EXPERT ANALYSIS Royal Ascot 2025 Two-Year-Olds In what other field of endeavour could you find Albert Einstein squaring up against Charles Darwin, with Amadeus Mozart one of many looking to get involved? Perhaps in a discussion of who has contributed most to human advancement, but also - thanks to the naming policy of Coolmore - when considering the merits of the juvenile Class of 2025. Albert Einstein is edging it, in my book at least, but Charles Darwin is on his heels, and there is much still to be played for. In particular, there are reputations to be bolstered, or diminished, at next week’s Royal Ascot, the first true test of these youngsters’ careers. Unfortunately, Albert will not be there, having reportedly sprained a joint, and nor will the leading two-year-old filly Lady Iman, whose trainer favours other challenges. Let us look at how the top males and females shape up on my figures, which are derived from a blend of form and time handicapping, as well as from visuals. It should not be an either/or where quantitative and qualitative analysis is concerned: only connect! There would be more French-trained individuals in there, but only AFJAN - quite an impressive winner of a newcomers’ contest at Chantilly on his only start - is quoted in the Royal Ascot betting, so the others have been excluded. Afjan is a possible for the Windsor Castle - in which he would probably have a fairly good chance - and the Norfolk, but it is unclear which is the first preference. Likewise, there are several Americans who might have made the cut - including the recently scratched Outfielder - but just one such filly who appears high in the markets. LENNILU impressed to the eye when winning both her starts back home, but less so on the clock. Her Gulfstream win on firm turf last time - in which she beat 82-rated BIBI DAHL, also a Queen Mary entrant - was about 15lb slower than the other juvenile black type on the card. Another US-trained juvenile entered the fray on Thursday, in the form of 88-rated TOUGH CRITIC. There is precious little to go on with his time when winning on turf at Keeneland on his only start, but collateral form suggests he has something to find. Albert Einstein earned his top billing with a defeat of POWER BLUE and ANDAB in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh in May. In his absence, that pair look overpriced in the Coventry, especially the latter, who still lacked experience that day having run away with a maiden on the same course on his only previous appearance. CHARLES DARWIN was beaten on his debut but has won well twice since, most recently a Naas minor contest from the front and with a 22.01s final quarter-mile. He showed plenty of toe also when winning at a shortened 6f at Navan on good to soft and should be hard to beat in the Norfolk at the bare minimum. Albert Einstein’s withdrawal has deprived me of a few gratuitous puns, so I am looking to Charles Darwin, whose form is evolving nicely, to set a good Galap(agos) and to keep going. Badum-tish. It does not automatically follow that a horse rated highly going into Royal Ascot will have what it takes to succeed there. Big ratings require both superior ability and the opportunity to express that ability. Plenty will step forward for the latter, some by a lot. It is worth looking at what it customarily takes to win and go close in the juvenile races at Royal Ascot before moving on to some further consideration of each race. The Coventry is the best of the six races restricted to two-year-olds, if not rated quite as highly as it once was. The key piece of British form is arguably the novice won by a penalised MILITARY CODE at this course in May from next-time winners Fitzella and OLD IS GOLD. Conditions were fast that day - a track record fell elsewhere on the card - and Military Code broke 11.0s for a furlong at one stage. POSTMODERN just edges it in the betting, at the time of writing, but has less compelling claims for me, having won a novice at Yarmouth on his only start by 5 lengths in a merely-respectable overall time and with similar late splits. He gets rated 93 on that. The Queen Mary runs the Coventry close in terms of winners but is “relatively” easy to get placed in. That was behind my thinking in backing STAYA for the fillies’ race each-way when 16/1 a few weeks ago (as mentioned in an earlier blog). A £375k breezer, she ran fast overall and posted a 22.22s final two furlongs when scoring on her debut at Yarmouth. I am also interested in SPICY MARG, who won in a good time and with useful splits (22.43s final 2f) at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas Day. She missed an intended engagement since, which means she has not blown her cover further and is still available at a double-figure price. ZELAINA is a short-priced favourite for the Queen Mary, having wowed the Breeze-Up Boys (and Girls: believe me, they do exist) to the extent that she sold for £625k. She won her only start, at Nottingham, in good style but in not a particularly fast overall time or with especially quick splits. The form is difficult to weigh up, with all but one of her rivals unraced previously, but I reckon she can be taken on. I have never entirely seen the point of the Windsor Castle Stakes - a lesser version of the Norfolk and due to be fundamentally altered next year - and would personally have turned it into the season’s first nursery, open to horses rated no higher than 95. Either way, it has sparked minimal interest ante-post, and it is not clear what is likely to run in it at this stage. The Norfolk itself is a different matter, with Charles Darwin up to the usual winning standard, just, and Military Code good enough to get placed if he is sent for this in preference to the Coventry. The Karl Burke-trained NAVAL LIGHT (rated 93) has been well backed, having shaped well in second behind Old Is Gold in a strong-looking minor race at Beverley. Sectionals suggest it could be the other way round this time, but that is still short of what is likely to be required here. The Albany usually has a bit more strength in depth than the Queen Mary, if fewer smart winners. FITZELLA, who got a passing mention earlier on, looks a good candidate here. Not only did she show ability/promise in that Ascot debut behind Military Code, running the final two furlongs fractionally faster than that more-experienced rival, but she won in fine style at Haydock soon after, completing the 6f quicker than the older Listed winner Frost At Dawn in the next race. Blimey! SIGNORA has a reputation and shaped well when third to Lady Iman in a Group 3 at Naas on her only start (GREEN SENSE in 2nd), even faster late on than the pair that beat her. She will be winning races before long - possibly good ones - but Fitzella comes here with a few more street smarts the way I see it. It is unclear at this stage what will run in the Chesham, a race that has been used as a springboard to stardom by the likes of Churchill and Pinatubo in recent times. I would be particularly interested in ITALY, who looks cut from similar cloth, were he to turn up. His Leopardstown win is fairly unassuming on the face of it but came with a power-packed 23.80s for the final two furlongs that took him from fourth to first in little time. That was over an extended 7f, so the Chesham looks the race for Italy, but it would be a mistake to think that he is slow. Simon's selections: Coventry: ANDAB (each-way); Queen Mary: STAYA (each-way) and SPICY MARG (each-way); Norfolk: CHARLES DARWIN; Albany: FITZELLA