So if day one of Royal Ascot 2018 was all about Frankie Dettori, then day two definitely belonged to Sir Michael Stoute. His two winners on Wednesday ensured he passed Sir Henry Cecil’s record as the most successful trainer of all time at the meeting. His fellow Newmarket trainer, who died in 2013, was a close friend and there was a poignant moment in the winner’s enclosure when he discussed Cecil’s qualities and talked about the fact that his rival had racked up his record back in the days when Royal Ascot was only a four-day meeting. Stoute is normally media shy, certainly on racedays when he does his level best to avoid interviews, but he has never looked more relaxed than this afternoon at the track. Ebullient is normally not an adjective one would attach to Stoute but he was positively beaming, and his delight was doubled when Expert Eye romped home in the last race, the Jersey Stakes. That victory, with a horse of undoubted ability but one who appeared to have lost his way when down the field in the 2,000 Guineas, would have given him enormous pleasure. He is a masterfully patient trainer and there has been no better handler of older horses in this generation.
Join us tomorrow for the big betting race of the meeting, the Gold Cup. Here you can watch Henry Cecil’s Le Moss, one of the great trainer’s 75 Royal Ascot winners, victorious in 1980 just to get you in the mood.
Updated
Jersey Stakes (5.35) result
1 Expert Eye (J McDonald) 8-1
2 Society Power (J Spencer) 8-1
3 Could It Be Love (R Moore) 11-2
Jersey Stakes (5.35)
And they’re off ... James Garfield out slow and Lake Volta out fast with Could It Be Love, who leads ... Emaraaty is in fifth ... Headway making headway ... Could It Be Love drifts to the rail and finally Expert Eye comes good and sweeps through to win. Another victory for Sir Michael Stoute.
Updated
Jersey Stakes (5.35) betting
- 9-2 Could It Be Love
- 5-1 Emaraaty
- 15-2 Society Power
- 10-1 Headway
- Full betting here
Updated
Jersey Stakes (5.35) preview
Here is another prize waiting to be picked up by the Gosden / Dettori combination, represented by Purser. He idled in front when landing a Listed contest under Rab Havlin last time and ought to be well suited by this stiff seven furlongs.
Billy Lee, the rider of the winner of the Royal Hunt Cup, was involved as a youngster in the famous Castletown Donkey Derby of 1994. The resulting YouTube video became an internet sensation. You can read the background the the race here. And this is a recording - you will not regret pressing play.
Royal Hunt Cup (5.00) result
1 Settle For Bay (W J Lee) 16-1
2 Afaak (Jim Crowley) 10-1
3 Circus Couture (J F Egan) 100-1
4 What’s The Story (Fran Berry) 33-1
Updated
Royal Hunt Cup (5.00)
And they’re off ... Love Dreams and Mountain Rescue are prominent early with Arcanada in the lead down the centre ... Goring is also among the leaders ... Cape Byron makes a bid ... Settle For Bay storms through to win easily ...
Updated
Royal Hunt Cup (5.00) betting
- 11-1 Saltonstall
- 11-1 Seniority
- 14-1 Afaak
- 14-1 Escobar
- 16-1 Cape Byron
- 16-1 Firmament
- 16-1 Keyser Soze
- 16-1 Raising Sand
- 16-1 Settle For Bay
- Full betting here
Royal Hunt Cup (5.00) preview
The thing to worry about here is the draw. It hardly ever pays to be adamant about these things but yesterday’s Coventry Stakes and last month’s Victoria Cup suggested that those drawn low, towards the far side, have an advantage over the rest, though of course that advantaged can be wiped out, depending on where most jockeys decide to go when the stalls open. My fancy, at least, has a low draw in three. Mick Halford won this race two years ago with a Godolphin-owned four-year-old, carrying a penalty for a recent success at The Curragh, and could turn the trick again with Saltonstall. He was a pleasing winner of a competitive handicap last month on the driest surface he had yet encountered and a 5lb penalty leaves him leniently treated.
Updated
Cracksman suffers shock defeat to Poet's Word
Sir Michael Stoute became the winning-most trainer in Royal Ascot history when Poet’s Word claimed victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
The Newmarket great is now out on his own with 76 triumphs at the Royal fixture – one ahead of the late Sir Henry Cecil – after the 11-2 chance defeated hot favourite Cracksman by two and a quarter lengths.
