Royal Ascot

Burying the unhappiness of his loss on Stradivarius at what turned out to be a controversial Royal Ascot 12 months ago, Frankie Dettori sealed immortality at the track that has done so much to elevate him with a heartstopping G1 Gold Cup victory on Wathnan Racing's Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid). Capping a day of days in the history of the distinguished meeting, what amounted to a brilliant piece of placing by the Gosdens saw the untried and raw 4-year-old defy all this great...

It took its time coming this year, but the expected Royal Ascot winner for the great Galileo (Ire) aptly arrived courtesy of Ballydoyle as Warm Heart (Ire) captured Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. for the late legend. Stepping up to a mile-and-a-half trip that was always going to see her excel following her hard-fought win in the 10-furlong Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. at Newbury last month, the 13-2 shot was in the right spot early with Ryan Moore's unerring radar to her advantage. As the initial strong pace...

All the talk before Thursday's G2 Norfolk S. centred around American Rascal (Curlin) and Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), but it was the 150-1 shot Valiant Force (Malibu Moon--Vigui's Heart, by Quality Road) who held sway to provide Amo Racing with a breakthrough first Royal Ascot winner. Runner-up to His Majesty (Ire) (No Nay Never) on debut in the Listed First Flier S., the Adrian Murray-trained $100,000 Keeneland September yearling was discounted by the betting public due to his latest fifth despite having excuses in the G3 Marble Hill...

Hard to believe that Colin Keane was 0-50 at Ascot before booting Villanova Queen (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) home to record an emotional victory for Jessica Harrington in the Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap. Anyone with even a passing interest in Irish racing will know that Keane is right up there with the best riders in Europe and his royal winner was long overdue.  Of course, it came in rather fortuitous circumstances, with Keane deputising for Harrington's number one rider Shane Foley, who was cruelly ruled out for six weeks after breaking...

Choosing the big stage to provide Darley's first-crop sire Blue Point (Ire) with his first black-type winner, RP Racing's Big Evs (Ire) stormed to an emphatic success in Royal Ascot's Listed Windsor Castle S. which closed Wednesday's card. Alert from the stalls under Jason Hart, the Michael Appleby-trained 20-1 shot who had been second to the re-opposing Hala Emaraaty (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) at Redcar last month was soon in the clear racing towards the stand's side. Powering to the line, the 50,000gns Book 2 purchase issued a three-length beating to...

If there is a trend for the G1 Gold Cup that can't be ignored, it's the potency of 4-year-olds in recent times and Thursday's renewal features a trio who all carry much intrigue into the contest. In a race void of the benchmark horse Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and 2022's emerging force Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the most open Gold Cup in years is once again there for the young fledgling stayers. Since 2012, there have been nine individual winners and all bar Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of...

It had to come and, despite the drama of the opening day, Frankie's winner at his last Royal Ascot was on the board towards the end of day two as Wathnan Racing's unbeaten Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}--Gretchen {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) made virtually all in the G2 Queen's Vase. Bought by his new owners from the breeder Normandie Stud after his win in the Listed Cocked Hat S. at Goodwood last month, the heavily-supported even-money favourite had to battle to see off Saint George (GB) (Roaring Lion) but was...

Paying tribute to his G1 Dubai Sheema Classic conqueror Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Handassa {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) blitzed his better-fancied rivals to register a clear personal-best in Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in California in November. Anchored in last early by Jim Crowley, the 10-1 shot who had been freshened up since his fourth in that Meydan feature swung wide of the warring Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) entering the straight....

Paying back her supplementary to Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. in spades, The Rogues Gallery's Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hawaafez {GB}, by Nayef) was steered to a surprise 10-1 success for the Tom Clover stable by one of the meeting's recent success stories Danny Tudhope. Dropped to a mile after chasing home Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Middleton Fillies' S. over an extended 10-furlong trip at York last month, last year's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner raced off the pace early and was delivered with perfect...

After an agonising pause following Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary S., it was a case of USA off the mark at Royal Ascot 2023 with Crimson Advocate (Nyquist--Citizen Advocate, by Proud Citizen) nosing out Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in a head-bobbing finish. Using the speed that had seen her book her transatlantic ticket in Gulfstream Park's Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies S. last month, the George Weaver-trained chestnut kept finding for Johnny Velazquez as the Haggas filly bore down on her with the line approaching. Relief Rally was in front a...

Day one done and dusted and it's hard to imagine that there will be a more impressive Group 1 winner than Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) at Royal Ascot this week.  The manner in which he swept aside the Guineas hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the St James's Palace S. was something to behold. So, too, has been the progression the colt has put in this season.  Paddington reappeared to win the prestigious Madrid Handicap at Naas off just 97 and shares something in common with fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained Group...

ASCOT, UK--Some of us get slower as we get older. Bradsell (GB) is getting faster. So much so that, instead of treading the more obvious three-year-old sprinter route to the Commonwealth Cup, trainer Archie Watson talked the colt's owner Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa into supplementing him for the King's Stand S., and what an inspired move that turned out to be. It takes a good horse to win at Royal Ascot once, but a proper horse to return triumphant, dropped back in trip to the minimum and with...