Closing down for the day
How could Thursday’s action when Frankie Dettori rode the first four winners be beaten? Well it’s been another amazing afternoon. Hayley Turner broke a 32-year gap by becoming only the second woman to ride a winner at Royal Ascot when successful on Thanks Be in the Sandringham Stakes. Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori are slugging it out for the jockeys’ title at the Royal meeting and ended the final race of the day coming home first and second in a pulsating finish, with Moore coming out on top and now on five winners to Frankie’s seven. It could be that the final race of the meeting tomorrow, the Queen Alexandra Stakes, decides the prize for top rider as both ride fancied mounts. I also think we saw the performance of the meeting on the track with Japan’s great win in the King Edwards VII Stakes. On top of all that, the Guardian tipster Chris Cook gave five out of six winners on the day. I hope you enjoyed it – I did and I hope you can join me again here tomorrow.
Updated
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap (5.35pm) result
1 Baghdad (R L Moore) 7-2 Fav
2 Ben Vrackie (L Dettori) 7-1
3 Fujaira Prince (Andrea Atzeni) 4-1
4 Corgi (Jim Crowley) 7-1
19 ran
Non Runner: 4
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap (5.35pm)
And they’re off ... Fujaira Prince and Johnny Drama make the running in the early stages ... Baghdad is just behind the leaders ... Ben Vrackie with Frankie is near the back ... Kasparenko is right at the back ... Btron Flyer has the lead on the home turn ... Baghdad leads add with Ryan Moore just holds off Frankie Dettori on Ben Vrackie who made up a lot of ground in the closing stages.
Updated
The first female jockey to win at #RoyalAscot in 32 years.
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2019
Take a bow @Hayleyturner123 👏 pic.twitter.com/jnmfU0sMWC
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap (5.35pm) betting
- Baghdad – 5/1
- Fujaira Prince – 5/1
- Corgi – 13/2
- Ben Vrackie – 15/2
- Johnny Drama – 10/1
- Secret Advisor – 12/1
- Arthurian Flame – 16/1
- Collide – 18/1
- Lucius Tiberius – 28/1
- Downdraft – 28/1
- Byron Flyer – 28/1
- Kasperenko – 33/1
- Pivoine – 33/1
- Top Tug – 40/1
- Lethal Steps – 40/1
- Sevenna Star – 66/1
- Aquarium – 50/1
- Spark Plug – 50/1
- Temple Church – 66/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Turner breaks 32-year drought
Hayley Turner became only the second female jockey – and first since Gay Kelleway 32 years ago – to rider a Royal Ascot winner on Friday. Turner got Charlie Fellowes’ 33-1 shot Thanks Be home in front by a neck from the Queen’s Magnetic Charm in the Sandringham Stakes. Reflecting on her success, Turner said: “The girls’ changing rooms are full now – and it was only a matter of time. Gay Kelleway was obviously the first, and great respect to her.” PA
Updated
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (5.35pm) preview
Having managed to crack a leg bone in victory here last year, Baghdad has made a full recovery and was really game at Newmarket last month. That counts as a career best and his battling qualities should serve him well in this big field. Corgi was only beaten a neck by Baghdad last year but has continued to edge up the weights without winning.
Byron Flyer ran a promising race at Epsom last time but is three years older than most winners of this. Fujaira Prince, beaten only by a talented rival at York, will surely be plugging on gamely up the straight. Ben Vrackie was a shade disappointing last year but his physique suggested he could do better again this summer.
Sandringham Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) result
1 Thanks Be (Hayley Turner) 33-1
2 Magnetic Charm (James Doyle) 7-1
3 Hotsy Totsy (J P Spencer) 7-1
4 Coral Beach (R L Moore) 10-1
27 ran
Also: 11-2 Fav Desirous
Non Runner: 23
Hayley Turner has become the first woman since Gay Kelleway 32 years ago to ride a winner at Royal Ascot when bringing Thanks Be through to win the Sandringham Stakes Handicap.
