King Charles III Stakes 2025 Preview

King Charles III Stakes – 15:40 Royal Ascot – 17/6/25

The King Charles III Stakes, formerly known as the King’s Stand Stakes, is the first Group 1
sprint of the Royal Ascot meeting and one of the purest speed tests in world racing. Run
over Ascot’s demanding five furlongs, it pits some of the fastest horses on the planet against
each other in a no-holds-barred dash for the line.

Renamed in 2023 to honour the reign of King Charles III, the race dates back to 1860 and
has long been a fixture of the Royal Meeting. It holds a proud place in the Global Sprint
Challenge, attracting elite sprinters not only from the UK and Ireland but also from sprinting
powerhouses like Australia, Hong Kong, and the United States.

The nature of Ascot’s straight five furlongs means it’s not just about blistering early pace —
horses need to see out the trip strongly, especially given the stiff uphill finish. That makes
this a searching test for sprinters and a genuine indicator of world-class ability. Many of its
past winners — such as Choisir, Sole Power, Lady Aurelia, and Battaash — have gone on to
become household names in racing.

Tactically, the race can be influenced by the draw and where the pace is, with runners often
splitting into groups. However, top-class horses tend to find a way through regardless of
track position.

Key Stats and Trends
With 23 runners set to go to post, here are some standout stats and trends to help narrow
the field:
● 11 of the past 12 winners had a rating of 112 or higher, which rules out all bar West
Acre, Starlust, Regional, Believing, and Asfoora.
● 9 of the past 12 winners were in the top three in the betting, suggesting West Acre
and Starlust have something to find at bigger prices unless there’s significant late
support.

Runner-by-Runner Guide (Main Contenders)

Regional – Last seen finishing third behind Believing in the valuable Al Quoz Sprint at
Meydan (73 days ago), he claimed his biggest win in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint in 2023.
That remains his latest success, but he’s been consistently placed in top races both
domestically and in Ireland. He finished a solid second behind Asfoora in this race last year
(Believing was fourth) and now has a more favourable draw. With conditions to suit, he holds
strong claims.

Believing – Landed the biggest win of her career in Dubai last time, showing plenty of natural
speed to win over six furlongs on good ground. That suggests this sharp five will suit her
even better. A 25% strike rate over five furlongs and ultra-consistent form make her a

compelling contender. Stall 1 is a negative, but Blue Point overcame the same draw in 2019.
With Ryan Moore in the saddle, she should be finishing fastest.

Asfoora – Returns to defend her title after beating Regional last year. Held her form well in
subsequent Group races and returned to winning ways in Australia earlier this season.
However, her latest run was disappointing. Blinkers are applied for the first time, and while
they could spark improvement, she will need to step up to be a factor here.
Race Preview and Selection
There looks to be no shortage of early pace among the 23-runner field. Regional is well
drawn and might have finished closer to Asfoora last year had he not hung under pressure.
Connections are confident, and he should run a solid race.
Asfoora needs blinkers to work first time and to bounce back from below-par performances
— 9/2 looks a bit short given those question marks.

Believing is the one who looks ideally suited by how this race should unfold. A strongly-run
five furlongs is exactly what she wants, and her win in Dubai was the perfect prep. While
stall 1 is far from ideal, she has the world’s best jockey on board in Ryan Moore, who has
overcome tougher challenges in recent weeks. She should be finishing best of all with her
3lb allowance and extra help.

Selection:
Believing – 1pt Win @ 9/2