17:35 Royal Ascot

Saturday 21 June 2025

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

Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap)

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 2m 5.15s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(3)

Rock Of Cashel^b¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: S M Levey| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 100

66/1

Useful colt. but has an exposed look about him and will need a really smart performance to defy a triple-figure mark on handicap debut.

Form: 465-648

(2)

Tycoon^p1²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: D Egan| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 97| D

18/1

Kingman colt who is going the right way, winning Windsor maiden over this trip before a creditable 7½ lengths third of 8 to Amiloc in listed race at Goodwood (11f, good, 14/1) 28 days ago. Changed hands for £600,000 earlier in the week. Open to further progress

Form: 3-13

(5)

Best Secret⁵²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: James Doyle| T: S Wattel| OR: 95| D

4/1

Showed improved when a convincing winner on handicap debut at Longchamp (1¼m, good) at the end of April. Quicker ground now an unknown but he's almost certainly capable of better.

Form: 343-21

(16)

Seraph Gabriel⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 95

11/4

Improved again when very promising second of 8 in 1m Esher Cup on Sandown handicap debut and reappearance 8 weeks ago. Up in trip. Definitely more to come from him.

Form: 412-2

(6)

El Burhan^t⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Jim Crowley| T: G Boughey| OR: 95

12/1

Useful effort when edging a bunched finish in 7.5f Chester handicap on reappearance. Stamina on his dam's side so this longer trip should be within range. Likely capable of better again.

Form: 4113-1

(19)

Basalt^p1²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: L Morris| T: A Watson| OR: 94

66/1

Progressed well at 2 landing 1m Newcastle novice and signing off with a third of 5 in listed race at Pontefract (1m, heavy). His 9 lengths fifth in 11f Goodwood listed on reappearance was creditable and this slightly shorter trip should suit now handicapping. First-time cheekpieces on. Drawn wide.

Form: 513-5

(9)

Aurel²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: R Kingscote| T: R M Beckett| OR: 94| D

33/1

Made it 2 wins from 3 starts when shading a tight finish in 1¼m Leicester novice (good to firm) 26 days ago. While an opening mark of 94 isn't obviously generous it would be no surprise to see this lightly-raced colt take another step forward.

Form: 1-41

(4)

Dakota Blue³⁵

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

5/1

Came good in Navan maiden over this trip (good to firm) on reappearance and stepped up on that form when narrowly denied in a handicap back there since. That may not prove his limit.

Form: 242-12

(14)

Quai De Bethune³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 93

12/1

AW maiden winner who made a very good start to his handicap career when 1½ lengths third of 9 to Saddadd in strong London Gold Cup at Newbury (1¼m, firm) 5 weeks ago. Respected.

Form: 3-1463

(18)

Ernst Blofeld^p1³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: W Buick| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 92| D

10/1

Has made good progress in 4 starts, finishing 1¾ lengths fourth of 9 to Saddadd in London Gold Cup at Newbury (1¼m, firm) 35 days ago. Cheekpieces added. Open to further progress but his draw could have been kinder.

Form: 3134

(1)

Roosevelt^t1¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 92

20/1

Won 8-runner maiden at Leopardstown (1½m, good) in May. A drop to 7f for his Fairyhouse handicap debut since backfired and he's bettered judged on the Leopardstown win now returning to a more suitable trip.

Form: 010

(12)

Fantazy Man^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: J A Heffernan| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 92| D

25/1

Has improved for cheekpieces, winning a Ballinrobe claimer and Fairyhouse handicap at around 1¼m last month. Further progress needed to complete the hat-trick in this ultra-competitive race but he's going the right way.

Form: 09611

(11)

War Socks^h³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: S De Sousa| T: N Petersen| OR: 91

33/1

Norwegian-trained colt who showed quite useful form when third to 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court at Meydan (1m) in March. Has won a 1m conditions race in Sweden since. Tackles 1¼m for the first time. Probably best watched.

Form: 5731

(15)

Glen To Glen⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: D McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 90

9/1

Progressive for Jim Bolger, winning his maiden over 6f before stepping up significantly in trip to finish third of 16 on 1¼m Leopardstown handicap debut in March. That form has worked out and he's an interesting new recruit for Joseph O'Brien.

Form: 64-13

(7)

Brindavan⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: C T Keane| T: S Woods| OR: 90| CD

28/1

Consistent at 2 yrs and solid start to this season, landing a cosy win over C&D (firm) last month. Should remain competitive off 6 lb higher. RESERVE.

Form: 142-241

Non-Runners

(10)

Sallaal⁴⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 3

T: R Varian J: Ray Dawson

(17)

The King's Falcon²³

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: W J Haggas J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Seraph Gabriel (11/4), Best Secret (4/1), Dakota Blue (5/1), The King's Falcon (8/1), Glen To Glen (9/1), Ernst Blofeld (10/1), Sallaal (10/1), Quai De Bethune (12/1), El Burhan (12/1), Tycoon (18/1), Roosevelt (20/1), Fantazy Man (25/1), Brindavan (28/1), War Socks (33/1), Aurel (33/1), Basalt (66/1), Rock Of Cashel (66/1)

SERAPH GABRIEL is drawn a bit wider than ideal but is still given the chance to build on the considerable promise of his Sandown reappearance second in the spring. Glen To Glen has switched to Joseph O'Brien since his good second in a warm Leopardstown handicap in March and is a potentially dangerous opponent. French raider Best Secret and London Gold Cup 3-4 Quai de Bethune and Ernst Blofeld also make the shortlist.