Sandringham Stakes Handicap (5.00pm)
And they’re off ... Hotsy Totsy is restrained ... Maamora is leading early ... Desirous being chased along ... I’m Available now leads ... Desirous picks up ... Thanks Be gets home to deny the Queen a royal winner with Magnetic Charm.
Updated
Desirous is the new favourite now for the Sandringham. The bookies are running scared of Chris Cook, never mind Frankie!
Rhys knows!
Fair play to @guardian tipster @claimsfive has 4 out of 4 so far at Royal Ascot..2400/1 if you had done them in an acca as things stand..If his next 2 Desirous(5:00) and Baghdad (5:35) come in...It's a 100000/1 #RoyalAscot
— Rhys Felton (@WombleGold) June 21, 2019
Japan put up an even more impressive performance today in the King Edward VII Stakes when you crunch the stats. Can’t wait to back it in the King George back at Ascot in July.
Japan travelled 2435.8 metres when winning the King Edward from a wide trip.
— Geoffrey Riddle (@Louchepunter) June 21, 2019
Bangkok went 2419.2 metres up the inner.#StatsAmazing #RoyalAscot https://t.co/ABFbkf2UrW
Sandringham Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) betting
- Hotsy Totsy – 13/2
- Desirous – 15/2
- Magnetic Charm – 8/1
- Nonchalance – 10/1
- Invitational – 12/1
- Coral Beach – 11/1
- Maamora – 14/1
- Layleena – 12/1
- I’m Available – 16/1
- Lady Madison – 18/1
- Wimbrel – 20/1
- Spanish Aria – 25/1
- Ice Gala – 40/1
- Modern Millie – 66/1
- Kimblewick – 50/1
- Thanks Be – 50/1
- Stay Classy – 50/1
- Garrel Glen – 66/1
- Aim Power – 66/1
- Flighty Almighty – 50/1
- Gypsy Spirit – 66/1
- California Love – 80/1
- El Gumryah – 80/1
- Star of War – 80/1
- Concello – 80/1
- No Way Jose – 80/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Sandringham Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) preview
Having landed Thursday’s Britannia with Biometric, Ralph Beckett and Harry Bentley can team up for success in another straight-mile handicap with Desirous. She looked a likely improver when winning her handicap debut at Goodwood and two of her runs in defeat as a juvenile look a lot better now that the winners have shown themselves to be Group-class. Hotsy Totsy represents the yard that won this last year and is feared. Her Kempton win suggests she is easily worth her mark of 90.
Magnetic Charm, gifted to the Queen by Sheikh Mohammed, offers the real prospect of a royal success. A half-sister to a Group Three winner at Royal Ascot, she battled well to win a Listed race on her reappearance and her rating looks on the lenient side. It’s odd to see John Gosden run four without using Frankie Dettori; perhaps the Italian was unable to do the weight of 8st 7lbs for Nonchalance, to be partnered by Rab Havlin.
Guardian tipster Chris Cook has done a Frankie! He has had the first four winners today and if he has the last two, colleague Barry Glendenning will be retiring, which will be bad news for the Football Podcast fans but good news for him.
Coronation Stakes (4.20pm) result
1 Watch Me (P C Boudot) 20-1
2 Hermosa (R L Moore) Evens Fav
3 Jubiloso (James McDonald) 9-2
9 ran
Also: 7-1 Twist ‘n’ Shake 4th
Non Runner: 7
Coronation Stakes (4.20pm)
And they’re off ... Happen is slowly away and Pretty Pollyanna and Hermosa lead early on ... Main Edition is in third ... Watch Me is close up ... Here comes Twist ‘N’ Shake but Watch Me goes clear and is going to win.
Updated
John Hunt with an interesting point about the final race of the meeting tomorrow.
Not wanting to get ahead of myself but the Queen Alexandra head to head between Max Dynamite (Ryan Moore) and Corelli (Dettori) could be vital on Saturday. #Ascot2019 #topjockey
— John Hunt (@HuntyCaller) June 21, 2019
Updated
Frankie Dettori has now matched his best total of winners, seven, which came back in 1998. Here he is winning the Gold Cup in that year:
Updated
Going update
It’s now good ground on the straight course; good to soft on the round course.
