The Queen Mary Stakes is a Group 2 contest run over 5f. It takes place at 14:30 on Wednesday 21st June, which is the second day of Royal Ascot 2023. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

13⁽²³⁾

Geologist

J: James McDonald

T: Amy Murphy

9-2

This is a big ask after coming up short in a Redcar maiden (6f, good to firm) won by Onigiri.

25⁽¹⁸⁾

Relief Rally

J: Tom Marquand

T: William Haggas

9-2

105

Won readily at Windsor (5f, soft) before following up at Salisbury (good) when conceding 2lb to hot favourite Juniper Berries who refused to settle; no certainty to confirm those placings with the runner-up, but she's been a notable market mover in recent days.

12⁽¹⁰⁾

Gaiden

J: Sean Levey

T: Richard Hannon

9-2

101

Not far away in 5f races won by Relief Rally (soft) and Got To Love A Grey (Listed; good to firm); gives the impression that an extra furlong would be welcomed.

17⁽²¹⁾

Juniper Berries

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

9-2

Hammered subsequent winners at Bath (5f, good to soft) but her eagerness to crack on with things backfired when held by Relief Rally at Salisbury (good); should settle better this afternoon with a helter-skelter gallop on the cards.

8⁽²⁴⁾

Cotai Vision

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Ed Walker

9-2

14-1, nearest at the finish when fourth to Thanksbutnothanks at Lingfield (5f, good to firm); very opposable elevated to this level.

23⁽⁷⁾

Out Of The Stars

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Archie Watson

9-2

Bred to be quick; all the rage for her Kempton debut (5f, AW; 8-11) and, while it was last-gasp stuff, she did well to win at all after losing lengths at the start; she beat a modest lot and will be cooked in this company if again conceding early ground, but the potential is there to raise her game with cheekpieces added.

16⁽¹⁾

Hot Front

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Paul & Oliver Cole

9-2

Narrowly failed favourite backers over slightly further at Wetherby (good to firm) and that form is miles short of the required standard for this; stall 1 might not aid her cause, either.

14⁽¹⁵⁾

Got To Love A Grey

J: Sam James

T: K R Burke

9-2

105

Professional in winning both races, by 6l at Nottingham (soft) before making all in Listed event at York (good to firm); that latest win was more workmanlike than mindblowing but she should be strong through the line.

2⁽²⁶⁾

Bated Moon

J: Declan McDonogh

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

9-2

Stayed on best to edge out Launch at Cork (5f, soft to heavy) and evidently failed to give her running when behind that rival in Group 3 at Naas (6f, good); not many 2yo races here are won on the back of a blip like that.

7⁽¹³⁾

Callianassa

J: Oisin Orr

T: Brian Ellison

9-2

Finished no better than fourth in her two runs, latterly behind some of these at Beverley (hooded); that's not the profile of a Queen Mary winner.

19⁽²⁷⁾

Launch

J: Kevin Stott

T: Adrian Murray

9-2

Conceded late on to Bated Moon at Cork (5f, soft to heavy) and was no match for the front two in a Group 3 at Naas (6f, good); she's useful but evidently no superstar.

20⁽¹¹⁾

612

Mariamne

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: James Ferguson

9-2

Blessed with plenty of early speed but this Wolverhampton winner was unable to repel Thanksbutnothanks at Lingfield (5f, good to firm); unlikely to be up to this.

26⁽²⁵⁾

Tallulabelle

J: Jason Watson

T: David O'Meara

9-2

Third to Midnight Affair and Flora Of Bermuda at Beverley and, unlike those two, she enjoyed a trouble-free passage; vulnerable.

21⁽¹⁹⁾

Midnight Affair

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: Richard Fahey

9-2

104

Second at Newmarket (good) and went one better in Beverley's traditionally strong Hilary Needler (good to firm; beat Flora Of Bermuda), clocking the quickest time in that race since 2016; had a clearer run than the unlucky second.

22⁽⁴⁾

Onigiri

J: Neil Callan

T: Marco Botti

9-2

Prominent throughout when beating Geologist a shade cosily at Redcar (6f, good to firm; 4-1); no knocking a winning start but the form is none too convincing heading into an assignment of this magnitude.

27⁽²⁰⁾

Thanksbutnothanks

J: David Egan

T: Dominic Ffrench Davis

9-2

Tail-flashing filly who was narrowly denied on debut here (soft) before making amends at Lingfield (5f, good to firm; beat Mariamne); has a lot to find on the figures.

11⁽⁸⁾

Flora Of Bermuda

J: James Doyle

T: Andrew Balding

9-2

£340,000 buy this April; close up behind Graceful Thunder at Sandown (5f, good to soft) and would have given Midnight Affair a lot more to think about in the Hilary Needler at Beverley (good to firm) had she not found a lot of bother in running; no forlorn hope at fancy odds.

15⁽⁶⁾

Graceful Thunder

J: Rossa Ryan

T: George Boughey

9-2

Narrowly got the job done at Sandown (5f, good to soft) but, other than Flora Of Bermuda improving plenty to run so well at Beverley, the form hasn't worked out at all well.

9⁽²⁸⁾

Crimson Advocate

J: John R Velazquez

T: George Weaver

9-2

104

Blinkers added at Gulfstream Park (5f, firm) on second start and she rocketed out of the gates to make all; set strong fractions and yet was extending her lead late on, swatting aside a Wesley Ward newcomer (odds-on; unraced since) who was clear of the rest; likely contender if coping with this different environment and slower ground.

