Closing down for the day
That’s all for the first day. Last year Tuesday was dominated by Frankie Dettori, this year it’s Aidan O’Brien who ended with a double in the St James’s Palace and Coventry Stakes. Tomorrow the Prince Of Wales’s promises to be a thriller. Let’s hope for less rain and Sea Of Class getting the go ahead to run.
Updated
Haggas to walk track before Sea Of Class decision
William Haggas is not sure if Sea Of Class will line up for tomorrow’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes which would be a big blow as that would mean being denied the mouthwatering clash with Magical. The trainer has told Oli Bell on ITV Racing that he will walk the track tomorrow before racing to decide if the filly takes her chance.
Updated
Grand result for Williams in Ascot Stakes
Ian Williams enjoyed his first success at Royal Ascot when The Grand Visir defied top-weight in the Ascot Stakes and for good measure addled the third, Time To Study.
“The Grand Visir’s hurdling career is still open to interpretation. We ran him back on the turf earlier in the month and he ran very well,” said Williams. “He was dropped 1lb which allowed him into this race, which was fortunate. We weren’t sure he’d stay the trip, but Richard (Kingscote) gave him a lovely, patient ride into the race.
“Turning for home there were only two horses travelling well and that was Time To Study and him. Time To Study probably didn’t stay and he has, all the way to the line. It’s a huge result and great to have a Royal Ascot winner.” PA
Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm) result
1 Addeybb (D Tudhope) 5-1
2 Magic Wand (R L Moore) 9-2 Fav
3 Elarqam (Jim Crowley) 5-1
16 ran
Updated
Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm)
And they’re off ... Star Of Bengal leads early from a high draw ... Addeybb got badly hampered on the bend ... Elarqam is prominent ... Zorion is close up ... Star Of Bengal with Addeybb challenging hard to take the lead ... and wins easy.
Updated
Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm) betting
- Elarqam – 5/1
- Magic Wand – 11/2
- Addeyb – 7/1
- Riven Light – 8/1
- Latrobe – 8/1
- Mountain Angel – 12/1
- Star of Bengal – 12/1
- First Nation – 12/1
- Willie John – 12/1
- Oasis Charm – 25/1
- Dolphin Charm – 25/1
- Mountain Hunter – 66/1
- Global Giant – 66/1
- Zihba – 100/1
- Zorion – 100/1
- Master the World – 200/1
- Full betting here on Oddschecker
Ground goes soft after heavy rain
Royal Ascot going now SOFT
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 18, 2019
Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm) preview
He has a tough draw to overcome but Star Of Bengal is bred to be a lot better than Listed class, his talented siblings including a French Oaks winner. The progress he’s made in just four starts suggests he has every chance of upholding family honour and he represents the John Gosden/Frankie Dettori team that won this race when it first shed its handicap tag a year ago.
Elarqam seemed to appreciate the step up to this distance last time and perhaps this stiffer course will help him some more. Magic Wand hasn’t been able to win since her Ribblesdale success here last June and would have liked a faster surface. Latrobe has been campaigned unconventionally for an Irish Derby winner and surely wants further than this to be seen at his best.
Updated
Ascot Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) result
1 The Grand Visir (R Kingscote) 12-1
2 Buildmeupbuttercup (R L Moore) 7-1
3 Time To Study (Jim Crowley) 16-1
4 Fun Mac (P J McDonald) 11-1
19 ran
Also: 13-2 Fav Mancini
Non Runner: 20
Updated
Ascot Stakes Handicap (5.00pm)
And they’re off ... Yabass is prominent early ... Jukebox Jive takes the lead ... Kerosin is up near the leaders ... Fun Mac is at the back ... Buildmeupbuttercup is last now ... Jukebox Jive still leads but Batts Rock has made a big move to go into fifth spot ... Mancini is close up with Yabass too ... Coeur De Lion is outpaced ... Buildmebupbuttercup is finishing well to try and catch The Grand Visir ... who holds on at the line.