Coronation Stakes (4.20pm) betting
- Hermosa – 1/1
- Jubiloso – 13/2
- Castle Lady – 15/2
- Twist n Shake – 12/1
- Pretty Pollyanna – 14/1
- Watch Me – 16/1
- Happen – 20/1
- Just Wonderful – 28/1
- Main Edition – 50/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Guardian tipster Chris Cook is in nearly as good form as Frankie this week and has had the first three winners today. It’s Watch Me in the next. Come on my son ... er daughter!
Updated
Coronation Stakes (4.20pm) preview
Hermosa seeks to complete the Guineas/Irish Guineas/Coronation Stakes hat-trick that was achieved by her stablemate Winter just two years ago, and there is every reason to expect a big run from Aidan O’Brien’s likeable filly. But the opposition here looks a step up on what she’s faced and the available odds take little account of that.
Castle Lady, the unbeaten French Guineas winner, is a big danger while, at 14-1, there could be plenty of value in Watch Me from the Francis Graffard yard that won Sunday’s French Oaks. Watch Me didn’t look comfortable on the heavy going and met trouble in running on the way to being sixth in the French Guineas, but she has a lot of speed and can be seen to better effect on this ground. Jubiloso is out of Frankel’s half-sister and has easily won a maiden and a novice race, but this is another level altogether.
Updated
That is the seventh winner of the meeting for the irrepressible Frankie Dettori and that may have clinched the jockey of the meeting title for the Italian. He leads Ryan Moore by seven to four. He’s kissed the camera, the owner of Advertise and the trainer. Long may he stay riding.
Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm) result
1 Advertise (L Dettori) 8-1
2 Forever In Dreams (Oisin Murphy) 20-1
3 Hello Youmzain (Kevin Stott) 6-1
9 ran
Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm)
And they’re off ... Royal Intervention is out fast with Ten Sovereigns in fourth early ... Forever In Dreams is prominent ... Ten Sovereigns is under pressure ... Advertise has the lead ... and it’s Frankie again ... Advertise wins!
Updated
Frankie Dettori has been talking about his runners tomorrow if you want to get primed for the action on the final day. This is what he said on his latest Ladbrokes blog.
“Rose Of Kildare is a little bit of an outsider in the Chesham Stakes (2.30), but I don’t know much about her to be honest. In the Jersey Stakes (3.05) I ride Maries Diamond but again he is an outsider. There are better horses in the race. I think Lah Ti Dar could run a big race in the Hardwicke Stakes (3.40). She will like the track and was second in the Fillies & Mares Stakes. In the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (4.20), I ride Emblazoned. It will be a big ask but I hope we can get him placed. In the Wokingham (5pm), I am on one of the favourites in Danzeno. He likes Ascot. I was third in the QIPCO Sprint so he is a good horse on his day. My final ride of the meeting is on Corelli in the Queen Alexandra Stakes (5.35). It is two miles and five furlongs and he has never run that far so who knows. Hopefully if I get one winner, it will be an amazing day.”
Updated
Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm) betting
- Ten Sovereigns – 5/4
- Jash – 5/1
- Advertise – 7/1
- Khadeem – 15/2
- Hello Youmzain – 8/1
- Rumble Inthejungle – 25/1
- Forever in Dreams – 33/1
- Koncheck – 66/1
- Royal Intervention – 66/1
- Full Oddschecker betting here
Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm) preview
Ten Sovereigns’s Middle Park win is the best bit of form and he can be forgiven his non-staying effort in the Guineas. But he was evidently primed to the minute, judging by the support that came for him, and it’ll be interesting to see how much he has left to offer here. Odds of 11-8 are very short about a horse that hasn’t won since September.
Jash has a big chance but the overpriced one could be Advertise, who failed to run his race in the Guineas when his stable was out of sorts. A close second to Calyx here last year, he has some excellent six-furlong form and the blinkers could make a difference. Hello Youmzain profited when Calyx failed to give his running at Haydock recently. The winner of two Group Twos, he faces much stiffer opposition here.
