Royal Ascot Day Five Blog | David Probert, Hugo Palmer and Jim Crowley
20 Jun 2025
In our Royal Ascot Day Five Coral Racing Ambassador Blog, David Probert, Hugo Palmer and Jim Crowley give their thoughts on their runners and rides on the last day of the meeting.
DAVID PROBERT: 'THE WOKINGHAM SHOULD SUIT HIM AS THEY GO HARD FROM THE STALLS'
17:00 Royal Ascot – Roman Dragon
This horse did well over the winter, winning a valuable prize in Bahrain. He was also victorious last time out at the Chester May Meeting where he was extremely game. The handicapper has put him up 3lb for his latest success.
We have been drawn in stall 18 which hopefully puts up on the right side of the track. The Wokingham is a race that should suit him, as they go hard from the stalls. My horse finishes strongly, so he should be picking quite a few of these off at the business end of the race.
18:10 Royal Ascot – King Of The Road
After a good campaign over hurdles, King Of The Road is having his first Flat run in the Queen Alexandra Stakes. One thing that is certain about this horse is that he stays well. The distance will not be a problem for him.
The ground is likely to be on the quick side, but if I can get him in a nice position early, we can hopefully put some of the runners behind us under pressure. In staying races, it is great to be on a horse you know will get the trip.
HUGO PALMER: 'ON HIS BEST FORM, HE'S RIGHT IN THE MIX'
16:20 Royal Ascot – Seagulls Eleven
Strictly on ratings, if Seagulls Eleven on his best form turns up, he’s right there in the mix. However, while it’s easy to forgive him his Breeders’ Cup run last year, as he was running well before he was smashed into from behind, the 2,000 Guineas was a disaster for him.
We’re dropping back in trip, which I think will help, and he’s been gelded which I think has helped, but we are on a retrieval mission, and Royal Ascot is a tricky place to go for a retrieval mission. He does look fantastic though, and a draw of 15 should be fine, although you never really know about the draw here. We’ll keep our fingers-crossed for the best.
17:00 Royal Ascot – Roman Dragon
Roman Dragon is drawn in stall 18, so in the middle, and I suspect plenty of them, including him, will come stands side. Hopefully he will have something to aim at from that position, we said before Chester he needed a career best effort to win, he produced it that day but he will need to produce another career best effort to take this.
JIM CROWLEY: ' I THINK HE COULD RUN A HUGE RACE AT A BIG PRICE'
15:05 Royal Ascot – Al Aasy
He is a very talented horse and a bit of an enigma. He was better than ever when he won the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown. The form of that race has been boosted enormously.
You can ignore his last run at Newbury as they did not go much of a pace. I think he comes into this contest with a great chance. Whether he is good enough to beat Rebel’s Romance, we will see. I am drawn next to him so I can follow him through.
15:40 Royal Ascot – Jasour
He was third in the Commonwealth Cup last year and he ran a good race in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday. I was on board earlier this week and he ran like he was crying out for 6f, so we have decided to have a go at this race.
With the course form he has, and the extra furlong here, I think he could run a huge race at a big price.
17:00 Royal Ascot – Desert Cop
Elmonjed doesn’t look like he is going to get into this race so I will be riding Desert Cop in the Wokingham. He is a decent horse who has won a couple of times in Bahrain. His last run at Epsom can be forgiven as that was his first outing back in the UK at a track that did not suit him.
We have been given a high draw in stall 25. Hopefully, that will be the right side of the course. This is another one I think will outrun his odds and be thereabouts at the finish.
17:35 Royal Ascot – El Burhan
This race has been the plan for El Burhan for a long time. He has done well to win over 7f and 1m, as he has been crying out for this trip. I am almost certain he will stay, as his pedigree indicates he will.
There are a few unexposed runners in this field that could be anything, but I really like my horse, and I am excited to see what he can do over 1m2f.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Royal Ascot Day Five
DAVID PROBERT: 'THE WOKINGHAM SHOULD SUIT HIM AS THEY GO HARD FROM THE STALLS'
17:00 Royal Ascot – Roman Dragon
This horse did well over the winter, winning a valuable prize in Bahrain. He was also victorious last time out at the Chester May Meeting where he was extremely game. The handicapper has put him up 3lb for his latest success.
We have been drawn in stall 18 which hopefully puts up on the right side of the track. The Wokingham is a race that should suit him, as they go hard from the stalls. My horse finishes strongly, so he should be picking quite a few of these off at the business end of the race.
18:10 Royal Ascot – King Of The Road
After a good campaign over hurdles, King Of The Road is having his first Flat run in the Queen Alexandra Stakes. One thing that is certain about this horse is that he stays well. The distance will not be a problem for him.
The ground is likely to be on the quick side, but if I can get him in a nice position early, we can hopefully put some of the runners behind us under pressure. In staying races, it is great to be on a horse you know will get the trip.
HUGO PALMER: 'ON HIS BEST FORM, HE'S RIGHT IN THE MIX'
16:20 Royal Ascot – Seagulls Eleven
Strictly on ratings, if Seagulls Eleven on his best form turns up, he’s right there in the mix. However, while it’s easy to forgive him his Breeders’ Cup run last year, as he was running well before he was smashed into from behind, the 2,000 Guineas was a disaster for him.
We’re dropping back in trip, which I think will help, and he’s been gelded which I think has helped, but we are on a retrieval mission, and Royal Ascot is a tricky place to go for a retrieval mission. He does look fantastic though, and a draw of 15 should be fine, although you never really know about the draw here. We’ll keep our fingers-crossed for the best.
17:00 Royal Ascot – Roman Dragon
Roman Dragon is drawn in stall 18, so in the middle, and I suspect plenty of them, including him, will come stands side. Hopefully he will have something to aim at from that position, we said before Chester he needed a career best effort to win, he produced it that day but he will need to produce another career best effort to take this.
JIM CROWLEY: ' I THINK HE COULD RUN A HUGE RACE AT A BIG PRICE'
15:05 Royal Ascot – Al Aasy
He is a very talented horse and a bit of an enigma. He was better than ever when he won the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown. The form of that race has been boosted enormously.
You can ignore his last run at Newbury as they did not go much of a pace. I think he comes into this contest with a great chance. Whether he is good enough to beat Rebel’s Romance, we will see. I am drawn next to him so I can follow him through.
15:40 Royal Ascot – Jasour
He was third in the Commonwealth Cup last year and he ran a good race in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday. I was on board earlier this week and he ran like he was crying out for 6f, so we have decided to have a go at this race.
With the course form he has, and the extra furlong here, I think he could run a huge race at a big price.
17:00 Royal Ascot – Desert Cop
Elmonjed doesn’t look like he is going to get into this race so I will be riding Desert Cop in the Wokingham. He is a decent horse who has won a couple of times in Bahrain. His last run at Epsom can be forgiven as that was his first outing back in the UK at a track that did not suit him.
We have been given a high draw in stall 25. Hopefully, that will be the right side of the course. This is another one I think will outrun his odds and be thereabouts at the finish.
17:35 Royal Ascot – El Burhan
This race has been the plan for El Burhan for a long time. He has done well to win over 7f and 1m, as he has been crying out for this trip. I am almost certain he will stay, as his pedigree indicates he will.
There are a few unexposed runners in this field that could be anything, but I really like my horse, and I am excited to see what he can do over 1m2f.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Royal Ascot Day Five
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