Updated
Here’s Chris Cook’s report on the victory of Circus Maximus in the St James’s Palace Stakes:
Ascot Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) betting
- Buildmeupbuttercup – 7/1
- Coeur de Lion – 7/1
- Mangli Khan – 15/2
- Batts Rock – 12/1
- Snow Falcon – 14/1
- Mancini – 14/1
- Gunnery – 14/1
- Fun Mac – 14/1
- Kerosin – 16/1
- Time to Study – 16/1
- The Grand Visir – 18/1
- Ulster – 25/1
- Arctic Fire – 28/1
- Not Never – 33/1
- Mixboy – 33/1
- Yabass – 50/1
- Jukebox Jive – 66/1
- Cosmelli – 66/1
- Percy Street – 150/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker
Ascot Stakes Handicap (5.00pm) preview
Have we reached the stage where we’ll back anything Willie Mullins sends over for this? The Irish genius has won this three times in four years but his only runner this time, Buildmeupbuttercup, would be a 20-1 shot if trained by anyone else. Instead, she’s favourite with some firms. Mancini makes some appeal, having been a game second after chasing a hot pace at York last time. But preference is for The Grand Visir, whose form with two previous yards gives him every chance here. He showed promise over a shorter trip on his recent reappearance and should be the better for that.
Mengli Khan is not far short of top class over jumps but his finishing effort isn’t always the heartiest and it’s a fair question whether he’ll want to go this far in a Flat race. I seem to remember tipping Coeur De Lion for this race last year, when he was a one-paced sixth; listen for the sound of teeth-grinding if he pulls it off this time. His Chester Vase win last time was a career best but heavy ground may have helped and he doesn’t get that this time.
St James's Palace Stakes (4.20pm) result
1 Circus Maximus (R L Moore) 10-1
2 King Of Comedy (A Kirby) 4-1
3 Too Darn Hot (L Dettori) 2-1 Fav
11 ran
Updated
St James's Palace Stakes (4.20pm)
And they’re off ... Fox Champion and Circus Maximus lead early ... Phoenix Of Spain is behind the leaders with Too Darn Hot ... Phoenix of Spain and Circus Maximus head for home ... King Of Comedy finishes late but Circus Maximus holds him off at the line ...
Updated
St James's Palace Stakes (4.20pm) betting
- Too Darn Hot – 9/4
- Phoenix of Spain – 5/2
- King of Comedy – 6/1
- Skardu – 8/1
- Shaman – 14/1
- Circus Maximus – 16/1
- Fox Champion – 33/1
- Royal Marine – 40/1
- Bell Rock – 80/1
- Van Beethoven – 100/1
- The Irish Rover – 200/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Arizona scores for O'Brien in Coventry
Arizona came home strongly to give Aidan O’Brien a ninth success in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. O’Brien said: “He was very green the first day and progressed a lot the next time and won very easily, but he probably didn’t learn a lot because of that. This was the first day he had to learn. He was a little bit slowly away, a little bit lost through the race, but came home really well, so I’m delighted.
“You’d imagine he’d get a mile. He’s probably quicker than he lets on. He’s still a baby and when he won at the Curragh we thought if he was eligible for the Chesham we’d have had no problem running him in it. That type of horse can get quicker when they learn. He was babyish in the race and still came home well. He’d have learnt plenty today.”
Richard Hannon said of runner-up Threat: “He is a good horse. We came here to learn that, and we have. There are no excuses. He is a Group One horse and we can’t wait for the rest of the year. The six furlongs suited him. Maybe (we could go to Newmarket), he is the sort of horse that will come out of the race great. He is strong and mature and hopefully we will have a good year with him.”
Archie Watson was thrilled with third-placed Guildsman, saying: “I’m delighted. They have probably gone quick in front and they’ve set the race up for Arizona and us. I thought the second horse’s run on the other side of the track was full of merit. I couldn’t be happier with my lad. There is a very defined path for horses like him as he is a ready-made two-year-old. Six furlongs is his trip and if we are happy with him we will be looking at races like the July Stakes and the Richmond.”