Japan looked a class act there and has obviously come to himself after a poor run in the Dante and a much more promising one in the Derby. Immediately after some were suggesting the St Leger but Ryan Moore suggests he’s better than that. The King George at Ascot in late July looks tailor-made for the Aidan O’Brien runner.
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05pm) reuslt
1 Japan (R L Moore) 6-4 Fav
2 Bangkok (S De Sousa) 10-1
3 Eagles By Day (D Tudhope) 25-1
8 ran
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05pm)
And they’re off ... Humanitarian is up there but Jack Yeats takes the lead and sets a good piece for stable companion Japan, who is held up towards the rear ... Pondus is now in second ... Bangkok is last ... Japan makes a move but is very wide ... Bangkok makes a good move ... Japan comes down the wide outside and looks a class apart, winning with ease under Ryan Moore, now on four winners for the week.
Updated
Japan, favourite for the King Edward VII Stakes, is the best-backed horse of the week, one rails bookmaker reporting on wager of £200,000 at 5-4. The horse just kicked the owner’s hat and damaged it!
Looking to go two better than he did at Epsom, Japan takes in the prelims ahead of the King Edward VII Stakes at 3.05pm on Sky Sports Racing pic.twitter.com/bcv8dP4aVS
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2019
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05pm) betting
- Japan – 11/8
- Pondus – 9/2
- Private Security – 5/1
- Pablo Escobar – 9/1
- Bangkok – 14/1
- Humanitarian – 14/1
- Jack Yeats – 33/1
- Eagles by Day – 40/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker
Ground just on the soft side ...
Time of opener Royal Ascot 1.14.05 suggests good to soft about right straight course. Coventry on good 1.13.02 first race Day 1 and a grade higher.
— Richard Hoiles (@RichardHoiles) June 21, 2019
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05pm) preview
In just a few more strides, Japan would have won the Derby, so strong was he finishing up the middle of the track. After a troubled preparation and a disappointing effort in his prep run, that was a terrific effort. Aidan O’Brien was under no pressure to bring him here with the Irish Derby on the horizon, so he is presumably confident the horse is ready to go again and Japan looks the standout talent on show.
One concern is that O’Brien has only won this race once and that was 15 years ago, which seems surprising in view of how often he would have suitable horses. Bangkok boiled over before the Derby and reportedly failed to handle the track. His temperament will again be tested here but, if calmer, he undoubtedly has enough talent to win, so he is overpriced at 16-1. It’s worrying that the market has allowed him to double in price.
Private Secretary was briefly considered for the Derby but was felt not to be ready for the Classic. This is a serious test of John Gosden’s son of Kingman, unbeaten in three this year at a lower level. He doesn’t do anything quickly. Pondus takes a huge step up in class from the Sandown novice race he won easily last time. The best of his siblings won a handicap while rated 88.
Albany Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Daahyeh (David Egan) 4-1 Fav
2 Celtic Beauty (W J Lee) 25-1
3 Aroha (Harry Bentley) 100-1
25 ran
Also: 50-1 Alabama Whitman 4th
Non Runner: 21
Albany Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off ... Nayibeth away well with Precious Moments and Moon Of Love ... Silent Wave is prominent ... Daahyeh dashes through ... Daahyeh asserts to win well from Celtic Beauty.
Updated
Dettori: Gold Cup win was magical
Frankie Dettori has been reflecting on the four-timer he achieved at Royal Ascot yesterday, including Stradivarius in the Gold Cup. Interviewed on Sky Sports Racing, he compared it to his Magnificent Seven, achieved 23 years ago at Ascot, but at the September meeting.
Dettori said: “I could feel the people getting behind me and everybody wanted Stradivarius to win – it was magical. I can’t lie, I was nervous before the race, but the Gold Cup went to plan. I had a good spot and looking at the replay I know why people were worried, but I thought I was fine as I knew everything that was going on! When I crossed the line, everyone went mad – it was great. I haven’t experienced anything like it at Royal Ascot. We got over 66,000 people here yesterday and a lot of them won’t know much about racing, but they got to experience something really special. To see a gutsy performance from Stradivarius is good for the sport and I was so pleased to be a part of it.
