Main Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot Runners 2025 As Ballydoyle Maestro Sets Sights On More Big Race Winners

The Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot runners 2025 will be the horses that grab the bulk of the attention at the meeting as the Ballydoyle maestro looks to add to his record haul of 91 winners at the fixture. So, with that in mind, we showcase the main O’Brien horses to look out for this year.

Main Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot Runners 2025 Headed By Gold Cup Hope Illinois 

There will be Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot runners in most of the races throughout the meeting and it will be a brave punter that sides away from any of his horses.

He’s already made a cracking start to the flat season with wins in the French 2000 Guineas, French Derby, Coronation Cup and, of course, landing the Epsom Oaks and Derby.

And there will surely be more to come at Royal Ascot this season.

But which horses are his best chance of a winner at Royal Ascot in 2025 over the five days and 35 races?

We list the main players below, with most expected to be ridden by Ryan Moore, who Ascot are donating £5k to the Retraining Of Racehorses charity for every Moore winner over the meeting.

Henri Matisse (St James’s Palace Stakes, Tues 17th June)

High class 3 year-old for the Aidan O’Brien team, who is one of the main fancies for Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes.

As a juvenile Henri Matisse four times – including taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November.

He’s returned after a winter break in top order too – winning at Leopardstown and then landing the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp in May (watch below).

No trainer has won the St James’s Palace Stakes more times than Aidan O’Brien with nine wins. His first was Giant’s Causeway in 2000 and his most recent Paddington in 2023.

This will be Henri Matisse’s first run at Ascot.

Los Angeles (Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Wednesday 18th June)

One of the toughest horses in training at the moment, so Los Angeles will be a tough nut to crack in Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

This son of Camelot was third in the 2024 Epsom Derby last season and went two places better in the Irish Derby on his next start.

He was also a cracking third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October and has returned this term winning twice at the Curragh.

The most recent of those wins came in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May (watch below).

O’Brien has won the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes five times, including last year with Auguste Rodin.

This will be his first run at Royal Ascot and those looking to take him on might look to his only run at the track being a poor one. When 9th in the Champion Stakes at the Berkshire track last October.

Illinois (Ascot Gold Cup, Thursday 19th June)

The next Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot runner 2025 that will be many people’s banker of the meeting is Illinois.

He goes in the Gold Cup on Thursday and will have some big shoes to fill – with O’Brien cup greats Kyprios and Yeats winning this race six times between them.

The race doesn’t have the feel of being a classic this season – a sort of out with the old and a new cup staying batch ready to make their mark.

With many are saying could be Illinois. This son of Galileo is yet to finish out of the first three from his ten career starts (4 wins).

He also won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot lat season over 1m6f and even though the 2m4f Gold Cup trip is an unknown – he’s won over 1m7f in France this season.

His last run was a winning one too – when landing the Ormonde Stakes at the Chester May Festival last month.

His biggest rival looks to be last season’s runner-up Trawlerman, but this horse is now aged 7 and the Gold Cup has only produced three winners aged 7+ since 1930.

Exactly (Coronation Stakes, Friday 20th June)

Aidan O’Brien has won the Coronation Stakes three times in his career and could add to that in 2025 with his French 1000 Guineas fourth Exactly.

This daughter of Frankel has won twice from her nine career starts and hit the top three seven times.

However, those looking for a reason to take her on might look to this being her first visit to Ascot.

Stay True (King Edward VII Stakes, Friday 20th June)

The final Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot runner 2025 too have on your radar is Stay True.

This 3 year-old son of Galileo has only been seen on the track twice – winning on debut at Leopardstown and then running a close second in the Lingfield Derby Trial (watch below).

Many are, therefore, suggesting there should be a lot more improvement to come from Stay True in race O’Brien has won three times – most recently in 2022 with Changingoftheguard.

All Potential Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot Runners 2025 (A-Z)

When Is Royal Ascot 2025? 🎩🍾

📅Date: Tues 17th – Sat 21st June 2025
⌚Times: First race 2:30pm, Last race 6:10pm
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
💷Purse: £10.5m
📺 TV: ITV Racing/SkySports

You can also see the full 2025 Royal Ascot dates, schedule and race card times here.

How Many Royal Ascot Winners Has Aidan O’Brien Had? 🏇

12 months ago in 2024, Aidan O’Brien fired in another six Royal Ascot winners – including with his former Epsom Derby winner Auguste Rodin, who won the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

The 2024 successes increased the Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot winners to 91 as the 2025 meeting draws nearer – meaning he needs nine more to hit the magic hundred.

However, with seven winners in 2016 his best yearly total, O’Brien is expected to have to wait to 2026 to hit the century milestone.

Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot Winners 2024

Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot Winners By Year 🎩