Stoute said: “It’s a relief because we were stuck on it [75 winners] last year. It [Royal Ascot] is special to every trainer. We’ve been very lucky to have a lot of nice horses over the years.”
Cracksman never showed his best form throughout the Group One over a mile and a quarter, whereas Poet’s Word was bright and alert under James Doyle and won handsomely.
Stoute added: “Maybe Cracksman isn’t at his best now, but we beat the others comprehensively. He’s a very consistent, brave horse.” Doyle said: “I was travelling all over him [Cracksman], it was just a case of hanging on.”
John Gosden, the trainer of Cracksman, said: “I make no excuses whatsoever. The other horse on the day had him covered from two out. To my mind he is just playing around a bit. He did it at Epsom, but he didn’t do it first time out at Longchamp. At no stage was he travelling or carrying Frankie [Dettori].” PA
Updated
Stoute enters the record books
Record-breaker!
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 20, 2018
Sir Michael Stoute is the most successful trainer at Royal Ascot of all-time pic.twitter.com/6aT9fLKUgY
Aljazzi demolishes Duke of Cambridge field
Aljazzi went one better than 12 months ago when routing the opposition in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. A surprise second to Qemah last year, Marco Botti had plotted the first half of the season around a return to this Group Two contest.
Tribute Act was at the head of the chasing pack in second, with Epsom winner Wilamina a fine third. Hydrangea was a big disappointment and was one of the first beaten.
After many years of trying and several near-misses, it was a first winner at the meeting for Botti. He said: “We’ve been so close so many times, it’s just nice to have one (a Royal Ascot winner) on the board. William gave her a great ride and she showed a great turn of foot.” PA
Prince of Wales's (4.20) result
1 Poet’s Word (James Doyle) 11-2
2 Cracksman (L Dettori) 2-5 Fav
3 Hawkbill (W Buick) 11-1
Updated
Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20)
And they’re off ... Eminent away quickly with Poet’s Word and Hawkbill just behind ... Cracksman is in midfield but just being nudged along ... Eminent now leads from Royal Julius and Cracksman still being nudged along ... Eminent lads on the home turn ... Cracksman trying get there but Poet’s Word is challenging ... Poet’s Word wins and breaks a record for Sir Michael Stoute his trainer, who becomes the winningmost trainer in Royal Ascot history.
Updated
All you need to know about Cracksman ...
The mighty CRACKSMAN heads the 7 declared for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at #RoyalAscot on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/TFIewX2Unu
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) June 18, 2018
Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20) betting
- 4-9 Cracksman
- 11-2 Poets Word
- 12-1 Cliffs Of Moher
- 14-1 Hawkbill
- 22-1 Eminent
- 66-1 Desert Encounter
- 100-1 Royal Julius
Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20) preview
A top-class opening day for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori will have the Newmarket pair relaxed and happy as they approach the main business of this Royal Ascot, which, for them, is getting Cracksman to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. On an unbeaten run of five, the colt is a fabulous talent who stands out like a beacon in race that otherwise seems short of star wattage. Admittedly, he made his backers sweat at Epsom three weeks ago but in the end he managed to score from an unpromising position, which is arguably another reason to admire him. The one source of doubt here is the ground, which will be easily the fastest he has encountered since his winning streak began. If he takes time to let himself down on it, there is a risk that one of the others might have pinched a few vital lengths in the meantime. Poet’s Word, who trailed Cracksman by seven lengths in October, could not really be called progressive and surely can’t win unless the favourite runs miles below expectations. Hawkbill has it in him to be dangerous but ran no race last time, which could be why the blinkers are now fitted. He’s the one to worry about and I might try him in a reverse exacta with the favourite.
Now he’s got going ...
There's just no stopping Aidan O'Brien! 🏃♂️#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/xYgHLKWRUC
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) June 20, 2018
Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40) result
1 Aljazzi (W Buick) 9-2
2 Tribute Act (A Kirby) 10-1
3 Wilamina (L Dettori) 11-2
Updated
Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40)
And they’re off ... Billesdon Bess and Promising Run lead, with Hydrangea close behind ... Billesdon Bess leads at halfway with Hydrangea up to second place ... Wilemina and Tribute Act quicken up but Al Jazzi goes much the best and storms home to win in style ... A winner for jockey William Buick and trainer Marco Botti.