“Stradivarius has become the people’s favourite. His style of racing and the way he conducts himself is marvellous. He has a tremendous will to win and it is so obvious for people to see. It is a privilege for me to ride him obviously, for people in the grandstand and people at home, it is magical to see a horse like that – Stradivarius is a wonderful horse. Stradivarius is so tiny and they dwarf him! His heart is bigger than his body. The Magnificent Seven was special, but it was such a long time ago I forgot about it! Yesterday was so special and I could feel everything. After the Magnificent Seven, this is my second biggest day – I cannot put it into words.”
Updated
Albany Stakes (2.30pm) betting
- Daahyeh – 9/2
- Nayibeth – 8/1
- Last Surprise - 13/2
- Galadriel – 11/1
- JM Jackson – 12/1
- Precious Moments – 14/1
- Silent Wave – 14/1
- So Wonderful – 14/1
- Lil Grey – 20/1
- Exceptional – 25/1
- Chili Petin – 25/1
- Kemble – 28/1
- Exclusively – 33/1
- Celtic Beauty – 28/1
- Moon of Love – 33/1
- Separate – 40/1
- Back to Brussels – 50/1
- Seraphinite – 100/1
- Alabama Whitman – 66/1
- Graceful Magic – 125/1
- Fleeting Princess – 150/1
- Lorelei Rock – 80/1
- Dilligent Dab – 125/1
- Aroha – 200/1
- Get the Look – 250/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
The Guardian sent its wealth correspondent Rupert Neate to the Goffs Sale earlier this week. “We’re attracting wealthy people from around the world. It’s called the sport of kings for a reason,” said Goff’s chief executive Henry Beeby.
Albany Stakes (2.30pm) preview
The well-related Nayibeth comes from the US with a big reputation but Wesley Ward’s juvenile winners here have been in shorter races and she could struggle to last home with some moisture still in the ground. The suggested alternative is Daahyeh, from the stable that won this five years ago. She impressed on her Newmarket debut, beating Raffle Prize, the Queen Mary winner here on Wednesday.
From the same stable that won Thursday’s Norfolk Stakes, Last Surprise was an easy winner over an experienced, well-fancied rival at Lingfield. Jm Jackson is winless but got close to two classy rivals in running second on both starts so far, notably when beaten by the Norfolk Stakes runner-up on her debut.
Updated
Queen's Hat Stakes (2.00pm)
1st Pink 5-4
Updated
The bookies at the track are still betting on the Queen’s hat ... look at those odds!
Star Wars before the Royal Procession ...
Ascot's brass band just been playing the Imperial March from Star Wars, just before the royal procession arrives
— chris cook (@claimsfive) June 21, 2019
What's the message?https://t.co/X2tKd35Z6f
Royal Procession Stakes (2.00pm)
1st Carriage
THE QUEEN
Mr. Peter Phillips
Mr. Timothy Taylor
The Lady Helen Taylor
2nd Carriage
Mr. Mark Etherington
The Lady Alexandra Etherington
Mr. John Warren
The Lady Carolyn Warren
3rd Carriage
The Hon. William Vestey
The Hon. Mrs. William Vestey
Mr. Luca Cumani
Mrs. Luca Cumani
4th Carriage
Major General Benjamin Bathurst
Mrs. Benjamin Bathurst
The Hon. Dame Annabel Whitehead
Major Nana Twumasi-Ankrah
I attended a Serpentine gallery exhibition by artist Mark Wallinger back in 1994 when one of his installations, called ‘Royal Ascot’, consisted of a series of video monitors on top of wheeled flight cases, each isolating the royal carriage’s leisurely progress down the track on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (respectively, as it was then) of the meeting with the added TV commentary.
The British Council described the work thus: ‘Simultaneous footage exposes precise choreography: the Queen’s frozen smile and rigid curls, the tilt of her head, her gloved wave, the Duke of Edinburgh raising his top hat, the national anthem striking up. Appropriately for an event whose media coverage focuses on the parade of hats and dresses rather than the sport, here we have a close-up on clothes, on the Queen’s dolly mixture of pinks, tangerines, limes; the difference from day to day is barely discernible, just as the four BBC commentaries merge in a confused blather. This repetition of imagery, all backed by bright green turf, brings into play Andy Warhol’s late screenprints of Elizabeth II from his ‘Reigning Queens’ series (1985), a quartet of the postage stamp icon in camp conjugations of Hollywood make-up and bubblegum colours.’
