Head to Head: Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot

Wednesday’s Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes is a centerpiece of the Royal Ascot festival. This showdown rivals Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee for the richest purse of the week. The winner not only claims top honors but also punches their ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

First run in 1862, this 1 1/4 mile classic has a hall-of-fame roll call. Previous winners of the prestigious 1 1/4 mile event include Auguste Rodin (2024), who captured the prior year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, Highland Reel (2017), winner of the 2016 BC Turf and third in 2017, plus the legendary Ouija Board, Fantastic Light and Dubai Millennium.

This year’s renewal is no less compelling. Los Angeles and Anmaat clash for the third time, reigniting a top-tier rivalry. Anmaat struck first in last year’s QIPCO Champion Stakes on testing ground, but Los Angeles exacted revenge in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Now, they meet again, joined by seven seasoned challengers-for what promises to be a tactical, high-class affair.

The field breaks before the Swinley Bottom turn. Note that program numbers differ from gate positions, and the going is expected to be good to firm.

Post time for this Group 1 event is 11:20 a.m. EDT.

Laurie and I have dissected the field, crunched the numbers, and zeroed in on our key plays, including a couple of live longshots worth a look.

Laurie

1. Anmaat (7-2)

Post 8

In his first start of the season, Anmaat made a good run in the 1 5/16 mile Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, but Los Angeles wouldn’t let him by. The Owen Burrows trainee captured last year’s Champion Stakes at odds of 40-1 over the Ascot course and distance, besting Prince of Wales’s rivals Los Angeles, See the Fire and Continuous. The 7-year-old gelding, a multiple Group 1 victor, recorded a 124 Timeform Rating and has improved with age. Can he turn the tables on his nemesis? Exotics.

2025 Tattersalls Gold Cup

5. Los Angeles (5-2)

Post 5

The 4-year-old Los Angeles captured his third Group 1 in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in his prep for the Prince of Wales’s, earning a 126 Timeform Rating, the highest in the Prince of Wales’s field. The Aidan O’Brien trainee settled in third place early before taking over with two furlongs to go, holding off Anmaat in a thrilling stretch drive by a half-length. O’Brien seeks a record sixth victory in the Prince of Wales’s. Win Contender.

6. Map of Stars (9-2)

Post 2

A winner of two of three starts this year, Map of Stars bested rivals by 2 1/2 lengths in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt. 21 days later, he faced the multiple Group 1-winning filly Sosie in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, both starts at 1 1/4 miles. One of the top older fillies in France, Sosie held off a gaining Map of Stars by a neck. The Francis-Henri Graffard trainee earned a 122 Timeform rating for his effort, a point higher than the Prix d’Harcourt. Exotics.

Prix Ganay

7. Ombudsman (11-2)

Post 1

Ombudsman was undefeated as a 3-year-old and worked his way up in class to capture the 1 1/4 miles Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in his final start of the season. He tuned up for the Prince of Wales’s with a strong second-place finish in the Group 3 Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes, attacking up the hill two with two furlongs to go, but he got tired in the stretch, finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind Almaquam, who had the benefit of a recent start. The John & Thady Gosden trainee earned a 122 Timeform rating and should improve in his second start. Exotics.

Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes

9. See the Fire (6-1)

Post 3

The only filly in the Prince of Wales’s, See the Fire was supplemented after her dominant 12-length win in the 1 1/4 mile Group 2 Middleton Stakes. The Andrew Balding trainee was reserved at the back of the pack early and took command under a hand ride in mid-stretch. The performance netted See the Fire a 120 Timeform Rating. See the Fire’s best finish against Group 1 company was in the one-mile Sun Chariot Stakes, where she gained ground but ran out of real estate. Last fall, See the Fire, then three, was a non-threatening fifth behind Anmaat in the Champion Stakes (G1) over this course and distance. It was a decent effort, and she ground in the stretch against older males. Live longshot.

Middleton Stakes

Ashley

1. Anmaat (7-2)

Post 8

Trained by Owen Burrows, fitness likely came into play in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1). The Shadwell color bearer took the lead from Los Angeles inside the final furlong but could not turn that one away when Los Angeles re-rallied to take the victory by 1/2 length. Anmaat won the Champion Stakes (G1) over this course in October and has placed outside the trifecta just once in his 16 race career. Good to firm going may not be his best ground type, but he’s versatile enough to get the job done. Contender.

5. Los Angeles (5-2)

Post 5

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Los Angeles is 2-for-2 on the year with victories in the City of Troy Irish European Breeders Fund Mooresbridge (G2) and the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1). While Los Angeles had the fitness edge over Anmaat at Curragh last month, that one soundly beat him at Ascot in the Champion Stakes (G1) last October. Will have stablemate Continuous to run at. Contender.

7. Ombudsman (11-2)

Post 1

Trained by John & Thady Gosden, Ombudsman was undefeated as a 3-year old. He returned a strong second in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) off a nine month layoff. This will be his debut at Ascot, but group three being his highest achievement is troublesome. Could improve with his second start of the season. Exotics.

9. See the Fire (6-1)

Post 3

Trained by Oisin Murphy, this filly was supplemented to this race. A winner of three races from twelve starts, See the Fire was most recently seen demolishing rivals by 12 lengths in the Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (G2) at York. Previous forays at Ascot saw her finishing fifth of 9 in the 2024 Coronation Stakes (G1) and fifth of 11, three lengths behind winner Anmaat, in the aforementioned Champion Stakes (G1). Live longshot.

Analysis

Laurie

Favorites: Only one winner has started at longer odds than 10/1 since the upgrade to Group 1 status in 2000.

Previous Starts: 18 of the last 28 winners won last time out. No winner placed worse than fifth in their last race.

Course Form: 8 of the last 12 winners had run before at Ascot, and two won.

Layoff: 24 to 32 days off is the sweet spot. The majority of winners had at least one start under their girth within the last month. Six of the last 20 winners made their first start in over 32 days.

Class: All of the last ten winners won at Group 3 or higher, and nine had a win at 1 1/14 miles. 90% had contested a Group 1 race.

Age: 4-5 Year Olds dominate. No horse older than six has landed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Los Angeles hasn’t won at Ascot and is a one-paced grinder. However, he ticks most of the historical boxes and is the logical favorite.

At seven, Ammaat hopes to beat the young whippersnappers. He’s won at Ascot and has tactical speed.

Ombudsman steps into Group 1 company and faces older horses in his initial start at Ascot.

Map of Stars just missed earning Group 1 status by a head in his last start. French horses filled out the exotics in last year’s Prince of Wales’s, and this up-and-comer is a solid play.

Ashley

Look for Certain Lad and Continuous to make the early running with Continuous’s stablemate Los Angeles also prominent early. Anmaat looks to improve second off the layoff and could very well turn the tables on Los Angeles in this rematch.

Ombudsman is a bit of a stretch with his highest achievement being at the group three level. He does have a victory over Map of Stars and can certainly move forward second off the layoff and as an older, more mature runner.

The filly See the Fire performed admirably against Anmaat and company as a 3-year-old last fall in the Champion Stakes (G1). She had a bit of an unlucky run as she was unable to find a clear racing lane until it was too late. Once she was finally uncovered, she ran on well to get up for fifth, beaten by just three lengths. I think she has a real shot here.