NR⁽²⁾

Tiger Belle

T: Adrian McGuinness

9-2

Both runs 5f on good; won at Cork on debut; nicely clear of the rest when second under a penalty at Tipperary; this demands so much more.

1⁽¹⁴⁾

221

Balsam

J: Ryan Moore

T: H-F Devin

9-2

101

Significant forward step in winning a Listed event in France last month (5f, very soft; led late on); runner-up well held in a Group 3 since but there were previous winners further behind her; has raced on nothing faster than soft, so yesterday's showers welcomed; booking of Ryan Moore raises expectations.

NR⁽¹²⁾

Born To Rock

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

9-2

104

The form of her debut win at Yarmouth (5f, good to firm) has taken several knocks but she looked in a different league and waltzed home clear by just over 4l (made all); trainer was highly complimentary afterwards.

18⁽⁵⁾

Lady Pink Rose

J: Tom Eaves

T: K R Burke

9-2

Odds-on when beaten by a fellow newcomer at Catterick (5f, good to firm) and everything points to her trainer having higher expectations for his other two runners.

4⁽⁹⁾

Betties Bay

J: Joshua Bryan

T: Georgina Nicholls

9-2

Didn't go unbacked when staying on for second at Newbury (6f, good to firm; 14-1) having been behind early; has races in her but this is unlikely to be one of them, especially dropped back to 5f.

3⁽¹⁷⁾

Beautiful Diamond

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

9-2

106

Pedigree all speed and she was bought for £360,000 this April; second favourite and it was never in doubt once she loomed up 2f out at Nottingham (5f, good to firm) and stretched clear with ease; stable's 2yos have been going great guns and there's confidence behind her.

24⁽³⁾

Princess Chizara

J: Darragh Keenan

T: Conrad Allen

9-2

The outsider of four at Brighton (extended 5f, good to firm) yet she led them a merry dance from the start, winning by just over 4l; it looked good but the runner-up was extending his losing sequence to four.

6⁽²²⁾

Bundchen

J: Joel Rosario

T: Wesley A Ward

9-2

Had not turned two when making her debut at Keeneland in late April (4.5f, muddy; blinkered); came up just shy after showing the trademark early speed associated with Wesley Ward's youngsters and she wandered about a bit in the finish; while it's rare for a maiden to win this, the trainer factor (he's won this four times) heightens interest for sure.

10⁽¹⁶⁾

Cynane

J: Javier Castellano

T: Thomas Morley

9-2

$250,000 yearling; bred to stay further than this but looked all speed when making most for a 3l success at Belmont Park (5f, firm) last month; one of three interesting US-trained fillies in the field and hard to dismiss.

RACING POST TIP

Crimson Advocate

With only one winner exiting from a single-figure box in the last decade, being drawn middle to high has provided a notable edge. The US challengers, therefore, appear to be sitting pretty from their stalls and, while late foal Bundchen commands the utmost respect and is second choice, CRIMSON ADVOCATE looked the real deal in the way she went about her business at Gulfstream. Born To Rock and Beautiful Diamond elevated themselves to prominence in the betting with stunning debuts and should feature. If those drawn low can hold their own, Flora Of Bermuda could easily outrun her odds.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2022	Dramatised [1]	2	9-2	5/2	Karl Burke	Daniel Tudhope
2021	Quick Suzy [22]	2	9-0	8/1	Gavin Cromwell	Gary Carroll
2020	Campanelle [1]	2	9-0	9/2	Wesley A Ward	Frankie Dettori
2019	Raffle Prize [25]	2	9-0	18/1	Mark Johnston	Frankie Dettori
2018	Signora Cabello [16]	2	9-0	25/1	John Quinn	Oisin Murphy
2017	Heartache [20]	2	9-0	5/1	Clive Cox	Adam Kirby
2016	Lady Aurelia [14]	2	9-0	2/1F	Wesley A Ward	Frankie Dettori
2015	Acapulco [20]	2	9-0	5/2F	Wesley A Ward	Ryan Moore
2014	Anthem Alexander [12]	2	9-0	9/4F	Edward Lynam	Pat Smullen
2013	Rizeena [16]	2	8-12	6/1	Clive Brittain	James Doyle
2012	Ceiling Kitty [5]	2	8-12	20/1	Tom Dascombe	Richard Kingscote

Key race stats

By a sire with stamina index between 5.9f and 8.4f, ten winners in last ten runnings
Top-three finish last time out, 10/10 (eight won)
Adjusted Racing Post Rating of at least 103, 9/10
Rated within 9lb of RPR top rated, 8/10
Distance winner, 6/10

Other factors

Two of the four not to have won over the trip were trained by Wesley Ward – one had won over 4½f, while the other was still a maiden.

What happened last year?

Won by star fillies Lady Aurelia and Campanelle in the past, this race would continue a dream Royal Ascot for Danny Tudhope as Dramatised scorched the turf for an impressive win. Even despite dropping his whip, the jockey was able to steer his mount to an easy win from Maylandsea. While she has not won since, Dramatised held up the Royal Ascot form by finishing runner-up at the Breeders’ Cup.

Queen Mary Stakes

14:30 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats

What happened last year?

All Races