St James’s Palace Stakes Tips – Royal Ascot
One of three Group 1s on the opening day of Royal Ascot, the St James’s Palace Stakes is the premier 1m contest open only to three-year-olds during Royal Ascot. It gives those who ran in either the British or Irish 2000 Guineas a chance to face off against each other, as well as any other early season races over shorter distances.
St James’s Palace Stakes Race in 2025
St James’s Palace Stakes Notable Trends
Numerous favourites have been successful in the St James’s Palace Stakes, with five winning among the last decade’s roll of honour. Three of those have gone off odds-on as well, so there is often strong support behind the market leader.
Even those winners who have not gone off favourite have generally been towards the head of the reckoning. Only two horses have won since 2014 at what could be considered “each way” prices: Galileo Gold at 6/1 in 2016, despite having won the 2000 Guineas two months prior, and Circus Maximus at 10/1 in 2019.
Both John Gosden and Aidan O’Brien have sent out three winners each in the last ten years so watch out for any of their more notable runners in the race.
Eight of the last ten winners were rated 110 or above (with the only two not to have achieved such a rating coming in at 109). Proven class is important, as exemplified by the fact that seven of the previous decade’s winners had been first or second in either the British or Irish 2000 Guineas.
St James’s Palace Stakes History
Inaugurated in 1834, the St James’s Palace Stakes did not get off to a particularly suspicious start. Commentator’s nightmare Plenipotentiary won the opening edition, but secured it in a walkover as no rival showed up.
Since then, only periods of war have interrupted the race aside from in 1836-37 when no race was scheduled. Early historic winners include the likes of Ormonde, Sceptre and Rock Sand, the last-named a Triple Crown winner.
In more recent decades, Brigadier Gerard secured one of his 17 career victories in his Classic season here, while Sir Alex Ferguson graced the Royal Ascot winners’ enclosure in 2002 with his Rock Of Gibraltar.
However, the most important name to have won the race came in 2011, when perhaps the greatest racehorse in history, Frankel, held on from the front to back up his astonishing 2000 Guineas success.
St James’s Palace Stakes Past Winners
| YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
| 2024 | Rosallion | Sean Levey | Richard Hannon |
| 2023 | Paddington | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2022 | Coroebus | William Buick | Charlie Appleby |
| 2021 | Poetic Flare | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger |
| 2020 | Palace Pier | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
| 2019 | Circus Maximus | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2018 | Without Parole | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
| 2017 | Barney Roy | James Doyle | Richard Hannon Jr |
| 2016 | Galileo Gold | Frankie Dettori | Hugo Palmer |
| 2015 | Gleneagles | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
All the other races on Day 1 of Royal Ascot
| TIME | RACE |
| 2.30pm | Queen Anne Stakes: The 2025 Royal meeting begins with this 1m Group 1 open to horses aged 4yo and older. |
| 3.05pm | Coventry Stakes: The first juvenile race of Royal Ascot 2025 is the Coventry Stakes, this 6f Group 2 has been won by some smart sorts down the years. |
| 3.40pm | King Charles III Stakes: The King Charles III Stakes is a 5f Group 1 for horses aged 3yo and older, it is notoriously considered one of the most competitive sprint races in the world. |
| 4.20pm | St James’s Palace Stakes: The 3yo colts take centre stage in this 1m Group 1, run over Ascot’s round mile track. |
| 5.00pm | Ascot Stakes: The first handicap of Royal Ascot is the Ascot Stakes, the stamina-sapping 2m4f trip makes this a race often won by National Hunt trainers. |
| 5.35pm | Wolferton Stakes: The Wolferton Stakes is a 1m2f Listed contest open to horses aged 4yo and older. |
| 6.10pm | Copper Horse Stakes: The first day of the Royal meeting concludes with a 1m6f handicap, open to horses aged 4yo and older. |