St James's Palace Stakes (4.20pm) preview
The big question for punters on day one at this Royal Ascot is this: how many excuses do you make for a horse who was brilliant last year but has yet to show it this season? Too Darn Hot is the animal in question and he probably still has bundles of talent, despite having been runner-up in both starts this year.
But Phoenix Of Spain beat him fair and square in the Irish Guineas and I hope to see Charlie Hills’s grey confirm the form of that three-length success here. Reportedly, he had a troubled preparation for that outing and may well be better for the run. He got within two lengths of Too Darn Hot in September, looking very much like a horse who would do better with time, so there surely was no fluke about his Classic success.
The progressive King Of Comedy could be a threat and his trainer, John Gosden, pinched this race with an animal of modest talent last year but this renewal looks stronger. Circus Maximus wasn’t far behind Phoenix Of Spain in October but doesn’t look a specialist miler and the fitting of blinkers suggests his trainer worries he may be short of the necessary speed.
Fox Champion, winner of the German Guineas, is progressive and in danger of being underestimated at 20-1, though he’d have to outrun his pedigree to win this. The French raider Shaman has been beaten only by Persian King in his last four starts, so has to be taken seriously.
King's Stand Stakes (3.40pm) result
1 Blue Point (James Doyle) 5-2
2 Battaash (Jim Crowley) 2-1 Fav
3 Soldier’s Call (D Tudhope) 16-1
12 ran
Updated
King's Stand Stakes (3.40pm)
And they’re off ... Soldier’s Call was fast away ... Battaash is held up ... Battaash and Blue Point fight it out with the same result as last year when Blue Point beats off his rival.
Updated
All that Glitters was gold
Last year’s runner-up Lord Glitters just prevailed in a blanket finish to the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. David O’Meara’s grey, who disappointed badly last time out in the Lockinge Stakes, was winning at the highest level for the first time in his career.
His fortunes could not have contrasted more with last year’s winner Accidental Agent, who refused to come out of the stalls. The popular Laurens made a bold bid for home and hit the front two furlongs out, but she could never put much daylight between her pursuers. William Haggas’ One Master came swooping through, showing the pace that won her the Prix de la Foret last season, and certainly hit the front, before her run she faltered inside the final 100 yards.
That left Beat The Bank, another who ran poorly in the Lockinge, and Lord Glitters (14-1) to fight it out, with Danny Tudhope managing to get his grey head in front by a neck. O’Meara said: “He always runs well here, he loves the track. “In the Lockinge he had no cover and over-raced a touch, but I thought today Danny gave him a perfect ride from the word go. Watching the race it was one of the easiest Royal Ascot runners we’ve ever had to watch because there was never a moment I thought he was in trouble. He had a programme last year and he’ll follow something similar this season, I would have thought.” PA
Updated
The train strike is not having much of an impact according to this report in the Racing Post.
King's Stand (3.40pm) betting
- Battaash – 9/4
- Blue Point – 5/2
- Mabs Cross – 7/1
- Imprimis – 9/1
- Sergei Prokofiev – 14/1
- Soldier’s Call – 20/1
- Houtzen – 25/1
- Equilateral – 25/1
- Fairyland – 28/1
- Signora Cabello – 80/1
- Judicial – 100/1
- Enzo’s Lad – 100/1
-
Full betting at Oddschecker here
The best tip for punters who have access is to check the betting on Oddschecker. Taking the odds from all the bookmakers on the site, the average percentage difference between the best and worst odds of every winning horse (taken at 11am each day) at Royal Ascot in 2018 was 28%.
King's Stand Stakes (3.40pm) preview
The first and second from last year’s race, Blue Point and Battaash, seem the two to focus on once again. It’s interesting that the market appears dazzled by the brilliance Battaash showed at Haydock last month and he appears the more talented of the pair, at his very best. But a strike-rate of two from five last year shows he often underperforms and he did not seem to enjoy the big-day atmosphere here last year. Blue Point is taken to come out on top once more. Encouragingly, the Charlie Appleby yard had a double in Group races on Sunday, having gone a couple of months without success at that level.
