| What | 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes |
| Where | Royal Randwick Racecourse – Sydney, NSW |
| When | Saturday, April 12, 2025 |
| Prizemoney | $5,000,000 |
| Distance | 2000m |
| Conditions | Group 1, WFA |
| 2024 winner | Pride Of Jenni (3) | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Declan Bates (57kg) |
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The time-honoured Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) headlines the action for Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, with a quality field of 15 set to line up in the $5 million weight-for-age classic.
An astonishing 12 of the 15 runners engaged have secured Group 1 glory in the past, including the eight-time Group 1 winning mare Via Sistina, who has been the long-standing favourite with horse racing bookmakers as she attempts to rectify her runner-up finish in last year’s edition.
Can Via add another Group 1 success to the CV? Or is there an upset brewing in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds
Via Sistina was quickly installed as the after drawing barrier one on Tuesday morning.
Dubai Honour is on the second line of betting at and is the only other runner in single figures as online betting sites have this race pegged as a two-horse affair.
The trio of Rousham Park, Ceolwulf and Buckaroo all represent good value at the , while the Ciaron Maher-trained pair of Light Infantry Man ($16) and Middle Earth ($34) have garnered some early support in betting as they make the trip north from Victoria.
Tom Kitten ($26), Vauban ($26), Fawkner Park ($26) and Deny Knowledge ($26) all have claims at the big odds; however, they have been relatively friendless in betting since markets opened on Tuesday.
2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes speed map
Punters can expect a genuine tempo in this year’s edition of the Queen Elzabeth Stakes; however, it should be nothing like when Pride Of Jenni broke their hearts 12 months ago.
Yulong pair of Full Count Felicia (4) and Deny Knowledge (10) should be vying for the lead in the early stages, while Lindermann (7) can drag across to make a line of three before they sort the order out.
Expect James McDonald to utilise gate one aboard Via Sistina and hold a mid-field position with cover, while Buckaroo (3) and Tom Kitten (5) can sit handy to the speed as well.
Dubai Honour (13) is likely to press forward and search for cover, while Japanese-raider Rousham Park may be forced back under Christophe Lemaire from the awkward draw (12).
Geoglyph (2) will be much closer this time as he backs up from the Doncaster Mile last Saturday, while the likes of Ceolwulf (15), Light Infantry Man (11) and Vauban (14) have critical decisions to make early as to whether or not they press forward or drag back for cover.
Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2025 preview & form
Buckaroo is a terrific each-way play in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and appears to be the forgotten runner at the .
He was sensational first-up in a slowly run edition of the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on March 22, finishing on the heels of eventual Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) winner Stefi Magnetica, as Gringotts got the perfect run in transit to claim victory. His Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) win in the spring was followed up by a ding-dong go in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), where the Fastnet Rock gelding was beaten by less than a half-length by stable companion Via Sistina. He boasts a strong second-up record of six starts for two wins and two minor placings in the past, and with Buckaroo set to gain the run of the race under Tommy Berry from stall three, he’s a major player to knock off this short-priced favourite.
Via Sistina is clearly the one to beat and is a deserving favourite at the , while Dubai Honour and Rousham Park warrant all the respect in the world filling out the minors. They must be included in all exotics; however, the price about Buckaroo is too good to ignore in this year’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2025 selections & best bets
7
BUCKAROO
12
VIA SISTINA
1
DUBAI HONOUR
2
ROUSHAM PARK
| $100 betting strategy | |
|---|---|
| $25 Win/$75 Place | Buckaroo (#7) @ $15/$3.60 with Neds |
Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2025 final field
1. Dubai Honour (13)
- T: William Haggas
- J: Tom Marquand
- W: 59kg
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Pride of Dubai
- Dam: Mondelice (GB)
+100
2. Rousham Park (12)
- T: Hiroyasu Tanaka
- J: Christophe Lemaire
- W: 59kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Harbinger (GB)
- Dam: Reinette Groove (JPN)
+400
3. Light Infantry Man (11)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Ethan Brown
- W: 59kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fast Company (IRE)
- Dam: Lights On Me (GB)
+320
4. Ceolwulf (15)
- T: Joseph Pride
- J: Chad Schofield
- W: 59kg
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Tavistock (NZ)
- Dam: Las Brisas (GB)
+240
5. Tom Kitten (5)
- T: James Cummings
- J: Ben Melham
- W: 59kg
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Bay or Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Harry Angel (IRE)
- Dam: Transfers
+400
6. Vauban (14)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Tim Clark
- W: 59kg
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galiway (GB)
- Dam: Waldfest (GB)
+400
7. Buckaroo (3)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Tommy Berry
- W: 59kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
+280
8. Lindermann (7)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Nash Rawiller
- W: 59kg
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Lonhro
- Dam: Self Esteem
+1000
9. Fawkner Park (6)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Tyler Schiller
- W: 59kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Zoffany (IRE)
- Dam: Za’Hara (IRE)
+660
10. Middle Earth (9)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Jamie Melham
- W: 59kg
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Roaring Lion (USA)
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
+1000
11. Geoglyph (2)
- T: Tetsuya Kimura
- J: Damian Lane
- W: 59kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Drefong (USA)
- Dam: Aromatico (JPN)
+2000
12. Via Sistina (1)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: James McDonald
- W: 57kg
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Nigh (IRE)
-625
13. Fangirl (8)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: James McDonald
- W: 57kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay or Brown
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Sebring
- Dam: Little Surfer Girl
+280
14. Deny Knowledge (10)
- T: Anthony & Sam Freedman
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 57kg
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Pride of Dubai
- Dam: The Paris Shrug (GB)
+660
15. Full Count Felicia (4)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Tim Clark
- W: 57kg
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: War Front (USA)
- Dam: Claire de Lune (IRE)
+2000
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