Updated
Kew Gardens in full bloom for O'Brien
Kew Gardens led home a one-two-three for Aidan O’Brien as he dominated the Queen’s Vase to gain a first winner of the week at Royal Ascot. Only ninth in the Derby when last seen, the 100-30 winner was the choice of Ryan Moore and ultimately ran out a decisive victor.
Kew Gardens is now as low as 10-1 for the St Leger, a race connections appear keen to go for. Michael Tabor, co-owner of the winner, said: “We’ve always thought he’s a nice horse, really made for this race. Obviously he needs a trip, so the St Leger, why not?”
O’Brien said: “We always thought he’d stay. He loves fast ground. He was a little bit disappointing in Epsom, but we’ve been very happy since then. He can do a lot of things. He can go back to the Irish Derby. He can have a little break and be trained for the Leger. He’s a lot of options. The Leger is a long way away, but in the autumn that would be a lovely race for him.” PA
Updated
Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40) betting
- 15-8 Hydrangea
- 5-1 Aljazzi
- 15-2 Urban Fox
- 8-1 Wilamina
- 12-1 Tomyris
- 12-1 Tribute Act
- 22-1 Arabian Hope
- Full betting here
Duke of Cambridge (3.40) preview
Hydrangea is all class and will be sharper for her reappearance defeat but she could still be vulnerable, giving 5lb to potential improvers over a trip that is probably short of her best. Urban Fox appeals at an each-way price, having shown career-best form on his first run for William Haggas, landing a handicap over this course and distance last month.
Updated
Fans of the sci-fi series Blake’s 7 may have noted Servalan running a respectable sixth in the Queen Mary, our opening race at Royal Ascot today. The filly is named after the main villain of the series. The colours of her owner, Vimal Khosla, have also been carried in recent years by Hyperdrive and Final Frontier, so I think we’re getting an idea of where his interests lie.
Queen's Vase (3.05) result
1 Kew Gardens (R L Moore) 10-3
2 Southern France (J A Heffernan) 9-2
3 Nelson (D O’Brien) 9-2
Updated
Queen's Vase (3.05)
And they’re off ...Nelson has the lead with a mile to go ... and now extends the lead to about five or six lengths ... Yabass is two or three lengths clear of the rest ... Nelson clear on the home turn ... Kew Gardens getting going and takes the lead ... and wins ... and no sooner have I said Aidan O’Brien is having a frustrating meeting he has the first three in the next race! Southern France is back in second and Nelson third.
Updated
Queen's Hat (2.00) result
1st Blue 2-1 fav
Signora Cabello gets the nod in Queen Mary
Signora Cabello narrowly prevailed in a blanket three-way finish to the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. A big-priced winner of a Listed race at York last time out, the powerful Phoenix Thoroughbred organisation bought a three-quarter share into the filly. Still in the care of John Quinn and ridden by Oisin Murphy, the daughter of Camacho was sent off at 25-1 on this occasion, and was never far from the pace.
Aidan O’Brien’s Gossamer Wings and the Clive Cox-trained Shades Of Blue were late challengers, but it was the northern raider who prevailed by a short head and the same. Wesley Ward’s favourite Chelsea Cloisters never threatened at any stage under Frankie Dettori.
Quinn said: “All she did, really, was improve. She was well on top at the line (at York) and since then she’s trained lovely. She’s very unassuming. She’s terribly, terribly tough. I’m really pleased.” PA
Updated
Queen Vase (3.05) betting
- 7-2 Kew Gardens
- 4-1 Nelson
- 4-1 Stream of Stars
- 11-2 Southern France
- 14-1 Lynwood Gold
- 18-1 Almoghared
- 25-1 Kings Proctor
- 33-1 Drapers Guild
- Full betting here
Updated
Queen's Vase (3.05) preview
Much as I admire Aidan O’Brien, his Kew Gardens can’t be the right favourite for this, having been beaten at odds-on at Lingfield, followed by a well-beaten effort in the Derby, when he paid for helping to force a strong pace. Can that be the right preparation for this test, just 18 days later? Almoghared, a half-brother to Taghrooda, might be the best of these in time but his stablemate, Stream Of Stars, looks more of a ‘now’ horse and can make the necessary step up on his maiden win around here last month.
