Welcome back to Day 2 of Royal Ascot 2025, where yesterday’s card delivered high drama, surprise winners, and some big dividends for those tuned into the Tote pools. It was a tough opening day for EquiAnalytix readers, and on the day there were just so many hard-luck stories for punters. But this is a 5-day Festival for a reason and the show must go on! At the time of writing we have just come painfully close in the 2m 4f contest with NURBURGRING only narrowly going down late on!
As always, we’ve deployed our full suite of ratings, breeding metrics, and form filters to uncover standout angles and live underdogs – with Tote links ready for Win, Exacta, Swinger and Placepot combos throughout the card, including our new Bet Builder function, let’s keep the momentum going and capitalise on these World Pool markets!
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Race 1: 14:30 Ascot Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)
Day 2 gets underway with the Queen Mary Stakes, another 2yo contest over the 5f trip.
Race Analysis:
A cavalry charge of 25 unexposed horses is up first and can often be a real tough nut to crack. With so many outstanding pedigrees on offer, and any amount of improvement to come from most of them, this race is a challenge. The market has of course latched onto the Wathnan racing runner, ZALAINA, who will have the assistance of James Doyle in the saddle. This horse made her debut only 14 days ago when landing a novice race at Nottingham with ease. She clearly has bundles of ability and a debut rating of 125 for that winning effort is a solid start. But often the way with these races, the figures don’t always align with the market price and therefore with better ratings, and better breeding both on offer, I firmly believe she is worth taking on.
The question therefore is with who? SOCIETY KISS for the Ralph Beckett team is an interesting contender, as is REVIVAL POWER from the in-form Tim Easterby team, and respect must always be given for those contenders from both Ireland the US. But the horse I want to focus on first is the George Scott trained STAYA. Jockey Callum Shepherd gets on board this highly exciting daughter of Havana Grey who here has recorded the highest EquiAnalytix Speed Rating of the entire field. Her rating of 184 for winning at Yarmouth 27 days ago is very impressive, and with the stable continuing to operate at an excellent level of form across all their runners, this filly has to go well at a good price.
With these races being so open I do want to mention a couple of very lively outsiders who on our Breeding Data alone warrant absolute respect. A powerful tool often utilised by members of EquiAnalytix is the looking at how each sire’s progeny perform specifically in 2yo contests, a metric that can give big clues to those debutants underestimated by the market. There are two horses here that really catch the eye, and incidentally are both owned by Amo Racing. The first is PARIS COVER for the Adrian Murray team. This filly made a solid enough debut at Curragh recently, clocking a good figure in the process. But her pedigree is very interesting, with Bolt D’Oro offspring continuing to operate at a level far higher than their market expectations. The same really can be said for FLOWERHEAD who represents the exciting first-season-sire Starman. This filly got her head in front at Chepstow recently and whilst this is a big step up in grade, both fillies have the right pedigree to take big step forwards and given their respective prices, would mean for an incredibly interesting payout from the various Exotics markets!
Race 2: 15:05 Queens Vase (Group 2)
The Group 2 Queens Vase is next which looks to largely revolve around the Irish contenders, can anyone stop them?
Race Analysis
As much as I would love to remain patriotic here, I think the simple answer is no. 3 of the top 4 horses according to our predictive Total Performance Rating represent Irish connections, with the top-two currently also heading the market. According to the data, these really are the two to focus on and I have admittedly found it difficult to split them, hence an Exacta might be the play here! However, for Win purposes I have narrowly sided with the O’Brien trained SHACKLETON. This horse on the day will be making the big step up in trip from 1m 2f to 1m 6f, but he looks tailor made for it. This is a horse who has consistently been hitting the crossbar in his races, often finding one or two just too good on the day. But a glance at his form figures will tell you that he’s been doing that in very strong company. Last 3 ratings of 124, 115 and 177 showcase a horse of very high ability and when you look at his pedigree, being by Camelot you are near certain that he will relish the extra half mile on the day. His figures are solid, and he will be tough to beat. The key danger therefore is CARMERS who has looked very impressive when winning his only two starts, most recently a Listed contest at Navan. He has done nothing wrong in his racing, has recorded two very impressive ratings of 142 and 154 and on any other day he would be the one they all have to beat. But there is just a question from me on the pedigree, where our selection looks the likelier of the two to relish the conditions.
