Royal Ascot not being Royal Ascot a week to savour
There were no crowds and no royalty; no fashions and no bookmakers. Royal Ascot this year may have lacked spectacle and colour but the action more than made up for that and this will go down as a memorable meeting for the right reasons too now. For equine brilliance nothing was going to match Stradivarius, who with conditions all against him on Thursday after torrential rain all night and all day, turned the Gold Cup into a procession. We may not have had the Queen actually present (and that meant no Royal procession of course) but she had a hugely popular winner in Tactical on Wednesday, which was especially welcome at Windsor Castle where she was watching in, after another of her runners had gone so close earlier on the card.
Magnificent 7️⃣.@FrankieDettori claims a seventh top jockey title at #RoyalAscot.
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) June 20, 2020
Which was your favourite win? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qjLuGZsrYe
The distaff side was again on show when Hayley Turner followed up her victory in last year’s Sandringham in the same race this year on Thursday and Hollie Doyle had her breakthrough success the day after. Saturday seemed as if it was going to be all about the biggest-riced winner ever at the meeting after Nando Parrado won at 150-1 but in the end the day and the week belonged ultimately to someone who has mastered this track like no one else and who transcends the sport: Lanfranco (Frankie) Dettori, who came from what looked an impossible position on the final day to win the jockeys’ title for the meeting with a hat-trick. It’s a pity about his statue which was commissioned after he famously rode seven winners at Ascot in 1996. It’s not as bad as the Cristiano Ronaldo farrago but it deserves to come down while the jockey just grows higher and higher in estimation – it’s no exaggeration to say he’s one of the world’s great sportsmen and he’s going to be sorely missed when he hangs up his saddle. See you next year!
Updated
Queen Alexandra (4.40pm) result
1 Who Dares Wins (Tom Marquand) Evens Fav
2 The Grand Visir (R Kingscote) 11-4
3 Mukha Magic (B A Curtis) 40-1
9 ran
Also: 4-1 Nate The Great 4th
Updated
Queen Alexandra (4.40pm)
They’re off ... Adrrastos leads in the early stages of this marathon race ... Nate The Great is prominent ... Monsieur Co already being niggled ... Mukha Magic is up with the leaders ... Who Dares Wins being pushed along in the home straight ... but he holds on and takes the lead and holds on from The Grand Visir.
Updated
Queen Alexandra (4.40pm) betting
- Who Dares Wins – 1/1
- The Grand Visir – 11/4
- Nate the Graet – 6/1
- Adrrastos – 14/1
- Fun Mac – 18/1
- Itsafreebee – 33/1
- Monsieur Co – 80/1
- Mukha Magic – 80/1
- Affluence – 150/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Queen Alexandra (4.40pm) preview
Last and by all means least is this marathon race for an odd collection of horses, including a couple of jumpers making their Flat debuts at the ages of seven and eight. Who Dares Wins is not one of those and would be a very plausible winner, having been placed in three Chester Cups. More recently, he took his jumps form to a new level by landing the Pendil, a Grade Two novice chase, in February. He comes from the Alan King yard that has form figures of 121 here this week. The Grand Visir can’t quite match those achievements but he is already a Royal Ascot winner, having landed the Ascot Stakes last year. He became disappointing after that and has a bit to prove now. Nate The Great ran third in the Derby Trial last year but lost his form and was gelded and moved to Andrew Balding. Better than third was expected for his reappearance run but he’s an interesting contender here for a yard that has won the race twice; plodding on forever just might be his thing.
Wokingham Handicap (4.10pm) result
1 Hey Jonesy (Kevin Stott) 18-1
2 Summerghand (James Doyle) 15-2
3 Spanish City (Andrea Atzeni) 16-1
4 Gulliver (R L Moore) 12-1
22 ran
Also: 5-1 Fav Bielsa
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (4.10pm)
They’re off ... Soldier’s Mate breaks fast ... Stone Of Destiny is up there ... and has the lead ... but Hey Jonesy goes for it with Summerghand and they go past together. Photograph! Looks like if it’s Hey Jonesy it is quite some day for Kevin Stott. And is is Hey Jonesy and Stotty!