The draw looked very fair there in the Queen Mary Stakes so there may not be any marked bias towards either side. That is interesting for the Royal Hunt Cup (5.00) later in which it may not pay to go for high or low draws in particular.
Queen Mary Stakes (2.30) result
1 Signora Cabello (Oisin Murphy) 25-1
2 Gossamer Wings (D O’Brien) 25-1
3 Shades Of Blue (A Kirby) 5-1
Updated
Queen Mary Stakes (2.30)
And they’re off ... Haats Off slowly away ... Country Rose fast out and leads ... Chelsea Cloisters ridden along ... Shades Of Blue made late progress into third on the line with Gossamer Wings and Signora Cabello fighting out the finish ... photo finish! photo finish! ... Signora Cabello is confirmed the winner for trainer John Quinn and jockey Oisin Murphy. Still no winner for Aidan O’Brien, who is having a frustrating meeting so far, and was second with Gossamer Wings there.
Updated
What's being backed?
Just a quarter of an hour to go until the first race of day two at Royal Ascot, and the betting markets are beginning to bubble.
Frankie Dettori’s mount Chelsea Cloisters remains a solid favourite for the opening Queen Mary Stakes at around 7-2, but his partner, Stream Of Stars, in the next, the Queen’s Vase, is quite weak in the market so far today and is out to 9-2 in the face of support for two Aidan O’Brien-trained runners, Kew Gardens and Nelson, who is in to 7-2 joint-favourite with his stable companion from 9-2 this morning.
Hydrangea, the O’Brien-trained favourite for the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at 3.40, is also weak in the betting and is out to 2-1 in a place while William Haggas’s Urban Fox is in to 7-1 from 10-1 thanks to each-way support.
In the big betting race of the day, the Royal Hunt Cup at 5.00, Saltonstall has been backed into 9-1 from 12-1 with Hills to give Mick Halford his second success in the race in three years with a runner in Godolphin blue.
Queen Mary Stakes (2.30) betting
- 7-2 Chelsea Cloisters
- 9-2 Shades Of Blue
- 8-1 Servalan
- 9-1 So Perfect
- 12-1 Kurious
- 16-1 Come On Leicester
- 16-1 Forever in Dreams
- 20-1 Second Generation
- Full betting here
Queen Mary Stakes (2.30) preview
Supporting Chelsea Cloisters here is a statement of faith in her trainer, Wesley Ward, rather than in the filly herself but faith in Ward would be entirely justified. He has had at least one winner at Royal Ascot in each of the last five years and this has been the most productive race for him, yielding three wins since 2009. Chelsea Cloisters appears to be the pick of his party and gets the sort of fast ground that gives zippy US raiders a big chance. Odds of 9-4 clearly cannot be described as generous in a big field of unexposed types but they are better than I expected just the same.
Given the amount of betting on HM Queen's attire at Royal Ascot, I reckon she should turn up in this tomorrow just to mess with everyone's heads. pic.twitter.com/6C44uNvNyt
— Simon Rowlands (@RowleyfileRRR) June 20, 2018
The Duke of Cambridge Stakes is run today today, but no Duke of Cambridge in the royal procession. The Duchess of Cambridge is on maternity leave. He had an official engagement in Liverpool yesterday but not in attendance today.
Updated
2.00 Royal Procession Stakes
1st Carriage
THE QUEEN
Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy
The Hon. Harry Herbert
Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt
2nd Carriage
The Prince of Wales
The Duchess of Cornwall
Mr. Peter Phillips
Mrs. Peter Phillips
3rd Carriage
The Lord Vestey
The Lady Vestey
The Lord de Mauley
The Lady de Mauley
4th Carriage
Mr. Michael Magnier
Mrs. Michael Magnier
The Lady Susan Hussey
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Richards
Updated
For those who read my note yesterday about the horrors of going to big race meetings, including this one, by train you won’t be surprised to hear there were awful problems for Royal Ascot racegoers getting home on the choo-choo last night. Here is the full story courtesy of Andrew Scutts at the Racing Post.
