As May turns to June, the racing action heats up in sync with the weather. The first of the summer months kicks off in sizzling style with the Epsom Derby weekend, but for many, the best is still to come with the five-day feast of Royal Ascot.
Beginning on Tuesday, 17th June and concluding on Saturday, 21st June, the Berkshire bonanza is as famous for its international flavour as it is for its regal element and fabulous fashion. King Charles III brings the pomp and pageantry in 2025, whilst the millenary efforts will surely be as mind-boggling as ever. Focussing on the overseas contingent, runners from Australia, the USA, and Japan are expected to attend, but the biggest threat to the home team may come from France.
Graffard Leads Gallic Assault
When assessing the French runners most likely to plunder a leading British prize, the eye is drawn to the Chantilly operation of Francis-Henri Graffard.
Having bagged 14 Group 1 events since setting sail as a trainer in 2011, the 48-year-old handler is no stranger to success. Whilst the bulk of those top-tier wins came in his homeland, Graffard had previously displayed his talents on British shores with Watch Me (2019 Coronation Stakes) and The Revenant (2020 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes). Last year then saw the trainer claim his most famous British success of all when saddling Goliath to a 25/1 shock victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
That King George victory, in addition to Calandagan’s stunning triumph in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal Meeting, served as a reminder that Graffard merits the utmost respect whenever he traverses the Channel to target a British prize. Could further success be forthcoming in the summer of 2025? With the following quartet set to take their place in the Graffard raiding party, we wouldn’t be in a rush to bet against it.
Calandagan – Coronation Cup
- Sire – Gleneagles
- Group Wins – Prix Noailles (2024), Prix Hocquart (2024), King Edward VII Stakes (2024)
First up, one of the aforementioned stars of 2024. Having announced himself as a horse of considerable talent with back-to-back Group 3 wins in France, this Aga Khan-owned gelding handled the step up to Group 2 company with ease at Ascot.
Only third choice in the market for the King Edward VII Stakes, the mount of Stephane Pasquier pulverised the opposition with a storming six-length success. Three subsequent outings produced three runners-up efforts. However, each of those defeats came in Group 1 company, and he lost out by 1¼l or less each time. At a best price of around 4/6, the market suggests an elusive first Group 1 victory may arrive in the 2025 Coronation Cup at Epsom.
Map Of Stars – Prince of Wales’s Stakes
- Sire – Sea The Stars
- Group Wins – Prix Exbury (2025), Prix d’Harcourt (2025)
With three wins since 2007, the French have a fair recent strike rate in this 1m2f event for the older horses. Having sent out the second- and third-placed finishers in 2024, could our Gallic cousins take the top spot on the podium in 2025? If they are to do so, the betting suggests that Francis-Henri Graffard’s Map Of Stars is the horse most likely to do it.
With the tough-as-teak Los Angeles, talented Economics, and evergreen Anmaat amongst the likely opposition, it won’t be easy for the Sea The Stars colt, but the suspicion is that we may not have seen the best of him yet.
Now sporting the increasingly recognisable silks of Wathnan Racing, Map Of Stars kicked off 2025 with success in Group 3 and Group 2 company. He then narrowly missed out on a first Group 1 when going down by just a neck to Sosie in the Prix Ganay. With that horse following up in the Prix d’Ispahan, the form looks rock solid. At around 8/1, Map Of Stars is likely to be a popular each-way option.
Candelari – Gold Cup
- Sire – Frankel
- Group Wins – Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (2025)
Following the shock retirement of stayer supreme Kyprios, the 2025 Gold Cup looks like a wide-open affair. Illinois is expected to replace his illustrious stablemate in the 2m4f showpiece and duly heads the market for Aidan O’Brien. However, there are others in the mix, including this improving four-year-old son of Frankel.
Only making his debut in December 2024, Candelari is lightly raced for a four-year-old. However, he has wasted little time making his presence felt at the highest level. Four from five in his career to date, his latest effort saw him despatch a talented field over 1m7½f at Longchamp. The French have failed to hit the Gold Cup target since the famous success of Westerner in 2005. 20 years on, Calendari is a general 3/1 chance to take Le Tricolor to the Ascot Winner’s Enclosure.
Zarigana – Coronation Stakes
- Sire – Siyouni
- Group Wins – Prix d’Aumale (2024), Prix de la Grotte (2025), Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (2025)
Graffard was the most recent Frenchman to claim this 1m event for the fillies with Watch Me in 2019. Before that triumph, Watch Me had finished only sixth in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. This year, Graffard is set to be represented by the filly who – albeit controversially – claimed the top spot in the French version of the 1000 Guineas.
Like Calendari, Zarigana is now four from five at the track, with her only defeat coming when losing out by a nose to stablemate Vertical Blue in the Prix Marcel Boussac. Impeccably bred, by Siyouni and out of a daughter of the brilliant Zarkova, she lies behind only Irish 2000 Guineas winner Lake Victoria in the market at a general 7/2.