Sergei Prokofiev, third to Calyx in the Coventry on this day last year, has fallen well short at Group One level so far and was a disappointing favourite behind Mabs Cross in the Palace House last month. Mabs Cross was in turn well held by Battaash at Haydock but she was a close third in this race a year ago and had her big day in the Prix de l’Abbaye when Battaash flopped in fourth. Providing international flavour are runners from the US (Imprimis), Australia (Houtzen) and New Zealand (Enzo’s Lad). All three seem short of top-class so far, though Imprimis is certainly heading in that direction.
SDS will now miss Eclipse day, I think https://t.co/xmvRNUWUOr
— chris cook (@claimsfive) June 18, 2019
Eve Johnson-Houghton is putting on a brave face after Accidental Agent refused to race in the Queen Anne Stakes.
What a difference a year makes 🤦♀️but no one died and AA seems fine, so we all live to fight another day. Congratulations to Lord Glitters, he and AA are great friends xx
— Eve Johnson Houghton (@johnsonhoughton) June 18, 2019
Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) result
1 Arizona (R L Moore) 15-8 Fav
2 Threat (Tom Marquand) 4-1
3 Guildsman (Oisin Murphy) 6-1
17 ran
Updated
Coventry Stakes (3.05pm)
And they’re off ... King Of Athens and Makyon are prominent ... Makyon is being caught by Threat ... and Arizona who just gets home in front ...
Updated
Silvestre de Sousa was hit with a ban after hitting his horse in the Queen Anne.
R1 @Ascot: Silvestre De Sousa, the rider of BEAT THE BANK, placed second, was suspended for 7 days and fined £1050 for using his whip above the permitted level inside the final 2 furlongs.
— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) June 18, 2019
Updated
A comparison of the pool sizes for US customers - comparing 2018 Queen Anne with 15 runners and 2019 Queen Anne (16 runners) in Ascot World Pool. Think the 2018 is off maybe 2-3k, but pretty close. pic.twitter.com/Y6A0MkFEVG
— Pat Cummings (@PatCummingsTIF) June 18, 2019
Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) betting
- Arizona – 5/2
- Threat – 7/2
- Guildsman – 6/1
- Monoski – 9/1
- Fort Myers – 18/1
- Royal Lytham – 18/1
- Well of Wisdom – 22/1
- Light Angel – 22/1
- Maxi Boy – 28/1
- King of Athens – 40/1
- Makyon – 40/1
- Golden Horde – 33/1
- Coase – 40/1
- Magnetic Sands – 66/1
- Lord of the Lodge – 100/1
- Kuwait Direction – 125/1
- Ropey Guest – 500/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
One straw in the wind, after a Queen Anne result that surprised the betting market, is that the first three home all have winning form on soft ground, which is hardly a surprise after the recent wet weather. That being said, the time of that first race suggests the going description of ‘good’ ground is accurate.
Still awaiting overall time (never mind sectionals) but looks to be little or no give in the ground at this stage.
— Simon Rowlands (@RowleyfileRRR) June 18, 2019
Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) preview
The Hannon yard has been out of luck in this since the back-to-back victories of Canford Cliffs and Strong Suit (2009, 2010) but they know a Royal Ascot juvenile when they get one. This race was immediately named as the target when Threat was an impressive winner on Guineas weekend, showing professionalism to beat an odds-on favourite and proving hard to pull up. There should be plenty more to come from this chestnut, whose grand-dam is Shiva, a Group One winner for Sir Henry Cecil.
Arizona won well on his second start but it’s open to question what he achieved, having started at odds of 8-15 that day. The runner-up, a stablemate of his called King Of Athens, was pretty green on his first start that day but is really well bred and could take quite a step forward here, so there are worse each-way options at 40-1. Guildsman, from a stable that excels with two-year-olds, won handily on his debut at Goodwood but may have relished the soft ground that day and meets a drier surface this time.
Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Lord Glitters (D Tudhope) 14-1
2 Beat The Bank (S De Sousa) 20-1
3 One Master (P C Boudot) 20-1
16 ran
Updated
Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off ... Accidental Agent has stayed in the stalls ... Mythical Magic leads ... Laurens is close behind with Matterhorn ... Laurens comes to take the lead with One Master flying ... Lord Glitters came late to snatch the victory.
Updated
Any French visitors at Ascot today may be amused to note, as they scan through their Racing Posts, that a horse called Je M’En Fous is to run at Brighton tonight. Her name translates roughly as ‘I Don’t Give A Stuff’. I seem to remember being told at school, eons ago, that this was an extremely rude phrase that should not be used in polite company, but the BHA’s naming team are satisfied that nothing inappropriate has occurred.
Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) betting
- Mutashry – 11/2
- Le Brivado – 6/1
- Barney Roy – 6/1
- Laurens - 7/1
- Hazapour – 12/1
- Accidental Agent – 16/1
- Matterhorn – 18/1
- Lord Glitters – 20/1
- Olmedo – 20/1
- One Master – 25/1
- Beat the Bank – 25/1
- Sharjah Bridge – 25/1
- Stormy Atlantic – 28/1
- Romanised – 33/1
- Dream Castle – 33/1
- Mythical Magic – 80/1
- Full betting here via Oddschecker
Following on from the mention earlier of the launch of World Pool, which will mingle tote bets on Royal Ascot from both the UK and Hong Kong into the same pool, here’s a tip via a poster onThe Racing Forum. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is producing extensive form guides for every day of the meeting which can be viewed or downloaded for free here.
Updated
Going Stick reading may be 8.9 on the straight, but the royal carriages are making quite a cut.
— Simon Rowlands (@RowleyfileRRR) June 18, 2019
Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) preview
It’s somewhat surprising to see that Sir Michael Stoute has won this race just three times, the most recent of which was 17 years ago, especially as he has a record eight wins in the Lockinge, the most obvious trial for this. That thought is something of a brake on enthusiasm for his most recent Lockinge winner, Mustashry, but it is hard to forget the powerful finish that one produced at Newbury last month and this steady improver is fairly priced at around 5-1; he’s Stoute’s only runner on Day One.
Barney Roy is an unknown quantity, having had two runs at a much lower level since his comeback from a year off. He will be remembered as the St James’s Palace winner of 2017, earning himself a chance at stud and doubtless he would rather still be there. Alas for fertility issues. Even his best form leaves him a smidgen to find. Le Brivido is finally drifting to a reasonable price, having been a slightly perverse choice of favourite for this race until Monday. He finished strongly in the Lockinge but still has more to prove and hasn’t won for two years, though he was impressive in this week two years ago when powering home in the Jersey.
The very likeable Laurens has won five Group Ones confined to fillies and mares and was a fine second to Mustashry in the Lockinge. He had the advantage of a previous run that day and she’ll be a big danger if sharper this time.
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) result
1st Blue evens fav
Updated
Updated
The Times racing corr knows who the must-read writers are ;)
Good of @Greg_Wood_ to write today’s press round-up at Royal Ascot pic.twitter.com/ZUHkO8cqkZ
— Paddy von Behr (@paddyvb) June 18, 2019
Important news for the Queen Mary Stakes tomorrow. Good Vibes was well fancied by trainer David Evans
Good Vibes a non runner in tomorrow’s Queen Mary
— andrew smith (@festivalracing) June 18, 2019
Updated
Lester Piggott unveils his statue at the track
A special moment as the great Lester Piggott unveils his statue here at Ascot, ahead of racing on day one of the Royal Meeting 👀
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 18, 2019
A living legend immortalised forever #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/gYziP6inzX
Weather update
Forecaster Laura Tobin has all the latest, on how much rain we can expect at the track etc ... ‘Rain just to the SW heading towards Ascot, followed by showers or and off for most of the day & risk of thunder! Not great weather for day 1 but it will improve’
🌧 Rain imminent at @Ascot racecourse
— Laura Tobin (@Lauratobin1) June 18, 2019
☔️ Rain just to the SW heading towards Ascot, followed by showers or and off for most of the day & risk of thunder!