The Duke of Edinburgh, who has retired from royal duties and apparently hated his trips down the road from Windsor Castle to the races, is missing but little else has changed including the blather. This is last year’s Royal Procession on the Friday – see if you can spot the difference.
Frankie Dettori joked that Ascot “might need to get another statue” after winning the first four races yesterday. It might be a blessing as the one near the entrance to Ascot’s Royal enclosure to mark his astonishing day in 1996 is not regarded as the finest example in a crowded field of bad statues of sportsmen. The day the statue was unveiled I remember standing next to Racing Post scribe Alastair Down, who opined: “It looks as if Frankie’s had a dose of senna pods!”
Frankie gives ITV Racing viewing figures a boost
Yesterday was one of the best day’s racing in recent memory and Frankie Dettori’s exploits certainly helped put bums on sofas. ITV Racing spokesman Liz Ampairee reported this morning: “Following on from very strong viewing figures in the first two days of Royal Ascot 2019, Frankie Dettori’s ‘fabulous four’ ensured that Day Three produced the highest peak viewing figures for any day at Royal Ascot for seven years, with 1.4 million people watching ITV Racing.”
It could be argued that Frankie Dettori’s best ride yesterday was on a horse he lost on, doing brilliantly to get Turgenev (a horse who should have gone off a 14-1 shot but which started the 7-2 favourite) so close to winning the Britannia Stakes. The Italian dominated the race from the start on his mount and and almost pulled off what would have been an historic fifth straight win on the day.
If that had come off everyone would then have been willing the jockey to ride all six winners but it became clear early in the final race that his mount, Questionare, had not read the script and was not fully co-operating with his rider. Questionare ran so poorly that the stewards asked questions and it would seem that the horse faces a fate far worse than that of Frankie!
R6 @Ascot: The performance of QUESTIONARE, which started favourite & finished unplaced, was considered. The representative of John Gosden explained that the colt got upset in the preliminaries & may benefit from
— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) June 20, 2019
being gelded. QUESTIONARE was routine tested. #RoyalAscot2019
Queen's Hat Stakes (2.00pm)
For the first time this week I wasn’t sent any odds in advance for the colour of the Queen’s hat today and it’s now clear the best-known novelty betting market at Royal Ascot is in peril. Ladbrokes have suspended betting indefinitely with spokesperson Nicola McGeady stating this morning: “We are no longer betting on the colour of the Queen’s hat this week. After the gamble was landed yesterday it’s obvious someone knew something we don’t so betting has been suspended for now.”
Rupert Adams of William Hill told me that his firm had been offering 1-2 Blue and 5-4 Pink with all layers now seemingly running scared of getting involved.
A spokesperson from Bookmakers.tv said: “Any profits made from the worst set of hat results for punters in recent memory were quickly eviscerated by Frankie Dettori on Ladies’ day and the major firms have taken an even more cautious approach, with nearly every major bookmaker’s odds suspended by 9am this morning, but following yesterday’s antics, it’s easy to forgive traders for having less time to price up the Friday hat market.
“Some overnight prices incredibly suggest another blue number is favourite, which would be a huge deviation from the form book. Pink, which looks a certainty to make an appearance at every meeting is next and should prove a popular pick on course with better weather forecast.
“Racegoers who want to participate in the Ascot tradition are urged to place bets with an off-course bookmaker before arriving, thanks to some of the colossal overrounds on display in the betting ring, although based on the lack of price sensitivity shown by trackside hat punters and the thin competition, the bookies are within their rights to try and recoup some of the Frankie losses any way they can.”
