Royal Ascot Tips: Leading Jockey Odds & Predictions (2025)

Who will be crowned leading jockey at the 2025 Royal Ascot meeting? Our horse racing writer runs through some of the main contenders in the race to take the top rider award.

Royal Ascot is the biggest Flat meeting of the summer, with 35 races across five glorious days at the Berkshire track. Widely regarded as one of the greatest events in the sport, it is the pinnacle meeting of the year for all the jockeys involved.

Here there are the most relevant races:

– Queen Anne Stakes – 17th Jun 2025
– King Charles III Stakes – 17th Jun 2025
– Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – 18th Jun 2025
– Royal Hunt Cup – 18th Jun 2025
– Norfolk Stakes – 19th Jun 2025
– Ascot Gold Cup – 19th Jun 2025
– Commonwealth Cup – 20th Jun 2025
– Coronation Stakes – 20th Jun 2025
– Wokingham Stakes – 21st Jun 2025
– Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – 21st Jun 2025

Only a fortunate few manage to ride multiple winners at the Royal meeting and some have enjoyed more success than others down the years.

In terms of all-time winners, Lester Piggott, Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori lead the winners table in that order.

This year’s contenders:

Ryan Moore

Ryan Moore has surpassed Frankie Dettori to become the most successful “active” rider at Royal Ascot, trailing only Lester Piggott in the all-time standings.

With Dettori now continuing his career in the US, Moore moved past Dettori’s record at Royal Ascot 2024, and looks sure to continue adding to his winners count in 2025 and beyond.

Moore will be jocked up on several leading chances again this year, so it is easy to see why he has been installed as the favourite again in our horse racing odds for the leading jockey at Royal Ascot title.

Oisin Murphy

Oisin was delighted to ride four winners including two Group 1’s, a Group 2 and the Royal Hunt Cup at last year’s Royal meeting.

Asfoora was perfectly prepared by Henry Dwyer and the staff at Amy Murphy’s stable. The filly was excellent on the day, winning the King Charles III Stakes over the minimum trip.

Running Lion, a daughter of Roaring Lion, got her much-deserved Group race success in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes. She was tremendous with a strong display from the front in her victory.

Wild Tiger was victorious for Saeed Bin Suror and Godolphin. Saeed gave Oisin his first Royal Ascot winner on Benbatl in the Hampton Court Stakes in 2017.

Khaadem also won back-to-back Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Trained by Charlie Hills, the eight-year-old was primed for the occasion and never looked like getting beat from two furlongs out.

Will we witness more of the same from Oisin this year?

James Doyle

James Doyle is the retained rider for Wathan Racing and he will be hoping to emulate, or even better, his four Royal Ascot winners last year.

Doyle returned from a frustrating spell on the sidelines with a winner recently, as the very promising Underwriter bolted up at Ayr.

The Mehmas colt cost his owners Wathnan Racing £200,000 from the Goffs breeze-ups and was following the same route as Electrolyte, who just missed out by a nose to Rashabar in the Coventry Stakes last term. Our traders then cut Underwiter to 8-1 from 12’s in our Royal Ascot betting for the same race.

If Doyle gets the right ammunition he could go close this year at Royal Ascot.

William Buick

William Buick is one of the top riders in the UK and the main rider for the Godolphin stud.

Buick has enjoyed plenty of success at the Royal meeting over the years, winning the King’s Stand Stakes with Blue Point in 2018, the Queen Anne Stakes with Ribchester in 2017 and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with The Fugue in 2014.

Last year he managed two Royal meeting winners, and also clocked in with an agonising five places.

If he can convert a handful of those this year, he certainly comes into the leading jockey reckoning.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at time of writing*

King Charles III Stakes

The King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King’s Stand Stakes) is one of the most electrifying races of the Royal Meeting. Run over a blistering 5 furlongs, this Group 1 contest attracts some of the fastest horses from around the globe—and with a £650,000 prize pot on offer, it’s a sprint showdown not to be missed.

This Season’s Contenders

Asfoora (6/1) returns to Ascot aiming to defend her crown. The Australian sprinter made headlines last year with a dazzling display of early pace and finishing power. Prepared by Henry Dwyer, she arrives in great shape after a sharp prep gallop at Flemington and will again be a major threat if the ground stays quick.

Dwyer commented:

“She’s travelled before and handled it perfectly. This has been the plan all year, and we’re confident she’s every bit as good as she was last season.”

Believing (5/1) looks an intriguing each-way angle for George Boughey. This consistent filly has been holding her form well in top-class company, including a strong showing at Haydock last time out. A stiff 5 furlongs at Ascot should suit her perfectly.

Regional (8/1) is another who brings Group 1 form to the table. A tough, experienced sprinter, his win in last season’s Haydock Sprint Cup showed what he’s capable of when conditions are right. If he breaks well, expect him to be bang there at the business end.

Storm Boy (20/1) adds international flair to the line-up. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Aussie import has shown flashes of brilliance in his European campaign, and the drop back to 5 furlongs might just unlock further improvement.
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This year’s King Charles III Stakes is stacked with proven Group-level performers and exciting international raiders. With pace guaranteed and Royal Ascot glory on the line, expect fireworks from the first stride to the last.
You can see more details about the King Charles III Stakes on William Hill.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at time of writing* –