Updated
Here’s Chris Cook’s report on the biggest shock in Royal Ascot history
Wokingham Handicap (4.10pm) betting
- Bielsa – 4/1
- Highland Dress – 15/2
- Summerghand – 8/1
- Jacks Point – 10/1
- Gulliver – 12/1
- Spanish City – 16/1
- Tinto – 10/1
- Arecibo – 20/1
- Angel Alexander – 20/1
- Mr Lupton – 25/1
- Silent Echo – 25/1
- Stone of Destiny – 25/1
- Danzeno – 28/1
- Dazzling Dan – 28/1
- Air Raid – 33/1
- Recon Mission- 33/1
- Hey Jonesey – 50/1
- Konchek – 50/1
- No Nonsense – 50/1
- Soldiers Minute – 80/1
- Teruntum Star – 125/1
- Full Oddschecker betting here
Wokingham Handicap (4.10pm) preview
Kevin Ryan, who won this with York Glory seven years ago, has the likely favourite in Bielsa, the winner of four of his five starts. The Portland, in which he was 15th as favourite, may have come too soon, just a fortnight after his previous race. On the other hand, this is much tougher than any of the races he has won and he’s not a convincing source of value. Summerghand, another Yorkshire raider, is also proving popular and there’s no question that he can land a race like this, having been placed last year in the Stewards’ Cup, the Great St Wilfrid and the Ayr Gold Cup. James Doyle is an encouraging booking but Arecibo, the mount of the yard’s first jockey, Danny Tudhope, is attracting support too at slightly bigger odds. Arecibo looks a doubtful stayer over a stiff six, however. Highland Dress, from the Archie Watson yard that is all about speed, won decisively at Newmarket last time and surely has more to offer. His half-brother was fifth in the Champions Sprint last year. Jack’s Point is back for more after running second at 66-1 in the Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. He made the running then, so ought to have enough pace to go with them in this shorter race.
That win for Kevin Stott clearly meant a lot to the rider:
Kevin Stott wiping away tears. Super scenes. 👏
— Declan Rix (@HawkWing2002) June 20, 2020
Dramatic finish to the Diamond Jubilee with first winner at Royal Ascot for jockey Kevin Stott ...
Hello Youmzain wins the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes! #RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/doovEnyfC9
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2020
Diamond Jubilee Stakes (3.35pm) result
1 Hello Youmzain (Kevin Stott) 4-1
2 Dream Of Dreams (R L Moore) 8-1
3 Sceptical (L Dettori) 2-1 Fav
10 ran
Also: 13-2 Khaadem 4th
Updated
Diamond Jubilee Stakes (3.35pm)
They’re off ... Hello Youmzain is fast away but Sands Of Mail joins him ... and he is way over the far side ... on his own ... Khaadem is near the rail and fighting hard with Sceptical challenging but Hello Youmzain rallies and holds on.
Updated
We are going to miss Frankie Dettori so much when he hangs up his saddle. Let’s hope it’s not for a few years yet.
😃 Ascot's biggest smile belongs to @FrankieDettori
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2020
Watch LIVE
📺 ITV
💻 https://t.co/8QDVIeRIbJ pic.twitter.com/I1rlbhPxcK
Diamond Jubilee Stakes (3.35pm) betting
- Sceptical – 3/1
- Hello Youmzain – 5/1
- One Master – 13/2
- Khadeem – 15/2
- Dream of Dreams – 8/1
- Speak in Colours – 16/1
- Shine So Bright – 18/1
- The Tin Man – 21/1
- Sands of Mali – 25/1
- Breathtaking Look – 33/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker here
Diamond Jubilee Stakes (3.35pm) preview
A smaller field than usual lines up for the last Group One prize of the week, with much of the interest lying in the progressive Irish raider, Sceptical. Amazingly, this Godolphin cast-off was sold for just £2,800 in August. He has pace to burn but the last furlong could be a long one, depending on how much juice remains in the ground. One Master is being backed against him as people recall her excellent second on heavy in the Champions Sprint here in October. She has normally been seen over further and perhaps this will be too sharp for her but she got within two lengths of Advertise in the Maurice de Gheest last summer, on ground officially described as good. Hello Youmzain will presumably be on the front end, having made all in the Haydock Sprint Cup. He weakened in the Champions Sprint but the ground will be much less testing now. Khaadem, the Stewards’ Cup winner, hasn’t yet proved he belongs at this level but he’s still young. That is not true of The Tin Man, older than any winner for at least 50 years. Dream Of Dreams was beaten just a head by Blue Point in this a year ago but disappointed three times after that.