Updated
Top jockeys
Frankie Dettori 6 wins
Ryan Moore 3
Danny Tudhope 3
Jim Crowley 1
Oisin Murphy 1
James Doyle 1
Richard Kingscote 1
Harry Bentley 1
Seamie Heffernan 1
This is Frankie’s place and he proved it with his four-timer yesterday, which looked for all the world like a five-timer in the making for a few seconds. Moore’s week started so well but has had plenty of difficult moments in the last two days. Bookmakers closed the book on top jockey after Tuesday but reopened it last night with Dettori at 8-15 and Moore 11-8. Silvestre De Sousa can’t have been enjoying it, with three second places the best he has to show for some fancied rides. Tudhope, who was in Yorkshire yesterday, is back for a single ride today, on the unfancied Eagles By Day in the 3.05.
Here’s an excellent piece by colleague Ben Fisher on Jay Tabb, the former Coventry and Reading player who is training to work in racing and has a ride at the Cheltenham Festival in his sights. He starts work at Philip Hobbs’ yard later thins month.
This will keep out a good few
Non-runners
2.30pm Albany Stakes 21 PAPER STAR (Self Certificate, Not Eaten Up)
4.20pm Coronation Stakes 7 MOT JUSTE (Going)
5.00pm Sandringham Handicap 23 GALLIC (Going)
5.35pm Duke of Edinburgh Handicap 4 SEA THE LION (Vet’s Certificate, Bruised Foot)
Going, going, going ... update
The official going for the fourth day of Royal Ascot remains:
Straight Course: Good to Soft
Round Course: Good to Soft, Soft in places
GoingStick readings at 8.15am today:
Stand side: 7.4, Centre: 7.6, Far Side: 7.4. Round: 6.0
(Thursday GoingStick readings Stand side: 7.0, Centre: 7.0, Far Side: 7.0. Round: 5.7)
Wednesday GoingStick readings Stand side: 8.2, Centre: 8.4, Far Side: 8.2. Round: 7.2)
Tuesday GoingStick readings: Stand side: 8.9, Centre: 8.9, Far Side: 8.7, Round: 7.4)
Stalls: Straight Course: Centre Round Course: Inside
The false rail on the round course from nine furlongs out to the home bend was removed to open ahead of racing on Thursday.
It has been dry since racing on Wednesday when there was 10 millimetres of rain. The forecast is for generally dry conditions with the risk of occasional showers. Temperatures for the remainder of the week are predicted to be between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius.
Looking ahead to racing this afternoon and through to Saturday, Ascot’s clerk of the Course Chris Stickels is expecting the weather to remain dry, the going to quicken up with the possibility of a going change later today. He said at 8.30am today: “We have a dry sunny day forecast so I expect a change in the going later to reflect that. A great forecast for tomorrow as well. A dry sunny day so we should see the ground quicken up a little bit.”
Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels with a Going update ahead of Day 4 of #RoyalAscot 👇 pic.twitter.com/92WceX71gU
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2019
Updated
Top trainers
Aidan O’Brien 4 wins
John Gosden 2
William Haggas 2
Sir Michael Stoute 2
Andrew Balding 1
Mark Johnston 1
Charlie Hills 1
Ian Williams 1
Charlie Appleby 1
David O’Meara 1
Simon Crisford 1
Ralph Beckett 1
After his win with Sangarius yesterday, Stoute was presented with an adapted number cloth with ‘80’ on it, to mark his 80th success at Royal Ascot. In fact, his 80th winner had been Crystal Ocean the day before and he was now on 81, but we don’t quibble over details. O’Brien is now one away from his 70th success here and one imagines he will be bearing down on Stoute’s mark soon enough. Gosden got off the mark for the week in fine style with his Thursday double and the big beasts of Newmarket are faring very well once more. Roger Varian is one of the bigger names missing from that list and I hope he can rectify the matter in today’s first race. Richard Hannon is 0/12 and will be rueing his near miss in the Coventry with Threat.
You want to know what’s going to win, right?
Here are our selections for the fourth day. Stay here and we’ll have an in-depth preview for every race as the afternoon goes on.
