Royal Ascot 2025: Meet Ireland's Top Three Contenders

Henri Matisse

Aidan O'Brien will be responsible for the bulk of Ireland's leading contenders. He's the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history and the Ballydoyle supremo is fresh off winning the Oaks and the Derby at Epsom.

O'Brien has been Royal Ascot's leading trainer in eight of the last 10 years and his record 91 winners is 25 more than any other active trainer.

Having already won the French 2,000 Guineas this season, Henri Matisse heads to Royal Ascot as one of Ballydoyle's best three-year-olds and he's set to line up in a red-hot renewal of the St James's Palace Stakes on day one.

Ruling Court and Field Of Gold, the English and Irish 2000 Guineas winners respectively, are expected to take him on, but O'Brien has won this race nine times before and Henri Matisse will now attempt to add a UK win to a CV which boasts victories at the Curragh, Longchamp and at Del Mar.

Babouche

What a journey it has been for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane. They've enjoyed major and sustained success together at home and abroad and this week the six-time Irish champion jockey was announced as Juddmonte's retained rider in Europe.

Keane will ride the best horses in the famous Juddmonte silks and will fill a job that has been vacant since James Doyle had a brief stint back in 2014.

It's quite the accolade and Lyons suggests 'it's a huge vote of confidence' in the rider, who will continue his association with the Co Meath trainer when possible.

Keane's book of Royal Ascot rides may include Irish 2000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes on Tuesday but he's also got Babouche for Lyons to look forward to in the Commonwealth Cup on Friday.

He took out Whistlejacket in last month's Goffs Lacken Stakes at Naas and the Group 1-winning juvenile is ready for a big summer. How Keane would love to make his new post with a winner for his old boss.

Lady With The Lamp

Kevin Blake hit the news over the weekend for his Epsom Derby selections but the breeder/racing expert will be hoping to be in the winners' enclosure at Royal Ascot as part-owner of Lady With The Lamp, alongside fellow broadcaster Nick Luck,

The three-year-old King Of Change filly was a 66/1 Listed winner at Dundalk in October and her two wins this season have proved she belongs in esteemed company.

She returned to action at Cork in Listed grade once more and ran out a 28/1 winner before heading to Chelmsford in early May to take out the Chelmer Fillies' Stakes in the hands of Dylan McMonagle, showing a really willing attitude in doing so for her third win in Listed grade.

She's set to target the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next and her connections certainly won't be stuck for a word in assessing her credentials.