George Ryder Stakes 2025 Betting Tips - Does Ceolwulf make a statement?

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: 19 Mar 2025

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Alex Marsh 19 Mar 2025

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Fangirl is the current favourite for the 2025 George Ryder Stakes
Ceolwulf is predicted as the best bet after strong Group 1 finishes
Buckaroo and Port Lockroy are noted for consistency and potential value

Ceolwulf winning the 2024 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick. (Getty)

The George Ryder Stakes is contested over 1500m and it features as the third Group 1 race run on Golden Slipper Day.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Tips
2025 George Ryder Stakes Field & Odds

After Winx won four consecutive runnings of the George Ryder Stakes, Dreamforce (2020), Think It Over (2021), Forbidden Love (2022), Anamoe (2023) and Veight (2024) have taken out the last five editions of this WFA feature.

At $3 with Picklebet, Fangirl is favourite to win the 2025 George Ryder Stakes.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Tips

2025 George Ryder Stakes Best Bet - Ceolwulf

He rounded out his spring with two Group 1 wins and Pride Of Jenni, Tom Kitten, Fangirl and Royal Patronage were among the beaten brigade in those events.

With a lack of first-up form to his name, his Apollo Stakes resumption was more than a pass mark and Ceolwulf was then scratched from the Verry Elleegant Stakes.

As a result of missing that 1600m Group 1, the Joe Pride-trained galloper then dropped in distance to contest the Canterbury Stakes, which was an even effort.

Now suited back up in and with a run completed following a little setback, Ceolwulf could make his autumn statement in the George Ryder Stakes.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Next Best Bet - Buckaroo

Buckaroo has been consistent since being gelded, with back-to-back wins before a narrow fourth-up defeat behind Via Sistina and he then contested the Cups.

He was unlucky in the Caulfield Cup and while Buckaroo had some excuses in the Melbourne Cup, he also didn't stay 3200m and he was spelled after that tilt.

WFA races around 1600m-2000m should be the aim and with this likely to be short autumn campaign, don't be surprised if he's ready to roll fresh at 1500m.

Both trials leading into this fresh assignment have been terrific, with the six-year-old catching the late in both heats and he's a forgotten runner in the early market.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Value Bet - Port Lockroy

This Neasham & Archibald-trained entire needs to take the next step to Group 1 WFA level, however, there's still upside with the talented four-year-old.

Not much went his way as a late three-year-old, which included a huge fresh effort when just missing in a Canberra Guineas and he covered ground in that event.

Port Lockroy could've easily of had a win or two over spring before heading west, where he recorded a much-deserved victory in the Group 1 Railway Stakes.

He's got a big motor and Port Lockroy arguably should've won his last two first-up attempts, while he's around his pet distance for this fresh outing.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Field & Odds

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Odds
1	Ceolwulf (NZ)	Joseph Pride	Chad Schofield	2	59kg	$5
2	Tom Kitten	James Cummings	Ben Melham	11	59kg	$8
3	Royal Patronage (FR)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	3	59kg	$4.50
4	Buckaroo (GB)	Chris Waller	Damian Lane	1	59kg	$23
5	Gringotts (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	Tommy Berry	4	59kg	$9
6	Militarize (NZ)	Chris Waller	Zac Lloyd	10	59kg	$51
7	Celestial Legend	Les Bridge	Hugh Bowman	6	59kg	$51
8	Kovalica (NZ)	Chris Waller	Nash Rawiller	8	59kg	$71
9	Port lockroy	Annabel Neashem & Rob Archibald	Mark Zahra	7	59kg	$61
10	Fangirl	Chris Waller	James McDonald	9	57kg	$3
11	Stefi Magnetica	Bjorn Baker	Jason Collett	5	57kg	$9