Archie Watson 2025 Royal Ascot stable tour

Enjoying success at Royal Ascot is something Archie Watson is well accustomed to, but he remains as hungry as ever to taste further glory at Flat racing’s premier meeting. 

With five winners to his name at the world-famous event the Lambourn handler knows exactly what is required to find a horse good enough to prevail on arguably the biggest stage of them. 

But after drawing a blank at the meeting 12 months ago, despite seeing a number of his team run well in defeat, most notably Electrolyte who was beaten a nose in the Coventry Stakes, he is eager to find his way back to the winner’s enclosure. 

And, while his numbers for this year’s meeting might be smaller than in previous seasons, the team that is set to fly the flag for Saxon Gate Stables appears to be one with the plenty potential to deliver the sort of results Watson is after. 

Watson said: “We are sending slightly fewer runners than in previous years, but I couldn’t be any happier with them on the whole. 

“We had the Coventry Stakes runner-up last year and the fourth and the fifth home in the Windsor Castle. 

"Ascot does really suit our horses and we are lucky we have had success there. Even when they are not winning we have had countless seconds there as well. 

“We are maybe lacking an out-and-out star, but I think the two year-olds we are taking there are nice horses. We are taking horses there that deserve to be in these races.

“We have three very nice horses in the Coventry Stakes and that would be our best chance of having a winner there this week.”

And the meeting will also see Watson join forces for the first time with Melbourne Cup winning rider James McDonald, who is set to come in for the ride on three of those from his yard that will be representing owners Wathnan Racing. 

He added: “It is great to have a world class jockey like James riding three for us. I’m looking forward to meeting him. 

“He has had a few winners at the meeting in the past so hopefully he can have a bit of luck for us.”

AESTERIUS (King Charles III Stakes)

“It is obviously a very competitive race, but he was a very good two-year-old. He danced every dance last year and he didn’t disappoint us once really. Even his run at the Breeders’ Cup he finished close up having missed the kick. 

“I waited for the Westow up at York to bring him back in as it was a nice race against his own age group. 

"He ran that day at York where they were all coming back covered in mud on ground that was supposed to be good to firm. 

“He jumped and travelled well, but William (Buick) said when he went to quicken up he was just sliding around and he couldn’t get his foot in. Hopefully, we can put a line through that run. 

“Tadej ran that day and he has won since while Spartan Arrow also ran that day when he hated the ground and has run well at Epsom since so there are reasons to hope that we can put a line through it. 

“He ran very well in the Norfolk Stakes at the meeting last year so we know Ascot suits him. It is a very strong Group One and he deserves to be there. I’m sure he can out run his odds. 

“It is a very competitive race as there is no real stand out. He is a very talented horse and I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t have trained on as he has got plenty of size and scope about him."

BASALT (Golden Gates Stakes)

“He was actually quite forward for a Pinatibo last year. He won his maiden then he went up to Pontefract and finished third in the Silver Tankard up there. 

“We waited to bring him back this year and we thought the Cocked Hat down at Goodwood was a nice race to start him back off in. 

“This year it was a stronger Cocked Hat as it was a little bit further out from the Derby, but he ran well off level weights against some good horses. 

“The handicapper obviously thought we ran well as he popped us up a pound to 94. It is first time in a handicap and we are looking forward to running him. 

“I think maybe the one mile three furlongs slightly stretched him at Goodwood, but he has definitely come on for that run and the galloping 10 furlongs at Ascot will suit him.

“He is a very likeable horse.”

DUTY FIRST (Coronation Stakes)

“Duty First goes for the Coronation Stakes and I think the race has been blown wide open. 

"It is unfortunate that Lake Victoria can’t run, but I think the English, French and Irish 1000 Guineas have shown that the rest of the fillies are of a fairly similar standard. 

“She ran two good races to be Group placed last year, but she took her form to a new level this year. 

"She was very impressive in the Fred Darling. She handled the track at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas worse than she handled it in the Rockfel. 

“You could see her visibly stumble in the Dip. I was hoping when we went to the Irish 1000 Guineas that we could put a line through that and she did as she ran a huge race to finish fourth. 

“I think Ascot should suit her better than the Curragh did. You know what it is like on that round course as people can get into trouble and you can get some interesting results. 

“We have no qualms about the mile and I actually think she will get further again to be honest with you. 

“I think because she has a slightly high head carriage and that she races enthusiastically with a big round action people think she is being keen. You could ride her on the buckle end as she is not keen at all. 

“For us she is an eight furlong filly all day and she may even get further in time. It is great to have a filly like her and hopefully she can continue to run in those Group One races for fillies later in the year."

SAINT LAWRENCE (Wokingham Stakes)

“He is a past winner of the race. Unfortunately, Hollie (Doyle) has to go to ride at Ayr in her role as retained rider to Imad Alsagar so we have booked Colin Keane as the supersub. 

“He won the Wokingham off three pounds higher on his first run for me a couple of years ago. He is a very talented horse. 

“I thought some of his runs in Group races as well as his one in the big sprint handicap at the Curragh were very good. 

“We ran him on the all-weather at the start of this year as I thought the six furlongs at Newcastle would suit him.

“We worked towards All-Weather Finals Day. He ran a good race on his final start before that where he didn’t get a run and finished on the bridle full off running. 

