Tim Carroll takes us through every challenge in the 6f sprint showpiece on day five of Royal Ascot on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Racing. 1. ANNAF (20) Jockey: Rossa Ryan | Trainer: M Appleby Probably will find this a tad strong, but he does tend to enjoy the Ascot straight having placed in a King Charles III (then known as the King's Stand) in 2023 behind a couple of smart sprinters in Bradsell and Highland Princess when at a similar quote to what he is for this. He was last seen here in the Qipco British Champion Sprint last October when he travelled strongly but tired late on the soft ground. His peak rating is 114, and it normally takes one a few pounds higher than that to win this, but given his liking for the Ascot straight course, he wouldn’t be the worse outsider to include in an exotic type of bet with first time cheekpieces fitted.   Watch every race of Royal Ascot 2025 live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June. 2. ELITE STATUS (9) C Lee | K R Burke Handy type that was placed in a Norfolk Stakes here two years ago when a warm favourite. He arrives having ran well enough in defeat when just over four lengths behind Inisherin in the Duke of York Clipper Stakes on his seasonal reappearance, and he may have needed the run. However, he’s now had three spins at the top level having been well held on each occasion, and with a peak career rating of 112 in what looks a solid renewal of the race, he’ll most likely need a career best and by some way.   3. GRAND GREY (8) J P Spencer | K A Ryan Formerly trained in Italy and France where he was a precocious 2yo, winning several times. He has found his way to Kevin Ryan and ran with merit in defeat when a slightly luckless runner-up to Sajir in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, before an unplaced effort at Curragh when tardy out of the gates. It would be no surprise if his new handler were to get a good tune out of the now 4yo, but his last win was well over a year ago in a moderate contest in Italy, and he has been turned over plenty of times in calmer waters than these.    4. IBERIAN (2) Billy Loughnane | C Hills Was a handy 2yo, finishing runner-up to twice Royal Ascot winner Haatem in the 2023 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. However, his form has since taken a nosedive and although he got back on the board at Southwell last December, it was a four-runner contest that he won by a short-had against a 90 rated rival, and he was last seen when well beaten in a Group 2 at Curragh when in behind a couple that line up here.  Looks outclassed.  5. INISHERIN (13) W Buick | K A Ryan Arrives as one of the newer kids on the block, but he does land it what looks a decent renewal of the race. The Kevin Ryan 4yo was originally tried as a miler, a trip he won over at just his second start last March. But after a valiant performance in defeat in the Guineas, running too keenly on the front, they elected to drop him back to 6 furlongs which immediately paid dividends when he won a Group 2 at Haydock on his way to taking out last year’s Commonwealth Cup (supplemented) in beast-mode when over two-lengths clear of a well above average type in the shape of Lake Forest. He did bomb in two starts after that when a beaten favourite, on both occasions but he made a winning return at York last month.  That was his first start since September, and his first spin after a wind-op, he’ll strip fitter for that, and his trainer won this race with another 4yo, Hello Youmzain, in 2020.  6. JAMES'S DELIGHT (5) C T Keane | C G Cox From an astute yard with a leading Irish rider on top and he does arrive after a win at the Curragh last time where he had three of these in behind. Purely on form and on ratings he has a bit to find with a few of these, and he was nine-lengths behind Lazzat at Chantilly two back. They have noticeably ridden him more aggressively in three runs during the current campaign, and they may elect to do the same here, but although he has won on good going, he does enjoy plenty of give in the ground and his best chance would probably be if some unexpected rain arrived.    7. JASOUR (6) Jim Crowley | C G Cox Not sure that he’ll line up having finished midfield in the 5f King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday. To be fair, he probably ended up on the wrong side of the track on Tuesday with the high draws dominating, and he does have form on the straight course having won a Commonwealth Cup trial last year before finishing third to Inisherin in the main event With a career high rating of 110, he’d be one that the number-crunchers would be prepared to oppose, but he’s with a trainer that has won this race (Lethal Force 2013), and with course and trip form, he wouldn’t be the worse 50-1 (at time of writing) each way play, and connections add a first-time tongue strap.   