Updated
2.00 Queen's Hat Stakes
I’ve got my form experts working on the first betting heat of the day and they tell me that up until about an hour ago, pink was the hot favourite at 3-1.
However, smartbets.com report that the bookmakers have generally cut the odds on Her Majesty wearing a blue hat from 4-1 to 2-1. So what are the vital facts. Well, since 2005, the Queen has worn blue 13 times, followed by pink which has had 12 outings, white has been worn 11 times, green and purple seven times each, yellow worn five times in recent years, including yesterday, orange twice, and turquoise and brown once each.
Here’s today’s betting: 2-1 Blue, 3-1 Pink, 5-1 White, 8-1 Green, 16-1 Orange, 20-1 Brown, 25-1 Red, 100-1 George Cross.
Our own snapper, Tom Jenkins, has got the pic of live betting on the Queen’s Hat Stakes from the track.
Updated
Trainers' leaderboard
John Gosden 3 wins
Willie Mullins 1
Charlie Appleby 1
Eve Johnson Houghton 1
Thank God for Eve J H, for breaking her way into this gathering of Racing’s Most Powerful. The only really big name missing would be that of Aidan O’Brien, who had 12 runners yesterday and had just a second and a third to show for it. Rhododendron running unplaced must have been a sore one and evidently more was expected of U S Navy Flag, though he hasn’t seemed the same horse this year as last. Still, none of O’Brien’s Day One losers started favourite and it would probably be a mistake to read much into their defeats. He was also blanked on the first day last year but ended the week with six winners. Today’s nine runners include two likely favourites in Kew Gardens and Hydrangea. Gosden, meanwhile, could be on his way to his best ever Royal Ascot. Five winners is his current best, achieved in 2012.
Jockeys' leaderboard
Frankie Dettori 3 wins
Andrea Atzeni 1
Charles Bishop 1
William Buick 1
And let’s not forget that Dettori only had three mounts on Day One. His first ride today is a favourite and his second ride is fancied, so it’s pretty easy to imagine him starting this Royal Ascot on a streak of five consecutive winners. But do you worry about his 47-year-old frame holding up under the strain of it all? Yesterday, he had a race off between each ride. Today, he’s in all six races and perhaps we won’t be getting the very best of him in the 5.35pm contest. Meanwhile, young Ryan Moore has yet to break his duck. Mind you, that was also true at the same stage last year and he ended the week as top jockey.
Rides today:
2.30 Dettori: Chelsea Cloisters 5-2 / Moore: So Perfect 7-1
3.05 Dettori: Stream Of Stars 4-1 / Moore: Kew Gardens 100-30
3.40 Dettori: Wilamina 8-1 / Moore: Hydrangea 15-8
4.20 Dettori: Cracksman 4-6 / Moore: Cliffs Of Moher 12-1
5.00 Dettori: Gabrial 25-1 / Moore: Master Merion 20-1
5.35 Dettori: Purser 16-1 / Moore: Could It Be Love 11-2
Updated
Further to speculation earlier that Frankie Dettori might set a new Royal Ascot record by winning on four consecutive rides at the meeting if Chelsea Cloisters wins the first, the press room’s resident Fred Archer expert, Dave Yates of the Daily Mirror, has revealed that the great jockey once steered six mounts in a row to victory here back in the 19th century (as pointed out earlier). At the best odds currently available, Dettori is about 200-1 to match Archer’s remarkable record by winning the first three races here today, and about 320-1 to go one better.
Chris Stickels, the clerk of the course, was asked about Gosden’s comment in an interview with Rishi Persad on ITV’s Opening Show programme this morning and played it with a very straight bat.
“I think it’s too early to tell and there haven’t been enough races for me to gauge that opinion,” Stickels said. “There doesn’t feel any [difference] as you walk it and the TurfTrax GoingStick doesn’t give any significant bias, so for me, I think, I won’t jump to conclusions yet, I’ll wait and see how it pans out.”
Stickels also reported that 4mm of watering on the course overnight in order to maintain the going at good-to-firm.
“There was some evaporation yesterday, about 3mm, and obviously it was drying out through the afternoon. We hadn’t watered before that since early Sunday morning, so with a dry forecast we felt we needed to keep some moisture in the ground to keep it good-to-firm.
