Key Points
- My selection was unlucky not to win this race last year!
- He is 1lb below his mark from last year as he looks to go two places better
- He has to overcome an absence here but he has a strong record when fresh
The final day of the 2025 Royal Ascot meeting is here already, and my Day 5 betting tip runs in the Wokingham Stakes, which is a 6f Heritage Handicap race. This horse was well backed for this race two years ago, he ran an absolute stormer in it last year at a big price, and I’m hoping it will be third time lucky for him this year. I certainly feel he is underestimated in the market at 14/1, and he presents a great each way betting opportunity in my opinion.
As well as betting tips, you’ll find other types of content here too. Keep a lookout for my guides, big race trends, and antepost picks. Be sure to check out my antepost selections for the 2025 Northumberland Plate, the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, and the 2026 Aintree Grand National to grab some early prices.
Otherwise, enjoy the fifth and final day of the 2025 Royal Ascot spectacle, and I’ll be back next week.
Betting advice
- 17:00 Royal Ascot (Saturday) -
Orazio
@ 14/1 (6places) -
0.5pt each way
Best overall terms for Orazio at bet365!
The price for Orazio varies considerably, and it’s the same for the places available! But overall, the best value is with bet365, who are offering 14/1 for 6 places. Plus, they have a great deal for new customers too. If you
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Orazio can make it third time lucky in the Wokingham!
There are plenty of reasons why I think Orazio will outrun his odds at Royal Ascot today, so let’s take a dive into them now.
Orazio was unlucky not to win this race last year!
Two years ago Orazio was the subject of a major gamble in the Wokingham Stakes. The money piled in, and he was sent off as the 7/2 favourite under William Buick. Whilst he rallied well over 1f out and kept on towards the finish, he could only finish sixth. Albeit he finished third in his small group of 10 and was only beaten 2.5 lengths at the line.
That 2022 run came off a mark of 102 and surprisingly when he came back for the 2023 renewal, with Saffie Osborne in the saddle, he went off at 16/1, despite being 2lb lower in the handicap. With less than 2f to run. Saffie realised he wasn’t going to get the gaps, and drastically switched him to the near side for a clear run, costing him ground. She got him motoring and he flashed home but it was all too late and he finished third, beaten just three quarters of a length. Considering where he was with around 1.5f to run, he did exceptionally well to get as close as he did. With a few more strides, or a clear run, he would have won.
He is 1lb below his mark from last year, as he looks to go two places better!
After last year’s renewal, Charlie Hills spoke about some nice Handicaps and his hopes that Orazio would end up in Group company at some stage. On his next start at Newmarket, he stumbled coming out of the stalls and the vet noted he was moving poorly behind, so you can put a line straight through that run. He was subsequently off the track for 56 days. He then had two further runs, didn’t remotely fire in either and was put away. I don’t know for certain but I’d guess that he still wasn’t physically A1 after that prior issue and that’s why he was poor in those two final runs.
After his run in this race last year, he was put up from his mark of 100 to a new mark of 103. Arguably that was both generous and cruel considering how well he ran but also that he didn’t win, or even finish second. However, as a result of his three runs since, he’s now come back down to just 99. That is 1lb below the mark of last year. Considering he was extremely unlucky not to win off a mark of 100, he must have an exceptional chance off a mark of 99, if Charlie can get him back to his best.
Orazio must overcome absence here but he has a strong record when fresh
We haven’t seen Orazio since October and the last three runs that we did see him, he has been very poor. It’s not like he’s coming back with an easy target either, he’s being thrown into a 28-runner handicap at Royal Ascot worth £175,000. It is a leap of faith to back him today, but two elements give me plenty of hope.
Firstly, I don’t think Charlie Hills would throw him into this race unless he felt he was fit, well and had a serious chance of being competitive. Secondly, this horse has a very good record when fresh! He won on debut, he won on his fifth start (which came after a 102 day break) and he finished a close third in a Listed race at Doncaster after a 182-day break. Even his unlucky third in this race last year was off the back of a 66-day break.
All of this gives me hope that the Orazio returning will be in great form and if that’s the case, he has a far better chance than the market is suggesting.
Can Orazio strike in the Wokingham at the third time of asking?
In terms of negatives, we haven’t seen Orazio since October and his last three runs have been very poor. He failed to win either of the last two renewals of this race, but he ran extremely well in both. He is 1lb below last year’s mark, and 3lb below the 2022 mark. Orazio has a great record when fresh, he’s a C&D winner, and he’s also got a nice high draw (subject to biases) in Stall 26.
When you consider the positives and negatives, I feel he has far more going for him than he has against him. The fact we haven’t seen him is largely negated by his fresh record. And his failure to win the last two renewals of this race is largely forgiven, as he ran extremely well in both, and that’s before factoring in some bad luck.
If he was 7/2 I’d let him go today. However, at 14/1 for the same race two years on, and 3lb lower, I think Orazio is worth backing, and could make his price look silly. There are risks attached and ultimately, we are talking about a 28-runner Handicap at Royal Ascot at a time where the track bias is very unpredictable. Therefore, I can’t justify anything more than half stakes on this one. I’ll certainly be watching the market throughout the day and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Orazio goes off significantly shorter than 14/1.
Go out of Royal Ascot with a bang with a free bet offer!
Today is the final day of Royal Ascot and wouldn’t it be great to go out of it in style? Well take a look at the bookmaker offers below and make the most of the free bets they have on offer. By using the free bets, you can broaden your chances and hopefully hit some winners on the final day of this prestigious meeting!
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