I thought we couldn’t top the Thursday of Royal Ascot and Stradivarius in the Gold Cup but what a day already – the biggest-priced winner in Royal Ascot history and now a Frankie Dettori hat-trick!
Frankie Dettori wins the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes with success aboard Palace Pier at Royal @Ascot for trainer John Gosden 🏆 pic.twitter.com/CCONkSHcIh
— Racenews (@RacenewsService) June 20, 2020
St James's Palace Stakes (3pm) result
1 Palace Pier (L Dettori) 4-1
2 Pinatubo (W Buick) 11-8 Fav
3 Wichita (R L Moore) 9-4
7 ran
Updated
St James Palace Stakes (3pm)
They’re off ... Royal Dornoch leads ... Wichita is pushed up to lead ...Pinatubo comes to challenge ... but is nabbed by Palace Pier ... and a hat-trick for Frankie Dettori!
Updated
St James' Palace Stakes (3pm) betting
- Pinatubo – 11/8
- Wichita – 9/4
- Palace Pier – 9/2
- Positive – 16/1
- Threat – 20/1
- Arizona – 40/1
- Royal Dornoch – 66/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker
St James' Palace Stakes (3pm) preview
What to make of Pinatubo? He was undoubtedly magnificent last season, including on this very day a year back, but the Guineas seemed to show that others had caught up. The alternative explanation is that they just couldn’t get him fit enough at home because everything comes so easily to him, and the Guineas will have got him cherry ripe for this. Inserting a bend into the race ought to help him. Even so, it’s a surprise to see him taking over as favourite from Wichita, an impressive looker who has improved since last year. Arizona, the Coventry winner last year, is surely here to set the race up for Wichita with a strong pace and it may very well work. Palace Pier is the sexy, Gosden-trained improver and Lord knows those types need respect. Soft ground would have been a worry but it may be riding nearly good by this stage. Threat’s form seems to leave him short of this standard but Positive is a surprisingly big price at 20-1 in places, having beaten Kameko in the Solario. He needs to be forgiven a poor effort in the Dewhurst but this ground will not be as testing and his stable won a Group One on Friday.
Coronation Stakes (2.25pm) result
1 Alpine Star (L Dettori) 9-2
2 Sharing (Oisin Murphy) 16-5
3 Quadrilateral (Jason Watson) 2-1 Fav
7 ran
Also: 12-1 So Wonderful 4th
Updated
Coronation Stakes (2.25pm)
They’re off ... Run Wild leads with Cloak Of Spirits trying to close ... Cloak Of Spirits goes for home with Alpine Star just getting through on the inside to win from fast-finishing Sharing. Frankie Dettori winner again!!!