“We watered with 4mm and we’ve now got a misty morning with a bit of dew on the track. It will feel like there is more moisture in the ground but this will burn off and it will be good-to-firm later.”
Updated
Chris Cook's race-by-race guide
2.30 Queen Mary Stakes Supporting Chelsea Cloisters here is a statement of faith in her trainer, Wesley Ward, rather than in the filly herself but faith in Ward would be entirely justified. He has had at least one winner at Royal Ascot in each of the last five years and this has been the most productive race for him, yielding three wins since 2009. Chelsea Cloisters appears to be the pick of his party and gets the sort of fast ground that gives zippy US raiders a big chance. Odds of 9-4 clearly cannot be described as generous in a big field of unexposed types but they are better than I expected just the same.
3.05 Queen’s Vase Much as I admire Aidan O’Brien, his Kew Gardens can’t be the right favourite for this, having been beaten at odds-on at Lingfield, followed by a well-beaten effort in the Derby, when he paid for helping to force a strong pace. Can that be the right preparation for this test, just 18 days later? Almoghared, a half-brother to Taghrooda, might be the best of these in time but his stablemate, Stream Of Stars, looks more of a ‘now’ horse and can make the necessary step up on his maiden win around here last month.
3.40 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Hydrangea is all class and will be sharper for her reappearance defeat but she could still be vulnerable, giving 5lb to potential improvers over a trip that is probably short of her best. Urban Fox appeals at an each-way price, having shown career-best form on his first run for William Haggas, landing a handicap over this course and distance last month.
4.20 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes A top-class opening day for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori will have the Newmarket pair relaxed and happy as they approach the main business of this Royal Ascot, which, for them, is getting Cracksman to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. On an unbeaten run of five, the colt is a fabulous talent who stands out like a beacon in race that otherwise seems short of star wattage. Admittedly, he made his backers sweat at Epsom three weeks ago but in the end he managed to score from an unpromising position, which is arguably another reason to admire him. The one source of doubt here is the ground, which will be easily the fastest he has encountered since his winning streak began. If he takes time to let himself down on it, there is a risk that one of the others might have pinched a few vital lengths in the meantime. Poet’s Word, who trailed Cracksman by seven lengths in October, could not really be called progressive and surely can’t win unless the favourite runs miles below expectations. Hawkbill has it in him to be dangerous but ran no race last time, which could be why the blinkers are now fitted. He’s the one to worry about and I might try him in a reverse exacta with the favourite.
5.00 Royal Hunt Handicap The thing to worry about here is the draw. It hardly ever pays to be adamant about these things but yesterday’s Coventry Stakes and last month’s Victoria Cup suggested that those drawn low, towards the far side, have an advantage over the rest, though of course that advantaged can be wiped out, depending on where most jockeys decide to go when the stalls open. My fancy, at least, has a low draw in three. Mick Halford won this race two years ago with a Godolphin-owned four-year-old, carrying a penalty for a recent success at The Curragh, and could turn the trick again with Saltonstall. He was a pleasing winner of a competitive handicap last month on the driest surface he had yet encountered and a 5lb penalty leaves him leniently treated.
5.35 Jersey Stakes Here is another prize waiting to be picked up by the Gosden / Dettori combination, represented by Purser. He idled in front when landing a Listed contest under Rab Havlin last time and ought to be well suited by this stiff seven furlongs.
Updated
Chris Cook’s Wednesday tips
2.30 Queen Mary Stakes Chelsea Cloisters 5-2
3.05 Queen’s Vase Stakes Stream Of Stars 4-1
3.40 Duke of Cambridge Stakes Urban Fox (nb) 10-1
4.20 Prince of Wales’s Stakes Cracksman 4-6
5.00 Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap) Saltonstall (nap) 12-1
5.35 Sandringham Handicap Purser 16-1
Given what happened yesterday, I’m feeling pretty good about the fact that Frankie Dettori is on four of my tips today. For those of you who missed it, Dettori managed to win on ALL THREE of his rides on day one, which is a heck of an achievement, even allowing for the fact that two of them were favourite. After all, there were four other favourites on yesterday’s card, ridden by jockeys other than Dettori, and none of them won. Anyway, I had a somewhat less rewarding Day One than our man from Italy, so it would be really terrific if he were able to do the business on Chelsea Cloisters, Stream Of Stars, Cracksman and Purser.