8. LAZZAT (11) James Doyle | J Reynier The Jerome Reynier French 4yo, who will be having his first start in the Wathnan Racing colours, has now won seven of his ten starts and was last seen when hacking up over this trip down the straight course at Chantilly. It would be fair to say he didn’t beat much that day, but he won by a 5½ lengths running away with plenty left in the locker. He’s a speedy type, and the Ascot straight course is one of the most testing in the world, but most of his wins have been in and around 7 furlongs, which will hold him in good stead here. It’s worth noting that despite the testing nature of the Ascot straight, since 2012, five winners of the race have tracked the pace to win, whilst two have made all. If there was to be one query it would be we have never seen him on good to firm going (if indeed that’s what the going is come Saturday) and of his three spins on good going, one he won in France in a time that would suggest it was more likely good-soft. One was in Australia when he was runner-up to Lake Forest in the Golden Eagle (a race that has thrown up 7 subsequent Group 1 winners) on a Good 4 (one away from soft), and the other was when he was unplaced at Sha Tin over a mile, but in a race that didn’t pan out for him. Whatever the going is on Saturday, provided he enjoys it, given his natural speed and his ability to kick off a strong gallop, he looks one of the more likely winners with retained rider, James Doyle picking him over Flora of Bermuda.    9. RUN TO FREEDOM (1) T E Whelan | H Candy Well exposed 7yo on the comeback trail. The Henry Candy inmate is a likeable type that has run twice in this race (10th 2022, 9th 2023), and his career peak mark of 116 would entitle him to serious consideration. However, he’s had just the one spin in over a year when  fourth to Sajir in the Abenant, and although he’s entitled to come on for that, its’ difficult see why he’d be winning the race as an older horse with very little recent racing when not able to as a younger horse having gone into both of those years as a last-start winner with an ideal lead up.  10. SAJIR (3) Oisin Murphy | A Fabre  No French horse has ever won this race, but the Make Believe 4yo is trained by one of the greats in Andre Fabre, a man that is notoriously good at placing his horses as he showed when sending this fellow over to win the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket in April. He has subsequently been runner-up to Topgear (8-1 for this at time of writing) at ParisLongchamp, but he was well held on the day. Oisin Murphy is reunited having been in the plate for the Abernant, and you must respect the trainer, but the French have him on a mark of 111, which is a tad low for this, and after eleven starts, there’s probably not a lot of upside.   11. SATONO REVE (16) J Moreira | Noriyuki Hori Japan have been winning races all around the world, but they are zero from nine at the Royal Meeting, however, that could be about to change come 3.40pm on Saturday as they have a serious contender for this year’s race. The Noriyuki Hari 6yo is a low mileage type that has won eight of his 13 starts, including a large field Group 1 at Chukyo in March. Whilst Japanese middle-distance form is unquestionably world-class, it can be a tad difficult to get a handle on the sprint form. Though we have seen this fellow twice at Sha Tin, where he was placed both times behind the world’s highest-rated horse, the champion sprinter, Ka Ying Rising. He was last seen in April when runner-up to the Hong Kong champ, and although beaten just over 2 lengths that day, Ka Ying Rising has a Timeform Rating of 132 and would more than likely be an odds-on favourite if lining up here. Like nearly all Japanese horses, he relishes quick going, but he’s never been on a course that drags uphill all the way like Ascot. However, they like to ride him cold, he possesses a big finish, he should get a strong gallop to aim at, and he won his maiden over a mile, which would all indicate he should enjoy a tough 6-furlong course.   12. STORM BOY (15) R L Moore | A P O'Brien  Arrives with a lofty reputation, but he seemingly is priced up on that reputation more so than recent results. At the time of writing the former top Australian 2yo was a 11-2 shot, and if it weren’t for the genius of Aidan O’Brien, I feel he’d be at least double that price.  