🐎 Not great weather for day 1 but it will improve@ITV @itvracing @ITVSport @CharlotteHawkns pic.twitter.com/4Upm5fhuib
Royal Procession Stakes (2.00)
... and here are the runners and riders ...
1st Carriage
THE QUEEN
The King of the Netherlands
The Queen of the Netherlands
The Duke of York
2nd Carriage
|The Prince of Wales
The Duchess of Cornwall
The Duke of Cambridge
The Duchess of Cambridge
3rd Carriage
The Princess Royal
The Lord de Mauley
The Earl of Wessex
The Countess of Wessex
4th Carriage
Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy
The Rt. Hon. Edward Young
Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie of York
Apparently, betting was suspended on the Queen’s Hat Stakes after some punter had a grand on yellow! More from the soaraway Sun here ...
It’s almost that time ... for the details of who will be in the royal procession down the centre of the track. 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 opening day procession, presented by Mike Vince. See if you can spot the difference this year ...
It’s raining ... and our snapper Tom Jenkins has captured the action ...
What's being backed?
The most obvious betting move this morning is that Too Darn Hot, beaten on both of his starts so far this year including in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last time, has replaced Phoenix Of Spain, who beat him by three lengths at The Curragh, as the favourite for the St James’s Palace Stakes, Tuesday’s feature event.
Too Darn Hot was the top-rated juvenile last year, earning the same rating as the great Frankel at the end of his two-year-old campaign. Unlike Frankel, however, he has not progressed at all so far this year. John Gosden, his trainer, has blamed himself for choosing the wrong path through the early months of the campaign after Too Darn Hot suffered an injury which kept him out of the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, and also feels that his colt is as well as he has had him all year ahead of this race. But even so, the money that has forced him down to 9-4 clear favourite at the top prices in the market, with Phoenix Of Spain out to 5-2, seems to bear little relation to this season’s form.
Mustashry briefly displaced Le Brivido as favourite for the opening Queen Anne Stakes this morning but they are now joint-favourites at 11-2, while last year’s 33-1 winner, Accidental Agent, is on the drift and out to 14-1 from 12-1 overnight. There is currently a clear favourite in the Coventry Stakes too, with money arriving for Aidan O’Brien’s Arizona (11-4 from 3-1 overnight) and Threat, who was also 3-1 overnight, now out to 100-30 and even 7-2 in a place.
Bookmakers at the track are fighting shy of the blue wave too as everyone wants to be on that colour for the Queen’s Hat Stakes at 2pm ...
Bookmakers clearly fancy The Queen to be wearing a blue hat today😂👑 pic.twitter.com/QJE0wag0Ec
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 18, 2019
The Queen's Hat Stakes (2.00)
Bit early with this today as there is already news of a ‘plunge’. Apparently blue is the colour and there is word of the bookies suspending betting after that colour was backed to be the Queen’s choice this afternoon. I spoke to royal reporter Robert Jobson who told me: “Only Angela Kelly, her designer, the Royals and their guests know the colour of her hat.”
A Bookmakers.TV spokesperson said: “The market on the colour of Her Majesty’s titfer is a unique one in that without the guide of the exchanges odds compilers have to roll back the years and bet to their opinion which gives rise to differing favourites in a quickly moving market.
“For long running fans of the royal meeting the speculation is an essential part of the day but newer audiences, less likely to be consuming the spectacle as a whole off course, are seemingly less interested. Still, the popularity of the market - which serves primarily as a PR excercise - in sections of the media is showing no sign of waning which is music to the ears of Royal Ascot purists.
