The Coventry Stakes is a flat horse race for two-year-olds contested in the United Kingdom. Every year in June, it is held at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs as part of the Royal Festival.
Check out more Ascot results if you enjoyed this one!
Famous Coventry Stakes Winners
The Coventry Stakes was first run in 1890, named after the 9th Earl of Coventry. The race was upgraded from Group 3 to a Group 2 in 2004 and has a rich history of being won by high-class performers. None more so than the great Mill Reef (1970), trained by Ian Balding and ridden by Geoff Lewis.
Mill Reef’s most famous victories include the 1971 Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was a contemporary of another legendary racehorse in Brigadier Gerard, his conqueror in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Chief Singer was a remarkable four lengths winner on his racecourse debut here in 1983. Trainer Ron Sheather knew he was something special after he comfortably gave weight and a beating to an older stable companion on the home gallops. The handsome black horse with the big white face proved a champion over six furlongs and a mile, winning the July Cup and the Sussex Stakes in 1984.
More recent top-class winners include Henrythenavigator (2007), Canford Cliffs (2009) and Dawn Approach (2012). Henrythenavigator completed the 2000 Guineas double in England and Ireland in 2008. He also won the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes. Canford Cliffs was beaten in the Newmarket Guineas but won the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes. He won the Lockinge Stakes and the Queen Anne Stakes in 2011 and was retired to stud after sustaining an injury when defeated by Frankel at Goodwood.
Dawn Approach was the most recent Coventry Stakes winner to go on to Classic success. He ended the season as the highest-rated juvenile colt in Europe after winning the Dewhurst Stakes. He was purchased by Godolphin and duly landed the 2000 Guineas before failing to stay in the Epsom Derby. He returned to a mile to win the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Key Coventry Stakes Trials
Coventry Stakes winners come from a wide variety of races.
Eleven of the last twelve winners had won on their previous outing, all having raced within the previous 32 days.
All but one had at least one victory to their credit.
Four of the last twelve Coventry Stakes winners won next time out. Five ran in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh with only Caravaggio (2016) winning. The Wow Signal (2014) won the Prix Morny at Deauville and Dawn Approach (2012) won the Vincent O’Brien Stakes at the Curragh.
Calyx (2018) did not reappear until May the following season when winning the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot.
Coventry Stakes Betting Trends
Favourites have a good record in the Coventry Stakes with five clear favourites and one joint-favourite successful in the past twelve years; Strong Suit (2010), Power (2011), The Wow Signal joint-favourite (2014), Caravaggio (2016), Calyx (2018) and Arizona (2019).
The race can produce the occasional shock result but the 150-1 victory of Nando Parrado (2020) was out of the blue. He was trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby and is the longest-priced winner ever at Royal Ascot. War Command (2013) was a 20-1 shot for Aidan O’Brien in 2013 while Rajasinghe (2017) and Berkshire Shadow (2021) returned at 11-1.
Coventry Stakes – Top Trainers and Jockeys
Aidan O’Brien has won the Coventry Stakes on a record nine occasions; Harbour Master (1997), Fasiliyev (1999), Landseer (2001), Statue of Liberty (2002), Henrythenavigator (2007), Power (2011), War Command (2013), Caravaggio (2016) and Arizona (2019).
The leading jockey in the history of the race is Sir Gordon Richards who also won it nine times; Manitoba (1932), Medieval Knight (1933), Hairan (1934), Nasrullah (1942), Tudor Minstrel (1946), The Cobbler (1947), Palestine (1949) and King’s Beach (1951).
In more recent times, Richard Hughes won it three times with Three Valleys (2003), Canford Cliffs (2009) and Strong Suit (2010).
Ryan Moore claimed his third win in the race with Arizona (2019) following Power (2011) and Caravaggio (2016).
Betting on the Coventry Stakes
The Coventry Stakes is one of the most intriguing two-year-old races of the season. It features colts of enormous potential from the top yards in Britain and Ireland.
The winner will automatically earn quotes for the following season’s 2000 Guineas.
The market usually provides a good guide to the fancied runners and the form is worth following throughout the summer.