Updated
Coronation Stakes (2.25pm) betting
- Quadrilateral – 5/2
- Alpine Star – 4/1
- Run Wild – 11/2
- Sharing – 17/2
- Cloak of Spirits - 17/2
- So Wonderful – 10/1
- Love Locket – 16/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker
Coronation Stakes (2.25pm) preview
Was it the tongue tie that dunnit? Quadrilateral was far too free in the Guineas, when that equipment was fitted for the first time, and didn’t drop the bit for the first half-mile. In the circumstances, staying on for third was a fair effort. She needs to settle this time and then find a turn of foot in the straight, which could be the tricky part for a filly who may need 10 furlongs at some stage. Alpine Star is an exciting prospect making her return to action, a half-sister to Alpha Centauri who had some classy fillies behind in the Debutante. She doesn’t want the ground to dry too much. It’s interesting that Oisin Murphy, who normally rides Run Wild, appears to have been let off to ride the US raider Sharing. A Breeders’ Cup winner, she looked to have held her form in a winning return four weeks ago. She and Quadrilateral are the only top-class winners in the field and the extra fortnight to recover since her last race gives her an edge.
Journo Melissa Jones believes what we think is true ... that looks like the biggest-priced winner ever at Royal Ascot ...
Think it is the longest price winner ever. There has been a couple at 100/1 - Fox Chapel (1990) and Flashmans Papers (100/1) https://t.co/qwtW1iq1Zs
— Melissa Jones (@fillyonform) June 20, 2020
What a price for the winner of the Coventry Stakes! Nando Parrado is victorious for trainer Clive Cox at 150-1! Is that the biggest-priced winner in Royal Ascot history? Someone will tell us ...
Coventry Stakes (1.50pm) result
1 Nando Parrado (A Kirby) 150-1
2 Qaader (Jim Crowley) 3-1
3 Saeiqa (M Dwyer) 25-1
15 ran
Also: 5-2 Fav Admiral Nelson, 7-1 Dark Lion 4th
Non Runner: 9
Coventry Stakes (1.50pm)
They’re off ... Thunder of Niagara is fast out with Creative Force ... Lauded travels well ... Nando Parrado has the lead ... and holds off the big gamble Qaader.
Updated
Here’s the inevitable Frankie Dettori flying dismount after his victory in the Queen Mary Stakes ...
😆 "I'll do it if she sits still!" -@FrankieDettori flies after winning on Campanelle
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2020
Watch LIVE
📺 @ITV
💻 https://t.co/8QDVIeRIbJ pic.twitter.com/ddzja3r1dD
Coventry Stakes (1.50pm) betting
- Admiral Nelson – 11/4
- Qaader – 5/1
- Lauded – 11/1
- Dark Lion – 11/1
- Talbot 12/1
- Creative Force – 12/1
- Existent – 14/1
- Saeiqa – 28/1
- Thunder of Niagara – 33/1
- Science – 33/1
- Painless Potter – 40/1
- Army of India – 40/1
- Igotatext – 50/1
- Choritzo – 80/1
- Nando Parrado – 100/1
- Full Oddschecker betting here
Some race in prospect here ...
Wesley Ward tells @AtTheRaces that speedy Queen Mary winner Campanelle will run in the Prix Morny.
— Geoffrey Riddle (@Louchepunter) June 20, 2020
Dandalla and The Lir Jet connections also looking at that Deauville race. 🔥
Coventry Stakes (1.50pm) preview
Aidan O’Brien also has the favourite for this juvenile race and his record here is rather stronger than in the Queen Mary. He is, in fact, the leading trainer of all time with nine winners, including Arizona just last year. Admiral Nelson seeks to make it a nice, round 10 and he certainly seemed to have plenty of boot in scoring at the Curragh eight days ago. This is an extra furlong on deader ground at a stiffer track, so seeing out the finish may be a challenge and that’s where Qaader could prove a threat. Mark Johnston’s impressive specimen couldn’t keep a straight line but pulled nicely clear of his opposition at Newbury on the same afternoon as Admiral Nelson won and looks a real talent. Creative Force had things his own way at Newmarket and might need time and another furlong or two to show his best but the runner-up that day was third in the Norfolk on Friday, so there is some substance to the form. Dark Lion, who was fourth, will know a bit more this time and can close the gap. Talbot finished to good effect in scoring at Lingfield and this stiffer test ought to bring some improvement.
Great stuff here with Wesley Ward, the American trainer of the winner of the Queen Mary ...