“I thought he would have a huge chance on All-Weather Finals Day and then he decided he wasn’t overly interested that day. 

“If he can re-produce those runs from last year off his mark, and if he is on a going day, then he is capable of running very well. 

“However, he needs everything to go right and to be in the right frame of mind. "The blinkers are going back on, which he had on when he won the Wokingham before. 

"He suits these big field handicaps as he doesn’t want too much daylight . Hopefully, he will get a good draw in the middle of them.”

SHAATIR (Coventry Stakes)

“Shaatir has always shown us a lot of quality at home. He is another really laid back straightforward horse. 

“We fancied him on his debut at Chepstow, but he was just a little bit green over the undulations and he ended up in the middle of the track. 

“I’m sure the form is very good as the winner (Italica) won under a penalty at Salisbury on Sunday. 

“We went to Lingfield and he was very impressive. He did what we hoped that he would have done on debut and Hollie (Doyle) has chosen to ride him. 

“He is a very talented horse with plenty of scope going forwards, but I think he deserves to be there and he can run a very good race. He is definitely overpriced.”

SHARTASH (Wokingham Stakes) 

“He ran some huge races last year. He won the Spring Trophy up at Haydock Park and then he ran a solid race in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and in some Group races over France as well. 

“I think off 102 if he reproduces those runs then off this mark he could run a big race. He is a talented horse. 

“I hope that running in these big field handicaps like this, and the Stewards’ Cup, will suit him instead of possibly being just below top class in the Group One sprints.

“He has got loads of ability and I’m sure he will be winning again at some point this year.”

SHINE ON ME (Queen Mary Stakes)

“She is a very quick filly and she did a very quick breeze at the Goffs UK sale. She has been incredibly straightforward. She shows plenty of speed at home and gallops very well. 

“She went to Lingfield on debut and she came out of it the best horse in the race as she missed the break by about eight lengths so you can upgrade that performance massively. 

“If she was a winner coming into the race she would be a lot shorter. It is a very strong race, but she definitely deserves her chance and she can definitely out run her odds. 

“The speed that shows we wanted to work back from the Queen Mary with one run beforehand. It is very hard to get these breeze-up horses to Ascot as you have maybe one, two rolls of the dice then Ascot is upon you. 

“She was just a bit starstruck and green on debut when the gates opened. We feel she is the sort of filly that deserves to take her chance in the Queen Mary so I’m not worried about taking her there as a maiden.”

TADEJ (Coventry Stakes)

“We have loved Tadej from the word go. He has always been the apple of my eye as he is a big, good looking horse. He is out of a Frankel mare and he very much looks like a Frankel. 

“You can probably tell by the fact that he went to a strong Ascot conditions race on his debut then a strong York maiden on his second start how highly we think of him. 

“Normally we would be ducking and diving and sending them to weird places to win their maiden races. 

“He ran very well on the wing on his debut, and probably would have won with the right draw. He was still very green on his second day at York when they had overwatered and it was horrible ground and he just hated it. 

“We went back up there for the maiden we won with Bradsell and I was delighted with him as I know Ed Walker liked the runner-up. His sectionals that day were very good

“If you are going to put cheekpieces on you might as well put them on for the big day. He has been green, and he isn’t the unfinished article, so I think he is going to continue to step forward. 

"Hopefully, the cheekpieces will sharpen and straighten him up a bit. He is another that I think is over priced as he is a very talented horse.”

UNDERWRITER (Coventry Stakes)

“He is a very nice horse that belongs to Wathnan Racing. He breezed very well at the Goffs UK sale. He is a very hard horse to judge at home as he is a typical Mehmas in that he is so laid back.

“We sent him up to Ayr for the maiden that I normally use for our best colts. We won it with Army Ethos and Electrolyte in the previous two years, both of whom, in their respective years, went on to be second in the Coventry Stakes. 

“I was very impressed with Underwriter at Ayr as I thought he went through the race incredibly well. He quickened up and showed a good turn of foot and then probably was just waiting on them late.

“I think because that maiden is a bit out of the way and it comes before a few more of the fancy horses start appearing at the southern tracks it can be a bit overlooked. 

“I like taking them to Ayr as it is a lovely flat track and it is a nice place for them to debut.

“It is impossible to predict where the best draw is, but I was happy that all of mine are drawn middle to high and it looks like all the fancied horses are there as well.  

“He has been all good since and I think he can run a huge race.” 

ZAYER (Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes)

“He has done very well from two to three. We won this race before with Rhythm N Hooves and I do think it is a race you can win with one that doesn’t have a load up its sleeve unlike the mile plus handicaps where you are always in danger of running into a Group horse. 

“Most of them have had to get into the 90s to get into this race so they have all had to pretty much show their hands. He should really suit the stiff five furlongs at Ascot. 

“I think he has run solid races without looking like he is well handicapped. He set the five furlong track record when he won his maiden pretty impressively at Ripon and he got a pretty high mark for that. 

“He ran solidly in the Flying Childers and Cornwallis without showing he was a Group horse in either race.

"I thought he maybe came into this year at the height of his mark. There is reason to hope he can step forward from run-to-run. 

“He is a horse that stays six furlongs and I do think the stiff five will definitely suit him compared to Sandown and York, where he was running on really nicely at the end last time.”