As the flat racing season intensifies and the summer campaign gathers momentum, all eyes turn toward the quintessential spectacle of British horse racing—Royal Ascot.
The 2025 Royal Ascot meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 17 June through Saturday 21 June, represents not merely a racing fixture but a cornerstone of Britain’s sporting and cultural heritage.
Set against the backdrop of the magnificent Berkshire countryside, this five-day Festival combines aristocratic tradition with world-class competition.
The meeting’s prestige is backed by a supporting cast of strong Group One contests—the Queen Anne Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and the historic Ascot Gold Cup—each offering a definitive examination that proves hard to call with the Royal Ascot tips.
As we approach this pinnacle of the flat season, certain trainers have already demonstrated exceptional form during the early exchanges of the campaign.
Their early-season performances provide crucial indicators of potential Royal Ascot dominance.
In this article, we take a look at some of the best trainers worth keeping an eye out for as we approach Royal Ascot.
Charlie Appleby
Despite weathering initial challenges during the spring period, Charlie Appleby orchestrated a remarkable renaissance at the Guineas Festival at Newmarket—flat racing’s prestigious curtain-raiser. The Godolphin trainer’s tactical masterclass yielded six winners across the meeting, including the extraordinary feat of claiming both classic races.
Ruling Court’s tenacious triumph in the 2000 Guineas, narrowly repelling Field Of Gold, represented a successful title defence following Notable Speech’s victory in 2024.
This achievement was complemented by Desert Flower’s commanding performance in the 1000 Guineas, providing Appleby with his maiden success in the fillies’ Classic.
With approximately £1.2 million already secured in prize money this term, Appleby’s Moulton Paddocks operation possesses both the quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for the Trainers’ Championship.
His ability to prepare horses for the highest-calibre contests positions him as a formidable presence as Royal Ascot approaches.
Andrew Balding
Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere operation has showcased remarkable resilience in 2025, overcoming the loss of Qatar Racing’s patronage to lead the Trainers’ Championship with over £1.5 million in prize money and 50 winners by mid-May.
His partnership with King Power Racing continues to thrive, highlighted by Group 2 victories from Bellum Justum and The Foxes.
Balding’s adeptness across various distances and age groups positions him as a formidable contender for Royal Ascot, where his meticulous preparation and tactical acumen have historically yielded significant results.
Richard Hannon
Sticking with the Brits, and Richard Hannon’s current position among the top five in the trainers’ championship underscores his consistent excellence.
With a historical affinity for Royal Ascot’s prestigious two-year-old programme and mile races, his runners merit particular attention during the five-day spectacular.
Hannon’s stable boasts a strong contingent of contenders for Royal Ascot 2025, including Rosallion, Persica, Haatem, and Unquestionable, all entered in the Queen Anne Stakes.
Rosallion, notably, is being aimed at the Queen Anne as his first major target of the season, following a successful 2024 campaign that included victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden
The father-son partnership of John and Thady Gosden are always interesting to watch at Ascot, with prize money exceeding £740,000—a solid foundation despite the disappointment experienced in the season’s first Classic.
With 22 victories thus far, including notable Listed race successes at Goodwood with Shaha and Crimson Advocate in early May, the Clarehaven team continues to demonstrate their elite capabilities. However, the narrow defeat of Field Of Gold in the 2000 Guineas—a race that continues to elude the distinguished career of John Gosden—represents a significant missed opportunity.
The Gosdens’ historic prowess with fillies and mares suggests particular opportunities in contests like the Coronation Stakes and the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, while their middle-distance specialists traditionally pose significant threats in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
