The Wolferton Stakes is a listed contest run over 1m2f. It takes place at 17:35 on Tuesday 17th June, which is the first day of Royal Ascot 2025. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

13⁽¹³⁾

8-5247

Passion And Glory

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Saeed bin Suroor

9-5

110

124

Won a 1m4f handicap here (good) last summer and showed he's still capable of smart form as a 9yo when reaching the frame in Group 2s over 1m4f and 2m at Meydan this spring; down the field in a Longchamp Group 1 over just short of 2m since; back down significantly in trip; others are more obvious.

10⁽⁴⁾

181-24

Haunted Dream

J: Mickael Barzalona

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-5

111

125

Edged out the same owner's Torito for second in this last year and recorded a career-best RPR when fourth in 1m2f Saudi Group 2 (good to firm) in February when last seen; another who has to enter the reckoning.

6⁽¹⁴⁾

5-2835

Checkandchallenge

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: William Knight

9-5

111

122

Only seventh and sixth in the last two runnings of this but he arrives in good form this time, having followed his third to Sardinian Warrior in a 1m Listed event here with a fine fifth of eight to Lead Artist in the Group 1 Lockinge at Newbury (1m, good to firm) last month; the way he kept on in the latter suggests this return to 1m2f is in his favour.

2⁽¹⁶⁾

12-531

Liberty Lane

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

9-8

113

123

Soft-ground Cambridgeshire winner (1m1f) who showed he's equally effective on good ground when edging out Meydaan in 1m2f Goodwood Listed race 25 days ago; meets that rival on 3lb worse terms here and has drawn the outside stall.

4⁽¹⁵⁾

112463

Phantom Flight

J: Callum Shepherd

T: George Scott

9-8

112

119

Won a Listed race over this trip on good to firm at Newbury last July; also scored twice in Bahrain in January and back to somewhere near his best when third in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown (1m2f, good) 19 days ago, with reopposing pair Military Order and Enfjaar in fourth and fifth; carries a 3lb penalty and his draw could be tricky.

3⁽¹⁰⁾

217-14

Military Order

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

9-8

112

121

Added to his very good AW record with a stylish win in a Listed race at Kempton (1m2f) in April but he wasn't in quite the same form when fourth (Phantom Flight third) in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown since and there are doubts as to whether he's still as effective on turf as AW; also has a 3lb penalty for the Kempton win.

8⁽²⁾

1252-5

Enfjaar

J: Jim Crowley

T: Roger Varian

9-5

109

126

Enjoyed a good 2024, including a win in valuable John Smith's Cup at York (1m2f, good to soft); showed he can mix it outside handicaps when second in 1m2f Listed race at Ayr (good to firm) last autumn; went without regular hood (back on now) when behind a couple of today's rivals in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard on his reappearance at Sandown (1m2f, good) 19 days ago; likely to be sharper now and his yard has won this twice in recent years; a must for the shortlist from a handy draw.

15⁽⁷⁾

14/33-

Torito

J: Colin Keane

T: John & Thady Gosden

9-5

109

125

Finished fourth in the Group 3 Hampton Court and third (same owner's Haunted Dream second) in this race at the last two Royal Ascots, both on good to firm; absent since the latter but has gone well fresh before and is yet another who has to enter calculations; wears first-time cheekpieces.

9⁽⁵⁾

321-54

Haatem

J: James Doyle

T: Richard Hannon

9-5

113

126

Placed in the 2,000 Guineas and Irish 2,000 Guineas (both 1m, good) last spring before winning the Group 3 Jersey at this meeting (7f, good to firm); missed the rest of 2024 and didn't recapture that level when fifth in the Group 2 Sandown Mile and fourth in a 1m Longchamp Listed event in recent months, although the ground may have been softer than ideal in France; his stamina for 1m2f also has to be taken on trust but he's a potential class act on peak form.

1⁽⁹⁾

-46515

Galen

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

9-10

109

119

Stepped up from his Dubai efforts earlier in year when making all in 1m2f Group 3 at the Curragh (good; first-time cheekpieces) in April; couldn't repeat the form in a Group 2 there six weeks ago and a 5lb penalty for the Group 3 success leaves him vulnerable here.

11⁽¹²⁾

237-46

King's Gambit

J: James McDonald

T: Harry Charlton

9-5

113

127

Runner-up in Group 3 Hampton Court at last year's Royal meeting and improved again when second in York Group 2 on his next start (both 1m2f, good to firm); his progress has stalled since but the fitting of blinkers backfired (raced too freely) when sixth in a 1m4f Newbury Group 3 last month (first run since gelded) and he showed enough when fourth in Qatar prior to that to think he retains his ability; no headgear now.

