15:05 Royal Ascot

Thursday 19 June 2025

All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10

King George V Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 2m 29.44s

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(13)

Masai Moon⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 95

12/1

Stylish winner on 1m Kempton debut in October. Dropped away quickly in listed race at Newmarket on reappearance but bounced back with a bang when edging out Boatswain in 1¼m Nottingham novice last month. Bred to stay 1½m and top yard has tasted recent success in this.

Form: 1-71

(2)

Nautical Force³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: B M Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 94

25/1

Much improved when winning 18-runner maiden at Cork (10.5f, soft, 10/3) on reappearance in April. Backed that up when runner-up over the same trip at Roscommon the following month but it's tough to argue his opening handicap mark looks generous.

Form: 44-12

(1)

Boatswain²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: M Barzalona| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 94| BF

28/1

Debut winner and left that form behind when edged out by the reopposing Masai Moon in a 1¼m Nottingham novice in May. Not in quite the same form when suffering another narrow reversal at Leicester since but retains potential for handicaps.

Form: 122

(22)

Daiquiri Bay¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Rossa Ryan| T: A King| OR: 93| BF

20/1

Bolted up in 1¼m Chester maiden on reappearance. Not in quite the same form when narrowly denied under a penalty at Doncaster (1¼m again) since but remains the type to do well in handicaps. 1½m ought to suit but the outside stall could make life awkward.

Form: 3-12

(21)

Serious Contender⁸¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 92

7/1

Son of Wootton Bassett who has improved with each run, posting a useful performance when accounting for 15 rivals in 1¼m Leopardstown handicap on reappearance. Should stay 1½m. The mount of Ryan Moore from the yard's 3 runners. Drawn wide but still respected.

Form: 421-1

(17)

Sing Us A Song⁵⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: James Doyle| T: R M Beckett| OR: 92

10/3

Goodwood maiden winner last autumn and followed up in 1¼m Sandown handicap on reappearance in April. That form has been boosted a few times since so a 7 lb rise looks manageable and the step up to 1½m should also be in his favour. Good shout for a yard with a strong recent record in this.

Form: 531-1

(12)

Chess Dad⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Hollie Doyle| T: Dr R Newland & J Insole| OR: 91

33/1

Made a winning debut over 1m on Newcastle's AW in January and much better form in defeat in 1¼m turf novices since, latterly 2½ lengths fourth of 5 to the reopposing Masai Moon at Nottingham (good). Will stay 1½m. Handicap debut.

Form: 134

(20)

Merchant³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 90| D

3/1

Progressive profile, producing a dominant display when stepping up to 1½m for the first time at last month's York Dante meeting. Raised 8 lb for that but it shouldn't prevent another prominent showing from a colt who hails from the same stable as 2023 winner Desert Hero.

Form: 721-31

(16)

Omni Man^t³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 90

11/1

Emphatic winner of a small-field 1¼m maiden at Roscommon last month. Could be even more to come now moving into handicap company for his leading stable.

Form: 3-321

(10)

Gunship^t³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J Ferguson| OR: 89

13/2

Built on his promising third to Sing Us A Song on his 1¼m Sandown handicap debut when accounting for next-time-out winner War Hawk over the same trip at Newcastle 16 days later. Definitely more to come from him.

Form: 1-231

(9)

Propose²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: S M Levey| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 89

9/1

Frankel colt who landed the odds in a 1¼m Curragh maiden 26 days ago. Will stay 1½m and very much the type to keep on improving.

Form: 7-21

(15)

Light As Air^p1³³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: W M Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 89| BF

22/1

Stepped up considerably on his exploits as a juvenile when chasing home reopposing stablemate Serious Contender in 1¼m Leopardstown handicap on reappearance. Backed that up when a close third at Navan (1¼m again) since, shaping as if ready for 1½m. Cheekpieces are also added.

Form: 33-23

(18)

The Cursor⁵⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Rob Hornby| T: A M Balding| OR: 87

40/1

400,000 gns Frankel colt who left autumn debut behind when narrowly denied on 1¼m Doncaster reappearance in March. A step up to listed level proved too much at Epsom since but he remains open to improvement with handicaps in mind. This longer trip should play to his strengths.

Form: 5-27

(3)

Pantile Warrior^h¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 87

40/1

His last 2 handicap efforts are solid (fourth to Merchant at York first occasion) but he has a more exposed profile than some of these and looks vulnerable for win purposes again.

Form: 22-1443

(8)

Ammes^p1²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: S De Sousa| T: James Owen| OR: 86| D

50/1

Fairly useful form, seeing off a next-time-out winner in a match race at Chepstow (1½m, good) 29 days ago. Open to further progress now moving into first handicap with cheekpieces going on.

Form: 4-231

(19)

Lightening Mann^t³³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Edward Greatrex| T: J Channon| OR: 85

22/1

Much improved since tongue tied and stepped up to 1¼m, winning a handicap at the Newmarket Guineas meeting before getting worn down only in the final strides in the valuable London Gold Cup at Newbury. That form is strong and the fact his dam was a 1½m winner provides hope for the new trip.

Form: 5-12312

(5)

Mafting²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 85

50/1

Fairly useful form, finishing runner-up on first 2 starts before landing short odds in a 1¼m maiden at Redcar (good to firm). Handicap debut.

Form: 221

(11)

Grecian Legacy^t¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Jim Crowley| T: D & C Kubler| OR: 84

50/1

Winner of 1¼m Goodwood handicap on reappearance and even better form when narrowly denied over the same trip at Epsom (1¼m, soft) since. A further 4 lb rise looks fair enough given he pulled 2½ lengths clear of the third. Up in trip.

Form: 2224-12

(4)

Waterford Flow^t³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: J P Spencer| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 82

50/1

Fairly useful maiden. Tongue tied first time, improved when 3¼ lengths third of 8 to Nautical Force in an auction race at Roscommon (10.5f, good) last time. Makes handicap debut from a mark which demands improvement.

Form: 5-3243

Forecasts

Merchant (3/1), Sing Us A Song (10/3), Gunship (13/2), Serious Contender (7/1), Propose (9/1), Omni Man (11/1), Masai Moon (12/1), Daiquiri Bay (20/1), Light As Air (22/1), Lightening Mann (22/1), Nautical Force (25/1), Boatswain (28/1), Chess Dad (33/1), Pantile Warrior (40/1), The Cursor (40/1), Ammes (50/1), Waterford Flow (50/1), Mafting (50/1), Grecian Legacy (50/1)

SING US A SONG was purchased by Wathnan Racing after his 1¼m Sandown handicap debut success in April and looks to have been saved for this. The step up to 1½m should play to his strengths and he can provide Ralph Beckett with a third win in this since 2021. Merchant, Gunship and Masai Moon head the many dangers in a typically strong renewal of this 3-y-o handicap.