Aussie Horses At Royal Ascot 2025
Are Any Aussie Horses going to Royal Ascot 2025
After last year’s victory by Asfoora and the recent win in 2022 by Nature Strip there is plenty of speculation presently as to which Australian based or trained horses might be aimed at having a tilt at this year’s royal showcase at Ascot in June.
Asfoora to Return?
Henry Dwyer isn’t worried about Asfoora’s recent seventh-place finish in the Robert Sangster Stakes, as the trainer is still upbeat and pushing ahead with plans to return to Royal Ascot in June. The Group 1-winning mare will line up in the King Charles III Stakes again on June 18th, 2025, with the aim of going back-to-back in the sprint.
Asfoora is expected to jet off this month with June 3rd or 4th the latest she’ll arrive over in the UK. This should give her a couple of weeks to settle in. It does mean that she won’t have a lead-up run prior to Royal Ascot this year. In 2024 she had one run prior to the meeting where she finished fourth.
Prior to her setting off to Europe, the six-year-old the team will keep her coat in race condition using rugs and artificial lighting to stop her from slipping into winter mode during the cooler Victorian nights.
Storm Boy to have a Crack…
Aidan O’Brien is eyeing his latest Royal Ascot coup with his Aussie import Storm Boy hoping to follow the success he had with Merchant Navy about seven years ago.
Storm Boy, who was favourite for the 2024 Golden Slipper, was a ripper juvenile for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, winning the Skyline Stakes and then finishing third in the Golden Slipper.
He then claimed the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill Gardens as a 3-year-old before heading to O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable about 6 months ago.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
Word is that the colt is being aimed at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, “When he arrived, we weren’t sure if he was a sprinter or miler, but he’s shown real speed, so 1200 meters looks right,” said his new trainer.
Aussie-Bred Sprinters
The King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot has become a favourite target for Australian-bred sprinters, and Mgheera looks ready to carry on that tradition. Trained in Europe but with strong Aussie ties, she now heads to Ascot as a serious contender.
Mgheera
Five-year-old Mgheera, by standout Australian sire Zoustar, earned her place with a dominant win in the Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp.
The performance not only secured her Ascot spot but also marked Zoustar’s first Group winner in France, giving Aussie breeders plenty to cheer about and further cementing his growing international reputation.
The Commonwealth Cup
Nick Smith, Royal Ascot’s Director of Racing and Public Affairs, is reportedly very eager to start attracting Australian two-year-olds to compete in the Commonwealth Cup.
Great Opportunity
He believes the race offers a great opportunity for southern hemisphere juveniles, especially with the advantage of a 4.5-kilogram weight allowance compared to local runners.
Aussie 2-Year-Olds Are Tough
“A horse from the Golden Slipper would be perfect for the Commonwealth Cup – it’s something we’ve been pushing for about five years,” Smith said. “Aussie two-year-olds are tough, they’ve already been tested, while ours are just getting started.”
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