2.30 Albany Stakes
Daahyeh 4-1
3.05 King Edward VII Stakes
Japan Evens
3.40 Commonwealth Cup
Advertise 8-1
4.20 Coronation Stakes
Watch Me (nb) 14-1
5.00 Sandringham Fillies’ Handicap
Desirous 13-2
5.35 Duke of Edinburgh Handicap
Baghdad (nap) 5-1
Every one of these is shortening as I type, which makes a pleasant change from yesterday’s 40-1 shot that drifted to 66s and ran like it didn’t fancy itself much. Perhaps it doesn’t take much seeing that Advertise and Watch Me were the interesting outsiders in their races, since both feature unusually small fields. I dare say winner-finding will still prove as tricky as it always is here...
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Ladbrokes-Coral Royal Ascot tipping competition
You could win a £50 account credit from Ladbrokes Coral 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.
Thanks for playing our competition this week! This is our final day running the Ascot competition. We’ll return with more competitions for the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The heartiest congratulations seem scant reward for JimmyDeuce, who put up one of the best tipping performances I’ve ever seen yesterday. Somehow he found Biometric (28-1), South Pacific (22-1), Sangarius (13-2) and Star Catcher (4-1) for a score of +58.50, more than twice what anyone else could do. Very well done, sir, and I hope you’re a lot richer.
Please post your tips or racing-related comments below.
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Preamble
What do Michael Kinane, Jamie Spencer, Jimmy Fortune and Johnny Murtagh have in common? They have all won the award for the top jockey at Royal Ascot since Frankie Dettori picked up the last of his five riding titles at this meeting way back in 2004.
After the day that Dettori had here on Thursday, it seems difficult to believe. In the first four races, there was not a stride out of place as the most famous name in the game racked up a 449-1 four-timer. He is also, and by an increased margin thanks to his exploits this week, the most successful current rider at the meeting, leading Ryan Moore by 66 winners to 56. Spencer, who is next on the list of current riders, has 23.
But as well as his considerable talent, this is also a testament to Dettori’s durability. His first winner at Royal Ascot came in 1990. Moore’s arrived 18 years later. Dettori has been consistently top-class at Ascot for nearly three decades, while only rarely enjoying the kind of week that puts a rider at the top of the pile.
Even now, after an afternoon that few who were there to absorb the crackling atmosphere will ever forget, Dettori is not assured of his first jockeys’ title at the Royal meeting for 15 years. His total of six winners for the week gives him a healthy lead over Ryan Moore, who has three, but the bookies rate him only a 4-7 chance, with Moore on 11-8, when you might expect Dettori to be long odds-on.
Today’s card at Ascot could make all the difference. Dettori has rides in five of the six races, while Moore has a full book of six. In terms of quality, though, Moore is, on paper, streets ahead. Three of his rides are certain to start favourite, probably at 6-4 or shorter, while the best of Dettori’s partners appears to be Private Secretary, the 4-1 second favourite behind Moore’s ride Japan, in the King Edward VII Stakes, the second race on the card.
A win for Dettori there would be a huge setback for Moore, who is ahead on a “countback” of placed efforts and so needs only to draw level with his rival to win. Elsewhere on the card, it may take a little more of the Dettori magic that was so evident yesterday if Advertise (who faces the Moore-ridden favourite Ten Sovereigns in the Commonwealth Cup) or Twist ‘N’ Shake, around 12-1 to beat the dual Guineas winner Hermosa in the Coronation Stakes, is to extend his lead. One more winner, incidentally, would equal Dettori’s personal record at the meeting, when he rode seven winners in 1998.
Weather-wise, the prospects look excellent for Ascot today, with highs in the low 20s and no rain at all in the forecast. It has been dry at the track since Wednesday evening, but Chris Stickels, the clerk of the course, reported this morning that the going is still good-to-soft on the straight course and good-to-soft, soft in places on the round course.
Stickels does expect that to change as the day goes on, however. “We have a sunny day forecast, so I do expect a change in the going later to reflect that. A great forecast for tomorrow too. A dry, sunny day, so we should see the ground quicken up a little bit.”
Chris Cook’s tips for the fourth day, including a 16-1 chance in the Coronation Stakes, are here, and all the news and more will be live here as the day unfolds.
