Royal Ascot Tips 2025 – Day Three

Date: Thursday 19th June 2025

Royal Ascot Day 3 Preview – 2025

Gold Cup day is always one of the most prestigious cards of the entire week, but there is quality and depth all the way through Thursday with smart juveniles, improving three-year-olds and some fiercely competitive handicaps.

Using the key race trends and the final racecards, these are the Turf Talk ratings and selections for Royal Ascot Day 3.

Main Selection: Charles Darwin (10/11 available)

The Norfolk trends favour a sharp juvenile arriving off a recent win with proven five-furlong speed, and he looked the strongest fit in the field. He brought the right profile from a top yard, had already shown enough pace and professionalism, and looked the most likely one to cope with the demands of a fast Royal Ascot two-year-old sprint.

Second Selection: First Legion (12/1 available)

He was not as obvious as the favourite, but still appealed on the key race patterns. He had the right recent run, enough pace for the trip and looked the type who could take another step forward in a strongly-run race. In a contest where improvement matters, he looked a very fair second choice.

Main Selection: Merchant (5/1 available)

This race is one of the most trends-heavy handicaps of the week and he looked a textbook fit. He came into it as a lightly-raced improver, sat in the right sort of rating band and had the recent winning form that so often points to the answer in this contest. He looked exactly the type this race tends to reward.

Second Selection: Serious Contender (8/1 available)

Another who matched the profile very well. He had the right mix of recent form, progression and tactical versatility for a race like this, and looked likely to be suited by the trip and setup. If the main selection failed to fully deliver, he looked one of the most credible alternatives in the line-up.

Main Selection: Catalina Delcarpio (11/4 available)

The Ribblesdale trends usually point towards a filly with strong middle-distance form, a recent run and the class to improve again at this level. She looked the strongest fit on that basis and brought the sort of profile that often wins this race. Her blend of substance and upside made her the one to beat on paper.

Second Selection: Garden Of Eden (9/1 available)

She was not quite as obvious from a market angle, but still matched enough of the main race trends to warrant serious respect. She had the right sort of trip profile and looked likely to improve further in this company. In a race where progression counts for plenty, she looked a very live second pick.

Main Selection: Trawlerman (3/1 available)

The Gold Cup trends are usually very strong and often point firmly towards the obvious high-class stayer with recent winning form and proper Ascot credentials. He ticked those boxes better than anything else in the race. With proven stamina, the right recent run and course suitability, he looked the most solid option in the field.

Second Selection: Illinois (7/2 available)

A very strong alternative and one with the right age profile for a modern Gold Cup winner. He brought class, progression and a staying pedigree into the race, and looked the most likely runner to really test the selection if improving again for the longer trip. He was an obvious danger on the figures.

Main Selection: Arabian Story (10/1 available)

The Britannia often rewards a progressive three-year-old in the right rating band with recent form and enough mile pace to travel well in a huge-field handicap. He looked one of the stronger fits on the trends and had the right blend of tactical pace and upside. He made most appeal as the main selection.

Second Selection: La Botte (8/1 available)

He also matched the broad race profile well and looked the type to be suited by this sort of strongly-run straight-mile handicap. His recent form was good enough to put him firmly in the conversation and he looked one of the more trustworthy alternatives if things fell his way from a draw and pace perspective.

Main Selection: Detain (4/1 available)

The Hampton Court tends to go to a progressive three-year-old with enough experience at around ten furlongs and the class to keep progressing in better company. He looked the strongest fit on the figures, bringing the right rating and profile into the race. On paper, he looked the one with the best all-round credentials.

Second Selection: Trinity College (7/2 available)

He was another who made plenty of appeal on the trends and looked very likely to run well. He had the right level of form, enough tactical pace and the type of profile that often improves again in races like this. If the main selection did not fully fire, he looked the most likely horse to benefit.

Main Selection: Never So Brave (11/2 available)

This race often goes to an older handicapper drawn high with a solid seven-furlong profile and enough recent racing to arrive fully tuned. He looked the strongest fit on that basis and had the right sort of form to suggest he could be very dangerous in this setup. He appealed most as the main pick.

Second Selection: English Oak (13/2 available)

Another who made plenty of sense on the main trends even if he was not quite as clean a fit as the selection. He had the rating, the experience and the type of profile to go well in a race like this. If things panned out favourably on his side, he had enough ability to get seriously involved.