Best Coventry Stakes Betting Sites
Here are the most popular free bets for Coventry Stakes betting:
Tote beat the industry SP 74% of the time on Royal Ascot World Pool days and the remaining 26% is matched with Tote Guarantee in place
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G50 on registration. £/€10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€20 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.
New customers for Royal Ascot at bet365 can claim the Bet of £10 & Get £30 Free Bets sign-up offer. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits for Royal Ascot Festival
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. #AD Registration required.
The bet 10 get 40 pounds in betting bonuses is a popular 2025 Royal Ascot offer for new punters looking to wager on the Royal Ascot Festival races
New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. #AD Full T&Cs apply.
William Hill’s latest promo is bet £10 get £30 in free bets, an excellent bookies offer for the big races at The Royal Ascot 2025
New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. #AD
The new sign up offer from Unibet is one of the best new promotions to take advantage of for The Royal Ascot Festival in 2025, bet £10 to receive £40 in free bets
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first racing bet loses. Wagering: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Sports bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Full T&Cs apply. #AD
Skybet has some of the best bonuses and free bets including exclusive Ascot betting offers in comparison to leading UK bookmakers
NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. FIRST SINGLE & E/W BET ONLY. 5P MINIMUM STAKE. 3 X £10 BET TOKENS. FREE BET STAKES NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BETS EXCLUDE VIRTUALS. FREE BETS ARE NON WITHDRAWABLE. NO FREE BET EXPIRY. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&CS APPLY. #AD 18+. BEGAMBLEAWARE.ORG
Betfair’s free bet bonus is one to take a look at for The 2025 Royal Ascot, offering a totally free £30 bet, available to use for both the Betfair exchange and sportsbook
New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. #AD Please Gamble Responsibly.
One of the best sign up offers for Royal Ascot, this BetVictor promo of bet 10 get 40 is perfect for new customers wanting to place a bet on the horses
18+ New Customers only. Opt in, bet £20 on Horse Racing, 1/1+ odds in 7 days, no cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on set markets valid 7 days. Debit Card / Apple Pay payments only. begambleaware.org | Please Gamble Responsibly.
Coral’s newest sign up deal for Royal Ascot is for the value of 20 pounds in free bets, a betting offer that’s perfect for those wanting a bet on the big races
18+ Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply. #AD
This bookmakers new promotion is ideal for the horse racing, proving 20 pounds in free bets when you place 5 as a new customer, perfect for The Royal Ascot!
18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. #AD
Parimatch have a new welcome offer of £30 in free bets when you bet £5, which is a great promo to make the most of for The Royal Ascot
18+ New Customers Only. Opt-in, bet on Horse Racing within 7 days of registration. Get your stake refunded up to £30 in Free Bets for set markets if your bet loses (odds 3.00+). Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Offer valid from 16:00 UK time 04/08/2023. begambleaware.org | #AD Please Gamble Responsibly
Paddy Power are known for their terrific betting offers, and their latest promotion gives customers 10 pound back as cash if the bet doesn’t win!
New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of min 2.0 (EVS) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. #AD
For a brilliant new customer offer for the horse racing, betway’s up to £10 in free bets is an excellent choice
New UK customers only. £10 Min Deposit. 100% matched free bet on your first deposit of £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bets. Debit Card deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. #AD Bet The Responsible Way.
Boylesports Royal Ascot betting promotions include free bets and will refund all losing Royal Ascot bets if your selected winner finishes second for mobile customers only
New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply. #AD
New customers who sign up to Virgin Bet get some amazing Royal Ascot betting bonuses
New members only. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals), placed & settled at 1.5 min odds in 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days, use on sportsbook only (ex. virtuals), stakes not returned. T&Cs and deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org. 18+
LiveScore Bet bonus code and sign-up offer is available to new sports betting punters on all of the races at Royal Ascot Festival
New members only. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware®. 18+
The Mr Play bonus code for the Royal Ascot meeting is available to new horse racing customers when registering for an mr.play Sport account
18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. #AD System bets no eligible.