“As for day one, the vibes are Her Majesty will opt for a blue number and if that materialises the market vibes will have been spot on. The other two colours we are likely to see this week are green and white, which Her Majesty has worn 11 times since 2005.”
bettingexpert have given us a form guide (below) for all the hat colours worn by the Queen since 2005. Pink and blue have made up 57% of her choices on the Tuesday in that time, while pink has also featured most on the Wednesday and Thursday of the five-day meeting. Green, which the Queen has worn 11 times since 2005, and white, also 11, are her next most-fancied hat colours and look likely to get a showing this week.
Last night William Hill were betting: 3-1 Blue, Pink, 4-1 Green, 6-1 Yellow, 7-1 Purple, 8-1 White, 14-1 Orange, 25-1 Black, Brown and Red. If I get some updated betting I’ll post it here.
💚 | Bookmakers suspend betting on the colour of the Queen's hat - Phillip has had his conkers on! pic.twitter.com/ACMX5qTjfE
— Sun Racing (@SunRacing) June 18, 2019
Updated
Top trainers at Royal Ascot
Sir Michael Stoute 79
Aidan O’Brien 65
John Gosden 47
Mark Johnston 43
Saeed bin Suroor 36
Paul Cole 21
Mick Channon 18
Dermot Weld 17
David Elsworth 16
Roger Charlton 10
James Fanshawe 10
Wesley Ward 10
Aidan O’Brien seeks to be top trainer here for the 10th time, having come out on top for the last four years, during which time he and Ryan Moore have come to dominate the thoughts of Ascot punters. Sir Michael Stoute’s four winners last year finally secured him the all-time record among trainers, carrying him clear of the mark of 75 set by Sir Henry Cecil. He has been top trainer here six times, most recently in 2014, while John Gosden has done it just once, in 2012.
Mustashry, fancied for the Queen Anne, is Stoute’s only runner on Day One. Gosden is busier with four, including two of the top three in the betting for the St James’s Palace Stakes. But all Flat trainers are jealous of Aidan O’Brien, who gets to saddle 11 runners today, though only Arizona is likely to start favourite.
Big claim this ...
Top jockeys at Royal Ascot
Frankie Dettori 60
Ryan Moore 53
Jamie Spencer 26
William Buick 23
Olivier Peslier 16
James Doyle 10
The last person other than Ryan Moore to be top jockey at Royal Ascot was ... ? Yes, Johnny Murtagh in 2013, you knew that. Moore has come out on top here for the last five years and eight times in all, a Piggott-esque period of dominance. He’s 8-11 for a repeat.
Dettori, a 3-1 shot this time, has been top jockey here five times but not since 2004. His four winners last year was a spirited effort for a man in his late 40s who likes to take it easy.
Actually, that’s unfair on the strength of today’s card, since the Italian has got himself a ride in every race, as (more predictably) has Moore.
Here’s how the big two match up for rides today. Moore has the better strength in depth but Dettori has the best chance in Too Darn Hot. He’d be especially sick to see Moore going past on Circus Maximus, as Dettori rode that one in the Derby a fortnight ago.
2.30
Dettori: Hazapour 9-1
Moore: Le Brivido 6-1
3.05
Dettori: Light Angel 20-1
Moore: Arizona 3-1
3.40
Dettori: Imprimis 12-1
Moore: Sergei Prokofiev 10-1
4.20
Dettori: Too Darn Hot 9-4
Moore: Circus Maximus 14-1
5.00
Dettori: Batts Rock 12-1
Moore: Buildmeupbuttercup 13-2
5.35
Dettori: Star Of Bengal 10-1
Moore: Magic Wand 5-1
If you fancy someone else to ride most winners this week, the best odds available are: 5-1 James Doyle, 20-1 Jim Crowley, 33-1 Silvestre De Sousa, 40-1 Oisin Murphy and Donnacha O’Brien, 66-1 or bigger the rest.
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You want to know what’s going to win, right?
Here are our tipster Chris Cook’s selections for the first day. Stay here and we’ll have an in-depth preview from Chris for every race as the afternoon goes on.
