Royal Ascot 2025 kicks off with a thrilling Day 1 featuring an exciting lineup of Group One races, including the Queen Anne Stakes, King Charles III Stakes, and St James's Palace Stakes. The day's bets to watch include 'Andab' in the Coventry Stakes, 'Meydaan' in the Wolferton Stakes, 'Barnso' in the Copper Horse Handicap, and 'Artistic Star' in the Ascot Stakes. Each of these picks offers promising odds for an Each-Way bet. Stay updated with live streaming options for full race enjoyment.
Three Group Ones will take place at Ascot on Tuesday 17th June
Andab, Artistic Star and Meydaan feature in our day one selections
Expired
Royal Ascot Day 1 in 2024. (Getty)
Ascot Day 1 Tips
Royal Ascot 2025 Day 1 Racecard
2:30pm Ascot - Queen Anne Stakes Tips
3:05pm Ascot - Coventry Stakes Tips
3:40pm Ascot - King Charles III Stakes Tips
4:20pm Ascot - St James's Palace Stakes Tips
5:00pm Ascot - Ascot Stakes Tips
5:35pm Ascot - Wolferton Stakes Tips
6:10pm Ascot - Copper Horse Handicap Tips
Royal Ascot 2025 gets off to a sensational start on Tuesday afternoon. Three fantastic Group One races headline the opening day of racing, which also features the Group Two Coventry Stakes and a couple of lucrative handicaps.
I always think that the stands' side is the best place to be on the straight track at Ascot and most of the market principals have been drawn in double-figure stalls. Gstaad (14), Military Code (15) and Postmodern (19) are locked in a battle for favouritism, but I'm happy to give another chance to ANDAB (16/1), drawn just outside the market leaders in stall 20.
Joseph O'Brien's colt powered to an impressive victory over Gavoo on debut at the Curragh, which took his trainer by surprise, as he hadn't shown much at home. Andab was then beaten into third in the Marble Hill Stakes by Albert Einstein - who topped the betting for this Group Two before he was ruled out of the meeting.
O'Brien said in a recent stable tour that his colt had a small problem in-between those runs and he's been training well since that length-and-a-half defeat. I'm sure Andab will step up to seven furlongs before the season is out, but a stiff six furlongs should be ideal now, given the stamina in his breeding.
If something was to take him into the race on the inside of the straight, RAAKEB (50/1) could challenge for the places. Richard Hannon's youngster won well on debut at Ripon, and has since placed third in two valuable conditions races.
Sean Levey's mount recovered well after a shocking start to place a close third in the Woodcote Stakes at Goodwood, seeing out six furlongs well on his first attempt. Raakeb has got plenty of experience, and seems to have improved with each effort thus far.
Meydaan (right) scrapping with Liberty Lane (left) in the Festival Stakes at Goodwood. (Getty)
5:00pm Ascot - Ascot Stakes Tips
A tight affair, as usual, where Willie Mullins plays a particularly strong hand. I'm struggling to split the leading contenders, so I've decided to take a punt on ARTISTIC STAR (33/1) at a massive price.
Ralph Beckett's gelding finished seventh in the Epsom Derby on his third career-start back in 2023, and went on to run solid races in the King Edward VII Stakes here at Royal Ascot and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. Artistic Star only ran twice during a troubled 2024 campaign, and finished last on the all-weather at Kempton at the start of this year.
Beckett's five-year-old was much more competitive on his return to turf at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas day, keeping on to finish fourth having sat prominently throughout the Betfred Handicap. That was a huge effort under 9-12 and Beckett has called upon talented claimer, Luke Dace to take seven pounds off Artistic Star's back on Tuesday. With just 9-5 to shoulder, I'm hopeful that this once classy operator can see out this marathon distance.
5:35pm Ascot - Wolferton Stakes Tips
Simon & Ed Crisford thought they might have a St Leger contender on their hands after MEYDAAN (20/1) made an encouraging start to his career last term. This son of Frankel proved to be a little one-paced over middle distances, however, and simply hated soft ground on his final three-year-old start at Longchamp.
After an autumn gelding operation, the Crisfords dropped Meydaan down to a mile for his return in the Paradise Stakes, where he ran a solid race to finish fifth, having tracked Sardinian Warrior through the early stages. Back over ten furlongs in the Festival Stakes, Harry Davies' mount made stealthy progress from the rear, but hung a little right in the closing stages as Liberty Lane repelled him.
I liked the way Meydaan travelled in the Paradise Stakes, and ten furlongs seems to be his optimum trip. A wide draw can often be favourable on the round course at Ascot and Meydaan has enough quality to get involved in this competitive affair.
6:10pm Ascot - Copper Horse Handicap Tips
Just nine pounds separate the entire field in Tuesday's card closing handicap. The four-year-olds have a stranglehold on this betting heat and I'm quite interested in Oisin Murphy's mount, BARNSO (16/1).
Natalia Lupini's youngster won on his second start in handicaps at Fairyhouse in May, and has since gone close a number of times. Barnso was touched off in the Ulster Derby, finished second to Aeronautic in a rated race, and then kept on to finish a very close third behind two decent operators in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at Leopardstown last August.
Barnso was last seen finishing fourth behind Kyprios in the Vintage Crop Stakes and Lupini has opted to lower his sights since that Listed effort. He remains open to further progress and could be worth chancing at an each-way price.
Verdict
Royal Ascot 2025 Day 1 Top Tips:
Best Bet1: Andab E/W 3:05pm Ascot @16/1 at BOYLE Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Meydaan E/W 5:35pm Ascot @20/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet3: Barnso E/W 6:10pm Ascot @16/1 at Star Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Artistic Star E/W 5:00pm Ascot @33/1 at 10bet - 5 Units
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
18+ New customers only. Bet £20 (or more) EVS (2.0) or greater Get 2 x £5 Free Bets. 1 x £5 Free Bet paid automatically & following £5 Free Bet after 24hrs. Min Free Bet odds 4/1 (5.0) on accumulators Trebles & upwards. Expires after 24hrs. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org