As we edge closer to the end of Royal Ascot 2025, the penultimate day gives us four Group races to preview, including two Group 1s.
The 2000 Guineas form will be in full view again with Shadow Of Light in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, and the French 1000 Guineas winner Zarigana will look to supplement her win at Longchamp in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes.
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Group 3 Albany Stakes - 6f
An open look at the opening race on day four of Royal Ascot 2025. The Tony Bloom-owned Venetian Sun put in a professional performance on debut at Carlisle. The second horse went on to win on its next start, which lends substance to Venetian Sun's win.
However, the Aidan O'Brien runner Signora, who was third on debut in a Group 3 won by the exciting Lady Iman, is the clear pick. Green Sense was ahead of the selection at Naas, but she will do well to uphold that form here. Ballydoyle must think a bit of Signora to send her into a Group 3 on her first start, and now, with the experience under her belt, she can take a big step forward here.
Balantina, who won in good style at the Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend, could prove a big danger to the selection.
- Selection: Signora 4/1
- Danger: Balantina 12/1
Group 1 Commonwealth Cup - 6f
In what looks like a competitive race on paper, this still could be taken apart by the 2000 Guineas third Shadow of Light. He was last seen over 1m in the 2000 Guineas, and with the runner-up Field Of Gold franking that form no end by going on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace here on Tuesday.
The drop to 6f is a positive, if anything, as the son of Lope De Vega was a Group 1 winner over this trip as a two-year-old. Drawn on the right side of the track, Shadow of Light can put clear daylight between himself and his rivals.
Big Mojo was a course and distance winner on his first start of the season and has since run well in his next start despite being hampered. He looks to have a big each-way chance.
- Selection: Shadow Of Light 9/4
- Danger: Big Mojo 18/1
Group 1 Coronation Stakes - 1m (Rnd)
The French 1000 Guineas winner Zarigana is fighting it out for favouritism with the supplemented Falakeyah. The latter was impressive in the second of her two wins, which booked her place for a crack at Group 1 glory on just her third start.
There is no knowing how much she can improve here, and she is one of the interesting ones, alongside Kon Tiki. However, an each-way chance is taken with the French 2000 Guineas fourth Exactly. She was hampered in what was a rough finish in Longchamp, but given she was just over one length behind Zarigana after being snatched up, the price discrepancy is too big.
If you can forgive Flight for her below-par run in the Irish 1000 Guineas, which was on rain-softened ground that wouldn't have been to her liking, she looks a big price based on her second in the 1000 Guineas. The return to a fast surface is a big plus for her.
- Selection: Exactly 10/1
- Danger: Flight 18/1
Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes - 1m4f
Despite winning the Derby trial, Puppet Master skipped the big day at Epsom, and that would put a question mark on him as to where he is in the Ballydoyle pecking order. This year's renewal doesn't look like the strongest of Group 2s, and he will have a leading chance, but they will all have to go some to hold off the fast-improving Amiloc.
The Ralph Beckett runner is unbeaten in his four career starts and looks like a horse on a rapid upward trajectory. He has his quirks, but his talent outshines what he does wrong, and with more racing, the more behaved he will become.
This represents a significant step up in grade, but with the extra furlong likely to bring out even more from Amiloc, it could be a case of the further he goes, the better he will be.
- Selection: Amiloc 15/8
