James McDonald wins for legendary trainer at Royal Ascot

James McDonald’s patience was rewarded when he delivered Crimson Advocate to victory in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

James McDonald sends Crimson Advocate to victory in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Wednesday at Royal Ascot. Photo: David Davies / Getty Images

James McDonald’s patience was rewarded when he delivered Crimson Advocate to victory in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

The ride aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained mare was McDonald’s second of three at the meeting and it followed on from his third placing aboard King’s Gambit in Tuesday’s Wolverton Stakes.

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Crimson Advocate was always rearward in the one mile contest and the last of the eight runners into the Ascot home straight.

McDonald eased the daughter of Nyquist (USA) to the outside of race favourite Cinderella’s Dream and passing the 200m, Crimson Advocate was quickly gaining the ascendancy and moving away from the rest of the field.

Crimson Advocate started at 13/2 and defeated Cinderella’s Dream (5/4 fav), which had no answer to the winner’s charge, with Fallen Angel (6/1) a head further behind in third.

LAST TO FIRST! CRIMSON ADVOCATE WINS THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES! #ROYALASCOTpic.twitter.com/CsUjPX3JUP

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2025

“Coming into it, the questions were whether she would relax well enough and if she ran a stiff mile, but she ticked all those boxes. She relaxed and gave me a beautiful ride. She was fantastic,” McDonald said.

“She was bubbling underneath me the whole way and, the further the race went, the more she actually gave me.

“When William (Buick) committed a furlong and a half from home, she was still on the bridle. She accelerated so quickly. She obviously has speed over five furlongs and, now she is stretching out over a mile, it bodes well for the future.

“It is really special to be here. Royal Ascot is the most amazing carnival.

“Any opportunity to come to Royal Ascot, you take it with both hands, and it’s just a special place to be part of.”

James McDonald poses with Crimson Advocate after winning the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday. Photo: John Walton / Getty Images

The win was Crimson Advocate’s second Royal Ascot success after she was successful in the Queen Mary Stakes in 2023, when trained by George Weaver in the USA.

On Tuesday, Mark Zahra provided Australasia with the first win of the 2025 Royal Ascot carnival when successful in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes while the equine representative, Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora finished close up behind the placings in the King Charles III Stakes.

McDonald’s other major Royal Ascot success came in 2022 when he rode Nature Strip to victory in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, now known as the King Charles III Stakes.

Originally published as James McDonald wins for legendary trainer at Royal Ascot