2.30 Queen Anne Stakes
Mustashry 11-2
3.05 Coventry Stakes
Threat 11-4
3.40 King’s Stand Stakes
Blue Point 3-1
4.20 St James’s Palace Stakes
Phoenix Of Spain (nap) 2-1
5.00 Ascot Stakes (Handicap)
The Grand Visir (nb) 18-1
5.35 Wolferton Stakes
Star Of Bengal 10-1
Going, going ... all you need to know about the state of the track
The overnight weather and going report from Ascot is that it was dry overnight, as it has been since Sunday morning, though there is still a forecast of possible thundery showers from late morning until tomorrow.
The GoingStick readings are interesting: stands side 8.9, centre 8.9, far side 8.7 and the round course 7.4. That suggests the round course is a fair bit slower than the straight, but also that the straight is borderline good-to-firm.
The only non-runner so far today, incidentally, is The Cashel Man in the Ascot Handicap at 5.00. He’s lame.
ITV's Chapman a non-runner on first day
Hello and welcome to five days of frippery, fantastic racing and financial ruin or riches depending on how your wagers work out on the track. Of course most of the action at Ascot, as always, takes place off the track and our first bit of exclusive news is that ITV Racing’s ebullient and most-watchable (for some) presenter, Matt Chapman, is a non-runner. I spoke to Matt and the reason is ... he’s speechless (for once). He told me why he will be missing (via tic-tac): “[It’s] great news for many TV viewers as for some reason between Windsor on Monday [on his other gig at Sky Sports Racing] and Ascot today my voice has packed in. Absolutely gutted ... but know #TeamITV will smash an amazing Day1”
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Ladbrokes-Coral Royal Ascot tipping competition
You could win a £50 account credit 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.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below the line.
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Preamble
My first big gamble of Royal Ascot week was taking the train to the course despite all the warnings of chaos thanks to a strike on South West Trains, co-incidentally called for the busiest week of the year on the Waterloo-Reading line.
The result? Well, it might be a little different on the way home this evening but thus far, it’s a winner, on the 09.28 from Clapham Junction at any rate. Betting-wise, I should probably quite now while I’m ahead. But it won’t be easy with the best five days of the Flat season now just a few hours’ distant.
The Tuesday card at Ascot is the one that is often referred to as the purist’s afternoon at the Royal meeting, which is another way of saying that it is top-loaded with three of the meeting’s eight Group One races and also tends to attract the smallest crowd of the five days.
The scheduling remains a bit of a puzzle, as it means that almost half of the week’s biggest events have been run by 4.15pm on the first afternoon, and in terms of boosting the live audience for the showpiece races, it might make sense to shift one of the Group Ones towards the end of the week. Change is glacial at Royal Ascot, though, and the counter-argument is that Thursday to Saturday will sell out in any case. The status quo keeps the purists happy too.
My colleague Chris Cook’s tips for the opening day are here, while punters might like to know that pool betting with the Tote promises to offer a little more value this year as an alternative to the bookmakers.
This year’s meeting marks the debut of World Pool, a co-mingling exercise between the Tote’s UK operation and the hugely popular pari-mutuel system in Hong Kong. Tote bets placed in either jurisdiction will go into the same pot, which should ensure much stronger pools and therefore more certainty for punters that they will be getting fair odds for their money when the dividend is declared. Nothing, after all, puts a punter off the Tote more thoroughly than a 33-1 winner that pays £16.60 on the machine.
There are a few minor caveats. The Hong Kong tote cannot support races with more than 25 runners, so the Royal Hunt Cup and Saturday’s Wokingham, probably the two biggest betting races of the week, will have only a local pool. It might also not be the best way to back one of this week’s runners from Asia - Lim’s Cruiser goes in the Diamond Jubilee on Saturday and Deirdre, from Japan, runs in tomorrow’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. But for a sport looking for ways to boost its income from betting, World Pool does offer a small sliver of hope.
The Queen will be arriving at around 2pm BST and the first race, as ever, is due off at 2.30pm. As yet, there is little sign of the thunderstorms that were threatened in the overnight forecast – though of course, it’s in their nature to pop up from nowhere – and ground is officially good and good-to-soft in places on the round course.
