When is the 2025 King Charles III Stakes?

The 2025 King Charles III Stakes takes place on day one of Royal Ascot on Tuesday 17th June, 2025. All five days of Royal Ascot will be shown live on ITV Racing.

The King Charles III Stakes is the second Group One race on the opening day of Royal Ascot. This thrilling sprint race is staged over the minimum trip of five furlongs and open to horses of three-years-old and above. This race was known as the King's Stand Stakes, until it was renamed in honour of the new British monarch in 2024.

Australia celebrated another victory in the King Charles III Stakes in 2024, as raider Asfoora took down favourite Big Evs and Regional to land this Group One prize.

Asfoora could return to Ascot in 2025 to try and defend her crown. Big Evs will be a four-year-old when next year's Royal Ascot rolls around. Horses who impress in key lead-up races like the Duke Of York and Palace House Stakes often take part in this Group One sprint.

The King Charles III Stakes takes place at Ascot racecourse, situated in Berkshire, England.

The 2025 King Charles III Stakes will be shown live on ITV and RacingTV. If you plan on watching the racing via your mobile or tablet, then bookmakers such as bet365 will allow you to stream the race live.

The bet365 live streaming service covers a wide range of horse racing on a daily basis. Here's how to stream the King Charles III Stakes live online:

The introduction of the King's Stand Stakes wasn't by design, but due to inclement weather.

The Royal Stand Plate was to be run over two miles, but due to the heavy rain only five furlongs of the track was able to be used. Subsequently, the long-distance thoroughbreds had to run over the much shorter distance of 1000m.

It has since become the most popular and most important sprint race at the Royal Ascot carnival.

Despite its popularity, the race was downgraded to Group 2 status in 1988 but regained its top billing in 2008.

The past winners' list is lengthy and it includes many champion sprinters from all around the world. Little Bridge gave the Hong Kong connections of Danny Shum and owner Ko Kam Piu a win in 2012 and the Australians have a great record.

Choisir won in 2003 before Takeover Target won three years later in 2006. Takeover Target was a $1000 purchase for Joe and Ben Janiak, and it's one of the greatest tales in Australian thoroughbred history.

Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast continued the Australian dominance in the years to come, but no Australian runner has won since 2009.

Lester Piggott holds the record for most wins (7) and trainer Vincent O'Brien scored five wins with the latest coming with Bluebird in 1987.

After his retirement, Aidan O'Brien (no relation) took over Ballymore Stables, but has yet to win a King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The winning times of the King's Stand Stakes aren't typically impressive, so many runners don't need to break the one-minute mark to win, however, 2017 winner Lady Aurelia produced a big effort to win in 0:57.45.

The smart American-bred sprinter was a three-length winner over Profitable and although the favourite was beaten (Marsha at 11/4) there were plenty of punters cashing their tickets on Lady Aurelia.

Goldream caused an upset at odds of 25/1 in 2015 when winning for Robert Cowell. The son of Oasis Dream wasn't fancied to beat two-time winner Sole Power, which had won the previous two editions.

Punters had cashed in with Sole Power which paid 5/1 in 2014 and 8/1 in 2013. 

It takes a good horse to win the King's Stand Stakes, but international form stacks up extremely well over the sprinting distance.

In 2018, Blue Point upset Battaash and defending champion, Lady Aurelia to win the King’s Stand Stakes.

The following year, Blue Point retained his Kings’ Stand Stakes crown in excellent fashion, before landing a historic Royal Ascot double just four days later by winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Chris Waller's Australian raider, Nature Strip handed his European rivals a sound thrashing to win the 2022 King's Stand Stakes.