🎯 Exacta: Shackleton / Carmers
Race 3: 15:40 Ascot Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
Next we have the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, featuring a strong field battling it out over just under a mile.
Race Analysis
Before we dive in here we have to recognise just how impressive CINDERALLS DREAM’S race-record is. This jet-setting 4yo filly has conquered them all, competing all over the world to a very high level, and it’s not a big surprise to see her entered quite a short-priced favorite at the time of writing. She looks certain to run her race but on the form figures in front of us, she’s a skinny price and there are a couple lurking here that clearly interest the data.
FALLEN ANGEL is now in the recognisable Wathnan racing colours, and this filly holds an outstanding chance dropping back in grade. Having won last year’s Irish 1,000 Guineas, she proved a little disappointing subsequently, but entering Group 2 company should help her. Her figures of 166, 112 and 134 are solid, and I would not be surprised to see bounce back to form and land this contest. The issue is that she has ONE LOOK to contend with and she is a filly I am very excited to see run. Having finished a 1/2 length behind superstar filly Porta Fortuna 24 days ago, this horse brings in a serious level of form. That day she recorded one of the highest EquiAnalytix Speed Ratings we will see on the entire day, a value of 200. This alone cements her as a very high class horse, but when you couple that with her steep upward trajectory of recent figures, plus her trainer’s outstanding level of recent form, it’s really hard to get away from her at current healthy odds.
Race 4: 16:20 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1)
Race 4 bring us the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, a Group 1 event over the 1m 2f trip and brings to us an incredibly classy field 9.
Race Analysis
This race absolutely fascinates me. You have a very strong field of middle-distance animals, all of which want the race to be run in a certain way. Take current market leader, LOS ANGELES, who according to the data will be incredible to beat. This horse has stamina and determination in abundance, two traits that any owner across the country would be desperate to see in their own horse. Ratings of 115, 216 and 184 show just how good this horse is, and as I say, it will take something to stop him. My worry is that he is going to need a real test over this trip on the fast surface, and whilst I have no doubt Ryan Moore is certainly up to that task, the risk and reward is hard to justify at current prices, as there are plenty of variables here that can go wrong.
Then, when you glance at the ratings table and see the Gosden challenger OMBUDSMAN who has recorded a figure of 211 on his recent outing, it really starts to peak my interest at the current prices. That horse is almost certain to come on for the run from Sandown, and whilst he has not yet proved himself up to the level of LOS ANGELES, I think he is improving fast enough and has the pedigree to progress further. For win purposes he is definitely of interest, as is looking at both Exacta & Swinger markets on the day to cover them both.
🤝 Swinger: Ombudsman & Los Angeles
🎯 Exacta: Ombudsman / Los Angeles
Race 5: 17:00 Ascot Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap)
We head back into handicap company for Race 5 for one of the most competitive of them all, the Royal Hunt Cup. Ran over the straight 1 mile trip, there will be hard-luck stories galore, but what a sight it is to see a field of 30 rattling down towards the line!
Race Analysis
It is often races like this that can really make it a special day on course, as the reward for finding the winner in such a deep contest is often very big, especially when you are competing in the World Pools. I could mention half the field here but I will keep the analysis concise as one of the best advantages of the data is being able to quickly filter out several horses who just don’t appeal on the figures.