16⁽⁶⁾

5210-6

Doha

J: Hector Crouch

T: Ralph Beckett

9-3

107

119

Won Kensington Palace handicap at last year's Royal Ascot (1m, good to firm) and added a Listed race at Saint-Cloud (1m2f, very soft) in the autumn; weakened into a well-held sixth in 1m2f York Group 2 on reappearance in May but she's entitled to strip fitter for the outing; shoulders a 3lb penalty for the French win.

5⁽³⁾

305-44

Ambiente Friendly

J: Robert Havlin

T: James Owen

9-5

112

125

Placed in last year's Derby and Irish Derby for James Fanshawe; below that level in two Newmarket outings (1m1f/1m4f) since joining James Owen, pulling too hard; the refitting of a hood could help in that regard and his trainer's excellent overall record with recruits means it would be no big shock were he to bounce back.

14⁽¹⁾

284-34

Sons And Lovers

J: Ryan Moore

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

9-5

110

118

Several decent efforts in defeat at Listed/Group 3 level for Jane Chapple-Hyam in 2024; finished third to Galen in 1m2f Curragh Group 3 on seasonal and yard debut in April, then half a length in front of that reopposing stablemate when fourth in a Group 2 back there six weeks ago; Ryan Moore booked and this 4yo won't need to advance his form much to play a part.

12⁽¹¹⁾

447-52

Meydaan

J: Harry Davies

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

9-5

112

123

Went close to a second Goodwood Listed success when failing to peg back the reopposing Liberty Lane over 1m2f last month, an improved performance on his second outing since being gelded; 3lb better off with Karl Burke's charge now, so he's weighted to turn the tables; might prove the answer.

7⁽⁸⁾

3323-1

Ecureuil Secret

J: Oisin Orr

T: Richard Fahey

9-5

112

125

Placed at Group 3 and Listed level last year; recorded a really smart handicap performance when making his second start for Richard Fahey a winning one on reappearance at the recent Epsom Derby meeting (1m2f, good to soft), pulling 4l clear; a fairly quick turnaround is a slight worry after such a big effort but he's bang there on form; has raced only on going softer than good.

RACING POST TIP

Meydaan

A host with chances. Haatem could be a cut above if back to his best but it's 12 months since he was at that level and this is also his first attempt over 1m2f. Ecureuil Secret's impressive handicap success at the Epsom Derby meeting suggests he can win at Listed level but drying ground is an unknown for him given he's encountered only softer than good. Enfjaar (second choice) should be spot on for this after his Sandown reappearance and Roger Varian has done well in this race but narrow preference is for MEYDAAN. This 4yo was having only his second outing since a gelding operation when pushing Liberty Lane close in a Goodwood Listed event last month and is given a chance to build on that improved showing.

Royal Ascot Free Bets

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2024	Israr [8]	5	9-5	11/4J	John & Thady Gosden	Jim Crowley
2023	Royal Champion [12]	5	9-8	16/1	Roger Varian	Jack Mitchell
2022	Dubai Future [11]	6	9-8	20/1	Saeed bin Suroor	Daniel Tudhope
2021	Reshoun [3]	7	9-7P	66/1	Ian Williams	William Buick
2020	Mountain Angel [5]	6	9-3	8/1	Roger Varian	James Doyle
2019	Addeybb [12]	5	9-3	5/1	William Haggas	Daniel Tudhope
2018	Monarchs Glen [6]	4	9-8	8/1	John Gosden	Frankie Dettori
2017	Snoano [5]	5	9-0	25/1	Tim Easterby	David Allan
2016	Sir Isaac Newton [5]	4	9-0	7/1	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2015	Mahsoob [7]	4	9-3	7/4F	John Gosden	Paul Hanagan
2014	Contributer [15]	4	9-5	9/1	Ed Dunlop	George Baker

Key race stats 2025

Key trends

Beaten on previous start, 9/10
Won on a right-handed track, 8/10
Ran no more than twice that season, 7/10
Won at Class 2 level or higher, 8/10
Aged four or five, 8/10
Drawn in single figures, 7/10 (all six drawn between five and seven)

Other factors

Seven winners had finished outside the top three last time out.

John Gosden has won this five times since 2011, including in 2018 (Monarchs Glen) – the first time it was a conditions race rather than a handicap.

What happened in the Wolferton Stakes last year?

ISRAR ran out a convincing winner of the Wolferton Stakes for Jim Crowley, John and Thady Gosden and owners Shadwell. The son of Muhaarar dropped in class having been a regular in Group races over the past year, including when finishing third in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown and second in the Huxley Stakes at Chester on his first two starts of the campaign. Israr recorded the widest-margin win in the race in the past decade, stretching clear in the final two furlongs to score by three and a quarter lengths from Haunted Dream in the 1m2f Listed contest.

Wolferton Stakes

17:35 Royal Ascot