Who are the top five Royal Ascot-bound juveniles on Racing Post Ratings - and what are their chances?

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Royal Ascot is only a week away and a host of promising juveniles are ready to announce themselves on the big stage. Here are the top five unbeaten two-year-olds on Racing Post Ratings, and where they may show up next week.

Virtuous Star

Racing Post Rating: 92

The Starman colt has made just one appearance on the track but he was an eyecatcher when winning at Chester in May, scoring by a length and a quarter for Richard and Peter Fahey.

Chester is a notoriously tight course, so it was commendable to overcome a draw in stall nine. He was comfortably on top at the end and this 240,000gns purchase could have even more to offer with that race experience behind him.

He is 25-1 for the Coventry Stakes – his most likely Royal Ascot target – which is run over the same six-furlong trip as the Chester race. That was won in 2024 by the Fahey-trained Columnist, who then finished third in the Coventry.

Cut A Dash

Racing Post Rating: 92

Starspangledbanner is having an excellent season with the likes of Classic winners Gstaad and Precise, and he has another promising colt to his name in Cut A Dash, winner of his sole start at York last month.

Cut A Dash lands the opening five-furlong novice at York

Cut A Dash: winner at York on his debutCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Richard Hannon-trained juvenile made his debut at the Dante meeting and won readily over five furlongs, despite showing signs of greenness. He has an entry over that same trip in the Norfolk, for which he is 14-1.

However, connections might be tempted to step him up in distance for the Coventry as Cut A Dash's pedigree suggests he will be able to get further. He is 16-1 to provide Hannon with his first win in the longer race.

Wild Blossom

Racing Post Rating: 94

Wathnan Racing are always a force to be reckoned with at Royal Ascot and they look to have an exciting filly in Wild Blossom after her success at Carlisle last month.

Karl Burke likes to use the track to test his best juveniles ahead of Royal Ascot, including Venetian Sun last year, and Wild Blossom looked special when flying home ten lengths clear of her rivals on her debut.

The trainer looks to have a good Albany hope in fellow Carlisle winner Light Of Dawn, so Wild Blossom is all but assured to head to the Queen Mary, for which she is 5-1 second favourite behind Senorita Bonita.

Wild Blossom charges up the Carlisle straight

Wild Blossom: wide-margin winner at CarlisleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Victorious

Racing Post Rating: 97

A blue-blooded filly out of a sister to Classic winners Minding and Tuesday, Victorious is bred to be top-class and has shown all the right signs for Aidan O'Brien.

A winner on her debut at Naas in April, the Wootton Bassett filly then struck in Group company when holding off Controlla by a neck in the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes last month.

While she is just 11-2 for the Queen Mary, O'Brien suggested after her latest success that the Albany (12-1) was the intended target, preferring to keep the filly over six furlongs for the foreseeable future.

Great Barrier Reef

Racing Post Rating: 101

Great Barrier Reef looked impressive on his debut at the Curragh in April when winning by six lengths, but it was his subsequent victory in the Marble Hill Stakes that earned him the highest RPR of any juvenile, with a rating of 101.

Great Barrier Reef scores home in the 6f juvenile maiden at the Curragh

Great Barrier Reef: favourite for the CoventryCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The No Nay Never colt dwelt at the start but showed a fine turn of foot to get up within the final furlong. Ryan Moore was able to ease up close home to win by a length and a quarter.

It is no surprise he is the 5-2 favourite for the Coventry Stakes, which Ballydoyle won last year with Gstaad. He has every chance of making it three on the bounce and is bound to be Moore's first choice over Confucius.

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