Let’s look at the positives. There’s no doubt he’s very good on his day, both of Aidan’s winners in the race were ex-Aussie sprinters, and he wasn’t beaten that far when unplaced in the 2024 Everest, albeit that was the weakest renewal of the race since its inception in 2017. However, he has won just the solitary race since his 2yo season, a Group 3 that hasn’t thrown up anything of note, and he made his local debut when stone last at the Curragh, beaten nearly six-lengths. To be fair, some of the excuses regarding lack of fitness given afterwards probably had some validity, however, there is a lack of fitness, and then there is blowing up 2 furlongs out in what was an average Group 2 sprint. I still remember City Of Troy running like a fizzy sprinter in last year’s Guineas before winning the Derby at his next start, what a training performance, but I’m not sure even the great Aidan O’Brien can conjure up the turnaround required here.    13. TOPGEAR (7) S Pasquier | Chr Head France have never won this race, but along with Lazzat and Sajir, they go into this year’s edition with three genuine chances. It’s interesting when you look at the French ratings as they have the now 6yo running to the same level (116) when he won a Group 3 at ParisLongchamp last time, as Lazzat when the former dotted up in such impressive style at Chantilly that he went to the top of most markets for this. Although he’s more exposed than Lazzat, he has certainly improved since joining Christopher Head, as he showed when hacking up at Newmarket in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes on his final run of last year. Most of his form is over 7 furlongs, but that is a good fit for the stiff 6 furlongs of Ascot, and he looked sharp when winning on his seasonal return last month. However, although he has won on good going earlier in his career, his best form has come on ground with a bit of give, and a weather watch is advised. 14. FLORA OF BERMUDA (4) P J McDonald | A M Balding This 4yo filly by Dark Angel would need a career best, but unlike a few of the others with a similar rating, she is seemingly getting better with age. She’s only won two of her fourteen starts, but she has run with merit in defeat several times and has some course form. She was sixth in Crimson Advocate's 2023 Queen Mary when first home of those that raced on the far side, and at her only other run here she was just half-a-length behind Kind of Blue in last year’s Champion Sprint. She made her seasonal return with a very tidy effort, just failing to pick up Inisherin the Duke of York Clipper Stakes last month with the first two well clear of the others, and she may have been a tad unlucky that day as she had to bide her time before getting a run. She’ll need to take another step forward to feature here, but that looks possible.  15. GREAT GENERATION (10) Marco Ghiani | M Botti With a rating of 110 after ten starts, she’s probably aiming a tad high. Having said that, Tuesday's King Charles III winner was only rated 105, but this does look a better race. On the  plus side she does arrive as a last start winner, and she is a closing type that does tend to run through the line with plenty of purpose and will enjoy having what looks likely to be a decent gallop to aim at. But she has been well held her two times in open company at Pattern-level and although the race set-up looks helpful, it’s doubtful she has the quality needed for this.    16. NIGHTEYES (14)  D Tudhope | D O'Meara At the time of writing the David O’Meara 4yo filly was being shopped around at triple figure odds, and with an official rating of 102, (5 to16lbs inferior to her rivals) she has plenty to find. She was last seen when placed in a Listed race at Haydock and whilst she may have been a tad unlucky as she was slow to break and wasn’t beaten far, she’s now going around in the big leagues on his first ever time to Ascot.  TIM CARROLL'S VERDICT SATONO REVE might be having his first try on an uphill straight course, but he brings the best form to the race and as a strong finisher, he should enjoy the testing nature of the Ascot straight course. The Japanese contender is the highest rated (125 Timeform) runner in the race, and he’s reached that mark at his last two. If he runs to the same level here the logic is simple, one of his rivals is going to have hit a mark above anything they’ve achieved to date to deny him. Lazzat was very good when runner-up in Australia and he was explosive when winning at Chantilly last time. He’s a speedy customer that gets over further and looks the main threat. Flora Of Bermuda is diving into deeper waters but she’s in astute hands, and although she’s a 4yo filly, she looks progressive, and it would be no surprise if she took another step forward here. Tim’s 1-2-3: SATONO REVE, LAZZAT, FLORA OF BERMUDA Watch every race of Royal Ascot 2025 live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June.