or older. The distance of the race is 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 metres).
Established in 1807, Ascot Gold Cup is the first leg and the most prestigious event of Britain’s Stayers’ Triple Crown. The other two events are the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup. “Stayers” refers to horses that specialise in running long distances.
Currently, there are 18 runners announced to compete in this year’s competition, but this number may change before the day of the race. The jockeys for the race are still to be confirmed.
Many horse race enthusiasts were waiting for last year’s winner Kyprios to return to the racecourse and attempt to win the title for the third time in his career. However, after it was announced in May 2025 that Kyprios was retiring, several other candidates for the winner’s crown have been named.
The most prominent ones include last year’s second and third placements, Trawlerman and Sweet William (both trained by John and Thady Gosden), as well as Aidan O’Briend’s charge Illinois and Francis-Henri Graffard’s Candelari. Both Illinois and Candelari are 4 years old and younger contenders than Trawlerman and Sweet William who are 7 and 6 years old respectively.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Absurde (age 7, trainer William P. Mullins)
- Al Nayyir (age 7, trainer Tom Clover)
- Burdett Road (age 5, trainer James Owen)
- Coltrane (age 8, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Continuous (age 5, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Dubai Future (age 9, trainer Saeed bin Suroor)
- Sevenna’s Knight (age 5, trainer Andre Fabre)
- Sober (age 6, trainer William P. Mullins)
- Sweet William (age 6, trainer John and Thady Gosden)
- Trawlerman (age 7, trainer John and Thady Gosden)
- Trueshan (age 9, trainer Alan King)
- Wonder Legend (age 5, trainer James Ferguson)
- Yashin (age 6, trainer Michael Bell)
- Candelari (age 4, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard)
- Feigning Madness (age 4, trainer Ralph Beckett)
- Illinois (age 4, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Jan Brueghel (age 4, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Divine Comedy (age 7, trainer Harry Eustace)
Other Notable Races
Every race at Royal Ascot is an exciting event, but if we have to single out something, three notable races that come to mind are King Charles III Stakes, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, and Commonwealth Cup.
King Charles III Stakes
- Date: Tuesday, 17 June
- Classification: Group 1
- Distance: 5 furlongs (1,006 metres)
- Open to: male/female 3 years old or older
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes
- Date: Wednesday, 18 June
- Classification: Group 1
- Distance: 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 metres)
- Open to: male/female four years or older
Commonwealth Cup
- Date: Friday, 20 June
- Classification: Group 1
- Distance: 6 furlongs (1,207 metres)
- Open to: colts/fillies three years old
Betting at the Royal Ascot
Those who want to add some excitement to the race will have the possibility to place bets on the outcome. Visitors at the racecourse will have three different possibilities to participate in horse race betting:
- Multiple Bet With Ascot kiosks
- Individual bookmakers in front of the racetrack
- Betfred Betting Shop
Of course, many online bookmakers will also accept bets for different horse racing markets throughout the Royal Ascot week.
At 7bet, we offer a wide range of horse race betting markets both for domestic and international events.
Please note that odds for Royal Ascot will be available closer to the event date.
Betting at Royal Ascot includes various horse betting markets, with some of the most popular being:
- Win: Place your bet on the horse you predict to win a single race.
- Place: Predict which horse will place in the top two to four (depending on the amount of runners) in a single race.
- First Two (or First Three): Your wager wins if you predict the first two (or three) horses to come to the finish line in the right order.
- Two From Three: Predict any two of the first three horses to finish to win this bet.
- Placepot: This wager spreads across multiple races and wins if the horse you selected is placed in all of the first six races.
Always remember to gamble responsibly and treat betting as a form of entertainment and not means for financial gain.
The Ascot Gold Cup Past Winners
In its 217 years of running, the Ascot Gold Cup has seen many glorious wins and celebrations. The horses who won the Gold Cup in the past 24 years since 2000 were the following:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 2000 | Kayf Tara | 6 | Michael Kinane | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2001 | Royal Rebel | 5 | Johnny Murtagh | Mark Johnston | Peter Savill |
| 2002 | Royal Rebel | 6 | Johnny Murtagh | Mark Johnston | Peter Savill |
| 2003 | Mr Dinos | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Paul Cole | Constantine Shiacolas |
| 2004 | Papineau | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2005 | Westerner | 6 | Olivier Peslier | Élie Lellouche | Ecurie Wildenstein |
| 2006 | Yeats | 5 | Kieren Fallon | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier/Nagle |
| 2007 | Yeats | 6 | Michael Kinane | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier/Nagle |
| 2008 | Yeats | 7 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier/Nagle |
| 2009 | Yeats | 8 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier/Nagle |
| 2010 | Rite Of Passage | 6 | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | Dr Ronan Lambe |
| 2011 | Fame and Glory | 5 | Jamie Spencer | Aidan O’Brien | Smith/Magnier et al. |
| 2012 | Colour Vision | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2013 | Estimate | 4 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | HM Queen Elizabeth II |
| 2014 | Leading Light | 4 | Joseph O’Brien | Aidan O’Brien | Smith/Magnier/Tabor |
| 2015 | Trip To Paris | 4 | Graham Lee | Ed Dunlop | La Grange Partnership |
| 2016 | Order of St George | 4 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Smith/Magnier/Tabor |
| 2017 | Big Orange | 6 | James Doyle | Michael Bell | Bill Gredley |
| 2018 | Stradivarius | 4 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Bjorn Nielsen |
| 2019 | Stradivarius | 5 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Bjorn Nielsen |
| 2020 | Stradivarius | 6 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Bjorn Nielsen |
| 2021 | Subjectivist | 4 | Joe Fanning | Mark Johnston | Dr Jim Walker |
| 2022 | Kyprios | 4 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Moyglare Stud/Smith/Magnier /Tabor |
| 2023 | Courage Mon Ami | 4 | Frankie Dettori | John & Thady Gosden | Wathnan Racing |
| 2024 | Kyprios | 6 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Moyglare Stud/Smith/Magnier/Tabor |
The chestnut male Kyprios was six years old when he won the Gold Cup for the second time in 2024. He had an exceptionally successful season, winning all of the seven starts he participated in. Coming back from a bad leg injury, which made him miss the previous year’s competition, Kyprios wasn’t seen as an immediate favourite.
However, trained by the great Aidan O’Brien and led in the race by equally outstanding Ryan Moore, Kyprios beat the favourite Trawlerman and regained his champion crown. Trawlerman came second, followed by Sweet William in the third position.
Unfortunately, Kyprios won’t be returning to Royal Ascot 2025 in an attempt to win the title for the third time. Earlier this year, his owners announced Kyprios’ retirement due to health issues ten days after he turned seven.
The Gold Cup Records
It is a great honour to win the Gold Cup even once in your racing career, but some horses, as well as jockeys, trainers, and owners managed to do it multiple times.
- Leading horse: Yeats with 4 wins (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- Leading jockey: Lester Piggott with 11 wins (1957, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982)
- Leading trainer: Aidan O’Brien with 9 wins (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2024)
- Leading owner: Sue Magnier with 9 wins (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2024
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