Updated
The going at Ascot remains good to firm on Wednesday morning. They put down 4mm of artificial watering after racing on Tuesday, to counter the effects of evapotransporation during the day. GoingStick readings are almost identical to Tuesday morning, though the effect of the watering seems to have been marginally greater on the centre of the straight mile than on either side. What it all boils down to is that, as yesterday, fast horses have ideal conditions while ploddy grinders are right up against it. In the round-course races, it will be hard to make up many positions after the turn for home, unless the early pace has been mad.
Ladbrokes Royal Ascot tipping competition
Congratulations to titusisashambles, who won Tuesday’s competition on a final score of +15.25, thanks to Lagostovegas (10-1), Blue Point (6-1) and Without Parole (9-4), leaving him well clear of anyone else who took part. No one found Accidental Agent (33-1), needless to say. Titus, we’ll be in touch by email at the weekend.
You could win a £50 bet from Ladbrokes by proving your tipping prowess on today’s races. All you have to do is give us your selections for all of today’s races at Ascot. As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price. Non-runners count as losers.
Please post all your tips in a single posting, using the comment facility below, before the first race at 2.30pm. There are six races at Ascot today and you must post a single selection for each race.
Our usual terms and conditions, which you can read here will apply, except that this will be a strictly one-day thing. If we get a tie after all the races have been run, the winner will be the one who posted their tips earliest out of those with the highest score.
If you don’t win today, don’t despair. We are running an identical competition on each day of the Royal meeting, up to Friday.
Post your tips or racing-related comments below.
Actual impromptu research is taking place in the Ascot press room, which is possibly a first. Newsboy of the Daily Mirror has dug up clippings of the Evening Standard to show that Fred Archer rode six consecutive winners at Royal Ascot in 1878. I don’t doubt that most Guardian readers were already aware of this. Perhaps some of you had them in doubles and trebles. Anyway, what this means is that Frankie is not setting any records today unless he can ride the first four winners...
Updated
Preamble
Frankie Dettori had the effervescence knob turned up to 11 at Royal Ascot on Tuesday and he will be aiming to keep it there this afternoon when he has two certain favourites, a strong second-favourite and a live each-way chance among his full book of six rides. By this evening, he could have the prize for the week’s top jockey effectively wrapped up with three days to spare, but this being Ascot, this could also be the day when his streak peters out.
If Chelsea Cloisters takes the opening Norfolk Stakes for Wesley Ward, Dettori will have scored on four consecutive rides at the Royal meeting since he did not have a mount in either the King’s Stand Stakes or the Ascot Stakes here on Tuesday. James Doyle managed three in a row back in 2013 – which were also his first three winners at the meeting – and it will require some digging in Ascot’s archives to be absolutely certain that four straight winners would be unprecedented. Since three or four winners over the whole meeting was often enough to win the riders’ championship in the past, however, my money would say that it would.
Dettori also has a big chance aboard John Gosden’s Stream Of Stars in the Queen’s Vase and a fair squeak on Wilamina in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes before attention turns to Cracksman’s attempt to win the day’s feature race, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Cracksman will be the shortest-priced favourite of the week but it could be argued – by me, at any rate - that he has a few questions to answer after his run in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time. He did not look like the winner there at any stage bar the final half-furlong, and while it may just be – as both Gosden and Dettori have suggested – that he did not handle the track, he handled it well enough to finish third in the Derby last season.
Cracksman did not appear to be travelling easily even in the early stages of the race, long before the downhill run to Tattenham Corner. He is an exceptional talent and he will hopefully put that lacklustre run behind him today, but at 8-13 it is not difficult to sit the race out from a betting perspective as the final field of seven does not lend itself to an each-way alternative.
Later on the card, there is the chance of a winner for the course’s owner as the Queen’s Seniority, who had been the second reserve for the race after missing the initial cut-off point of 30 runners, managed to creep in at the bottom of the handicap after Mubtasim, a stable-mate at the William Haggas yard that had made the cut, was found to be suffering from lameness. Funny, that. Seniority is currently the 12-1 joint-favourite to become the first winner here in the Royal colours since Dartmouth in the Hardwicke Stakes two years ago.
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