Royal Ascot
In two frustrating and financially damaging racing seasons for Ascot, there has at least been a glimmer of light gleaned from its decision in 2019 to become involved with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and the UK Tote in launching the World Pool. In that debut year, £92 million was bet into the World Pool on racing at Royal Ascot. Amid an unthinkably torrid 2020 season, in which the Royal meeting was staged behind closed doors, that figure rose to £137 million. It improved again this year: four of...
Group 2 winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) is a likely supplement for the Aug. 8 G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh according to trainer Richard Fahey. Third at first asking at Newcastle near the end of May, the bay graduated at Hamilton on June 9 and clawed out a narrow win in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal ascot on June 17. However, the Phoenix is not the only race being looked at by his connections, with the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. also under consideration...
Connections of Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) have lost their appeal to have the colt's disqualification from victory in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup overturned. Dragon Symbol and the American-trained filly Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) fought out a thrilling stretch duel in the six furlong contest, with Dragon Symbol crossing the wire a head the better, but the placings were reversed on account of Dragon Symbol bumping Campanelle on numerous occasions during the run and taking her off her line. Stewards on the day deemed the interference was enough...
Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}), winner of the Wokingham S. at Royal Ascot June 19, will be supplemented to the July 10 G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket. The 3-year-old was precluded from running in the G1 Commonwealth Cup during the Royal meeting since the event precludes geldings from competing. In the Wokingham, the Irish-bred closed from last to defeat 20 rivals. "He was unbelievable in the Wokingham with top-weight [9st 8lb], said trainer David Evans. "Rohaan is fine, he's very well. The plan is to supplement for the July Cup,...
Guy Henderson will retire from his position as chief executive officer of Ascot after next year's Royal meeting, which will be his eighth in that position. Henderson said, "We make this announcement as the process to appoint the next CEO begins. Meanwhile, it remains business as usual as we deliver the remainder of the 2021 racing and events programme and build towards Royal Ascot 2022 in the Platinum Jubilee year. This will be a unique event at Ascot about which we are all very excited." Sir Francis Brooke, Her Majesty's...
Fresh off a win with his Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' filly Quick Suzy's win in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, Aron Wellman joined the TDN Writers' Room to talk on his perspective of globalizing his racing partnership and to share his outlook on the state of the industry.
Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has exited his fourth-place finish in last week's G1 King's Stand S. in good form and is on course to attempt a fifth straight win in Goodwood's G2 King George S. on July 30. The 7-year-old gelding was making his first run since last summer when folding in the late stages after attending a hot pace in the King's Stand. "He's come out of the race really well actually, he's been cantering away this week and we're really pleased with him," said trainer Charlie Hills....
On each day of Royal Ascot, there was at least one result truly to savour, if not more. Moreover, the meeting in its entirety felt at last like a return to some sort of normality. Even the British weather played its typically quirky part: boiling one day, rain of biblical proportions the next. One regrettable absence was the buzz of the crowd. The maximum number of 12,000 attendees per day is of course low by usual standards. With the late announcement that even this number would be permitted, not to...
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy secured his first leading rider title at Royal Ascot on Saturday, with John and Thady Gosden clinching the leading trainer title and Godolphin walking away as leading owner. Murphy, whose last of five victories on the week came aboard Foxes Tales (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the penultimate race of the meeting, the Golden Gates Handicap, said, "I wouldn't have expected it if you had asked me on Tuesday morning if I would be leading jockey this week--of course not. It normally belongs on Ryan [Moore] or...
Putting two agonising defeats in the 2019 and 2020 renewals of Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. behind him on Saturday, Saeed Suhail's Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) was in front before the line this time to issue a 82nd Royal winner to Sir Michael Stoute. Last year's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G2 Hungerford S. winner was able to take his time among the group racing up the centre and when delivered by Ryan Moore wore down Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) inside the final 150 yards for...
There was one certainty in Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. and that was that Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) would love the underfoot conditions and despite trainer David Menuisier's misgivings about her readiness, Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine was able to register an impressive win on her comeback. Keen initially for William Buick before being granted a lead, the 5-1 shot moved three-wide on the home bend and had plenty in reserve to seize the advantage two out en...
The betting suggested that there would be a Godolphin one-two in Saturday's G3 Jersey S. and that projection was right with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and James Doyle upstaging Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and William Buick to win the battle of the 5-1 joint-favourites. Always travelling strongly restrained towards the rear of the group racing up the middle, the chestnut who captured the Listed Carnarvon S. over six furlongs at Newbury May 15 moved through to take control of that pack with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Drifting left...