Using that strategy, it leaves us with a good handful of runners who warrant attention, HI ROYAL will be ridden by Billy Loughnane and his recent figure of 200 is certainly eye-catching, but as is his inconsistency which is a major concern here. POPMASTER is often seen running very well in defeat in these sorts of contests, and will be sure to be there at the close for those looking at the Place market. But for Win purposes, and for your Exotics bets, I want to focus on two horses, QIRAT & TOKENOMICS The former represents the Ralph Beckett team and made a very impressive reappearance this season at Ascot over the shorter 7f trip. that day he kept on well and in the process still earned a stellar rating of 186 which in isolation needs serious respect. With progress likely to come from that outing, I would expect this horse to go very close. The second selection is of equal interest, especially given in these types of races it can pay to follow those horses that are on a clear upward trajectory. This horse’s last 3 runs reflect that, with ratings achieved of 51, 116 and most recently 158 when winning at Cork. Of course he will need to keep improving but connections know all-to-well how to ready one for this race and at the prices he needs to be considered.
Race 6: 17:35 Ascot Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies Handicap)
Our penultimate contest sees a strong field of fillies head to post for a handicap over the same mile trip.
Race Analysis
From a data perspective there can be those rare occasions where all angles seem to point towards one horse, and this time it’s RAINBOWS EDGE. This filly will have to carry top weight, but you will struggle to find a better pedigree on the day according to our Breeding Data. By Night Of Thunder, out of the 111-rated mare Memory, this horse is bred to have bundles of talent. When you then look at her performance figures, she is equally as impressive. Recent ratings of 107, 116 and 168 are clearly very impressive, with a strong upward improvement on each run. A glance at the stable form will tell you that the Gosden team is hitting peak form, just in time for this filly.
Of course this remains a handicap and will not be easy, and the data sees strong competition from horses such as AROLLA, INDEPENDENT EXPERT & ARISAIG, but the data is speaking strongly for the selection who at the time of writing remains of firm interest in the market also.
Race 7: 18:10 Ascot Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race)
We end Day 2 with another competitive 2yo contest, this time the Windsor Castle Stakes.
Race Analysis
These contests as you can probably gather from earlier comments fascinate me. You have a field of largely unexposed horses all of which are still growing into their various frames given they are just two years old. Often you find in these races that your best initial guide is what a horse has done on debut, and several of these not only have won, but have posted impressive figures. DICKENSIAN was impressive on debut before subsequently disappointing, whilst Irish contenders KANSAS & ROGUE LEGEND have cemented themselves as the ones to beat. On their collective figures, this race would require a big performance to win, but I think there is a horse lurking here that ticks all those boxes. GAGA MATE was quickly purchased out of the Dylan Cunha stable after an impressive debut win at Catterick. That day, EquiAnalytix Dashboard members were able to capitalise given this horse’s pedigree suggested he would be a bright 2yo prospect for the year. Having hugged the rail throughout, this horse shot clear in impressive fashion and even more impressively achieved a rating of 178. This is alone one of the best pieces of form on offer and you’d have to think this son of Mehmas has much more to offer on just his second career start.
🎲 Tote Placepot – Royal Ascot (Races 1–6)
Select at least one horse to place in each of the opening six races at Epsom:
- Leg 1 (14:30): Staya (22)
- Leg 2 (15:05): Shackleton (10), Carmers (3)
- Leg 3 (15:40): One Look (5)
- Leg 4 (16:20): Ombudsman (7), Los Angeles (5)
- Leg 5 (17:00): Qirat (5), Tokenomics (29)
- Leg 6 (17:35): Rainbows Edge (1)
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us for our expert coverage of Royal Ascot Day 2. As always, our approach blends performance analytics, breeding intelligence, and market-aware insights to identify genuine value, particularly in the World Pool, where liquidity creates opportunity.
With deep pools and enhanced payouts on offer, today’s races present a prime chance to leverage data-led strategies across the Win, Place, and Exotic markets. From strong fancies to lively outsiders, every EquiAnalytix selection is rooted in substance, not sentiment.
Best of luck with Day 2 – and be sure to check back tomorrow for our full Day 3 preview and analysis.
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