Royal Ascot

Arguably the week's most momentous race, Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. is as tight as it gets between a trio of hardcore middle-distance soldiers from all the right establishments. From Moulton Paddocks' 2021 Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to Freemason Lodge's Champion S. winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) to Ballydoyle's Irish Champion hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), this renewal could come down to small margins and tactical decisions, much as it did last year. Not yet a Group 1 winner, but so obviously an imminent one,...

Godolphin homebred Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who won the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, has been withdrawn from Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot due to a cough, trainer Saeed bin Suroor announced. Successful in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. and third in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at two, the daughter of Modern Ideals (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) has won all three of her 3-year-old starts. The 'TDN Rising Star' appeared twice at Meydan in conditions races and won the Jumeirah Fillies...

In the battle of the 2000 Guineas winners in Tuesday's G1 St James's Palace S., it was the Irish Classic victor Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}--Modern Eagle {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}) who proved much the best as he overwhelmed the Newmarket hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to make Aidan O'Brien Royal Ascot's winningmost trainer on 83. Settled behind the leaders from his wide draw by Ryan Moore as Frankie took the Juddmonte representative to the front, the 11-5 second favourite moved to his chief rival with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and...

Royal Ascot began with a one-two for Frankel (GB), but it was the 33-1 shot Triple Time (Ire) and not the higher-profile Inspiral (GB) who came out on top after a thrilling finale to Tuesday's opening G1 Queen Anne S. Remarkably, both were having their seasonal debuts but were able to shake off any rustiness to ensure that Juddmonte's giant dominated proceedings in this qualifier for the $2-million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. Denied a run in the G1 Lockinge S. due to a bout...

Live coverage of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting will be exclusively streamed on Peacock, NBC Sports announced. Their Royal Ascot coverage begins at 8:30 a.m. daily from Tuesday, June 20, through Friday, June 23 on Peacock. On Saturday, June 24, both NBC and Peacock will cover the day's card beginning at 9 a.m., and at 1 p.m., Peacock will continue to broadcast the Royal meeting. Coverage airing on NBC will also stream live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. NBC Sports' Royal Ascot veterans Britney Eurton and Nick Luck...

Frankie. Storms. A New King. It's Royal Ascot again, and all the themes and strands of the week will begin to unravel as soon as Charles III has made his way up the straight mile in his first procession as the ruling monarch. Maybe the forecast thunder will get there first, who knows? It's been a while since the meeting enjoyed the promise of clear skies over the five days and it's no safe bet we'll get that luxury this time. Once the opening Queen Anne is underway, the Italian...

English-born trainer Tom Morley will be represented by his first runner at Royal Ascot on Wednesday when Cynane (Omaha Beach) lines up for the G2 Queen Mary Stakes. A winner on debut at Belmont Park in May, the filly will be ridden  by Javier Castellano. Castellano, who is currently enjoying a fantastic season having won the Kentucky Derby on Mage (Good Magic) and Belmont Stakes on Arcangelo (Arrogate). Morley, the nephew of Gold Cup-winning trainer David Morley has been training in America for ten years. He previously worked in Newmarket...

It never ceases to amaze how much debate the two-year-old races at Royal Ascot generate each year. A quick scan on racing Twitter over the past few days confirmed as much.  For all the fascinating puzzles that the royal meeting will serve up this week, including whether Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) can cope with Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the St James's Palace, what will reign supreme in the Prince Of Wales's or if any of the Australian sprinters can land a blow in the King's Stand S., it's the...

Typically, the names Sangster, Manton, Tattersalls, and British-bred runner at Windsor don't scream `American connections,' but in the case of Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), peel back the onion a bit and you'll find more than a few stars and stripes among the connections. Inquisitively, a barely-beaten second at Windsor in his May 29 debut, is entered in Wednesday's Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, and will carry his owners' hopes as well as a bit of history on his back. Inquisitively sold for 40,000gns euros at the 2022 Tattersalls October...

A 50% share in Royal Ascot G3 Jersey S. probable Thunderbear (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), most recently fourth in the G3 Goffs Lacken S. at Nass on May 21, was sold for £75,000 through ThoroughBid on Thursday. City Bloodstock was the high bidder and County Meath-based trainer Jack Davison retained his 50% share in the 3-year-old gelding, "I think it's a fair price and, at that money, it's makes a lot of sense for the new partner too," Davison said. "They've now got a significant share in a good, progressive...

At first there are tears and then the words come tumbling out.  "We got a bit of bad news before the Curragh," Con Marnane explains. "Theresa's cancer is back again. That's why the whole thing was so emotional." Theresa is Con's wife and it is her yellow and black silks, made famous by Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) winning the Albany, that were carried to that stirring victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. by Givemethebeatboys (Ire) at Irish racing's HQ. He is one of two Royal Ascot-bound Bungle Inthejungle...

NEWMARKET, UK-- They've arrived. The young, the fast, the young and fast. From America, Australia, and Sweden, members of the international contingent for this year's Royal Ascot are now safely ensconced in temporary lodgings, their presence in the UK adding an extra sparkle to what is always one of the most special weeks of the sporting year.  Cannonball (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}) and Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) have separate sprint engagements, in the G1 King's Stand S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. respectively, and with no fear of...