It is one of the biggest and most prestigious racing festivals of the flat season with five full days of racing scheduled for Royal Ascot.
Starting on Tuesday, 17th June, all eyes will turn to the Berkshire Racecourse as the great and the good of the horse racing world turn out, not just for the Royal Procession, but for the eight Group 1 races and more than £10 million up for grabs across the five days of racing.
Of those, it is the Prince of Wales Stakes that rules mid-week racing and with £1 million up for grabs, it’s no surprise that the big guns are being primed.
Last year, it was Auguste Rodin who stole the show, adding his name to the roll of honour in style. Now the question is: who’ll step up in 2025?
With the money, the prestige, and the bragging rights on the line, expect fireworks over that mile and a quarter.
Dominating the betting are Los Angeles for Aidan O’Brien, Anmaat for Owen Burrows, and Ombudsman for John & Thady Gosden, but which of them will live up to expectations and reign victorious?
More importantly, will any of them actually win, or will the Winner’s Enclosure be graced with the presence of an outsider?
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Prince of Wales Stakes
First run in 1862 and named for the then Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), the Prince of Wales Stakes has evolved into a race that attracts the best middle-distance horses aged four and up.
After a rather lengthy hiatus from 1940 to 1967, the race returned in 1968 and was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2000, cementing its place as a jewel in the Royal Ascot crown.
Its roll of honour includes legendary champions such as Brigadier Gerard, Dubai Millennium, Ouija Board, and more recently, Auguste Rodin, who triumphed in 2024.
The £1 Million Prize Pot
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the richest race at Royal Ascot, with a total purse of £1,000,000. The winner alone takes home £567,100, reflecting the race’s status as the feature contest on the second day of the festival.
It is the only Group 1 race of the day, ensuring that connections target it with their very best, which is why this year’s list of entries is so impressive.
Following final declarations, the field has been whittled down to nine runners, from the 17 who were still in contention last week.
The 2025 Contenders: Top Three
Los Angeles – Aidan O’Brien
First up, and it should come as absolutely no surprise to anybody, is Los Angeles from trainer Aidan O’Brien. In fact it would be more shocking if he didn’t have the favourite!
Los Angeles, a four-year-old colt by Camelot, heads the betting market for Aidan O’Brien, who is looking for his sixth win in this race.
Incidentally, that’s not the record which is held by John Porter and dates all the way back to 1888-1905 when he won eight times.
With seven wins from his eleven starts, amassing nearly £2 million in earnings, Los Angeles looks like the one to beat.
Fresh off the back of his most recent Group 1 win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, he held off Anmaat by half a length.
But can Anmaat flip the script at Ascot?
Anmaat – Owen Burrows
Anmaat and team Burrows will be out for revenge at Ascot and as one of the oldest running in the race – at the ripe old age of seven – he does have his work cut out for him.
Luckily for connections, Anmaat doesn’t show any signs of slowing down and his shock win in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last year, when he won at 40/1, had bookies slashing his odds, lest they face a repeat win in 2025.
And, whether it’s a bit of mind games or genuine belief, his trainer, Owen Burrows, was reportedly thrilled with his latest second place at the Curragh, stating that his stable star wasn’t even fully wound up.
The gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down!
Ombudsman – John & Thady Gosden
Lastly we have Ombudsman, from the father-son partnership of John and Thady Gosden, a four-year-old colt by Night Of Thunder.
Running in Godolphin colours, he is lightly raced with only five starts under his belt, though he has won four of them.
That said, he has never dipped his hoof in the Group 1 pond so the Prince of Wales Stakes will require a huge step up.
He did finish in second place in his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, which is often seen as a stepping stone to Ascot.
Whether that remains the case for Ombudsman is anyone’s guess but the Gosden’s will certainly have him primed for his biggest test yet.
Market Trends
As with all races that have been running for over a hundred years, trends emerge that can help point us in the right direction when it comes to backing a potential winner.
In the case of the Prince of Wales Stakes you really shouldn’t stray much beyond the top three in the betting as that is where eight of the last ten winners have come from.
Most winners have already scored at Group 1 level or at least placed in top company – not such great news for Ombudsman…but on the upside, horses arriving in form, particularly those who have won or placed on their last start, hold a clear edge.
Who Will Claim the Crown?
The 2025 Prince of Wales Stakes promises a fascinating and tactical battle between outstanding horses, but without the aid of a crystal ball it’s impossible to determine just which of them will win.
In one camp, Los Angeles brings proven Group 1 class, race fitness, and the O’Brien-Moore partnership.
However, Anmaat boasts Ascot-winning form and the promise of improvement, while Ombudsman is the dark horse, lightly raced and progressive, from connections who know how to win this race.
With £1 million on the line, this year’s Prince of Wales Stakes is set to be a highlight of the Flat season and another true test of middle-distance excellence.