“We’re going crazy here!” – Wesley Ward speaks to @skysportsAlexH from Kentucky as he celebrates his 11th #RoyalAscot victory… pic.twitter.com/XASim6mkCy
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2020
Queen Mary Stakes (1.15pm) result
1 Campanelle (L Dettori) 9-2
2 Sacred (James Doyle) 5-1
3 Caroline Dale (David Egan) 100-1
18 ran
Also: Evens Fav More Beautiful, 20-1 Sardinia Sunset 4th
Non Runners: 3,9
Updated
Queen Mary Stakes (1.15pm)
They’re off ... Caroline Dale starts fast ... Sardinia Sunset is up there ... Sacred makes a move ... Campanelle takes the lead for America from Sacred and quickens up better to take the prize back to the States. That’s Frankie Dettori riding his fourth winner at the meeting. Prepare for another flying dismount!
Updated
Queen Mary Stakes (1.15pm) betting
- More Beautiful – 6/5
- Sacred – 5/1
- Campanelle – 11/2
- Happy Romance – 12/1
- Sardinia Sunset – 16/1
- Sands of Time – 16/1
- Dickiedooda – 18/1
- Mamba WAmba – 25/1
- Pelekai – 28/1
- Royal Approval – 28/1
- Grammata – 40/1
- Wings of a Dove – 50/1
- Caroline Dale – 80/1
- Risque – 100/1
- Scarlet Bear – 100/1
- Sparkling Perry – 125/1
- Star of Emaraaty – 125/1
- The Good Thing – 250/1
- Full betting at Oddschecker
A flying start to the final day of Royal Ascot for jockey William Buick as he partners Chiefofchiefs to win the Silver Wokingham Handicap
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 20, 2020
And it's a second winner of the week for trainer @FellowesRacing 🏆🏆#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/Bb6y9P8Bmu
Queen Mary Stakes (1.15pm) preview
It’s slightly surprising that Aidan O’Brien has never won a Queen Mary but he has a great chance to change that with More Beautiful, who beat 15 rivals on her debut at Naas last week. She has a fine pedigree, as a half-sister to Saxon Warrior, but it wouldn’t necessarily point to five furlongs and perhaps something will do her for pace. Campanelle must be a contender on her zippy showing at Gulfstream and, unlike most of Wesley Ward’s, she has a European pedigree and so is not instantly vulnerable to a bit of mud. By contrast, William Haggas’s Sacred is a product of US breeding and could do with it drying if she’s to reproduce her strong-travelling Newmarket success, which promised much. Happy Romance showed the benefit of a previous outing when scoring easily over two rivals at Sandown last weekend and her trainer, Richard Hannon, will presumably be keen to land a race his father won five times.
Silver Wokingham Handicap (12.40pm) result
1 Chiefofchiefs (W Buick) 20-1
2 Burmese Waltz (D Tudhope) 22-1
3 Nahaarr (James Doyle) 4-1
4 Louie de Palma (A Kirby) 25-1
19 ran
Also: 7-2 Fav Blue Mist
Non Runners: 2,16,19,22
Withdrawn: 1
No 1 Swindler (9-2) was withdrawn not under orders. Rule 4 applies to
all bets. Deduct 15p in the £.
Silver Wokingham Handicap (12.40pm)
They’re off ... Swindler didn’t go in the stalls! Won’t run! Naughty boy!! Vintage Brew in the lead and off to the stands rails ... Golden Apollo is there ... Nahaarr gets the lead ... Chiefofchiefs begins to get on top with the fast-finishing Burmese Waltz and takes the opener on the final day.
Updated
Market movers
I’m reading from details sent to me that the turnover is up hugely this week. “Royal Ascot has seen over £250m spent on bets, which is £100m more than what was wagered during the 2019 meeting, coupled with the restart of football which is set to bring in another £100-£150m”, said Alexander Kostin of americangambler.com.
As far as today is concerned, Chris Cook tells me: Blue Mist, Nahaarr and Swindler have all come in for support in our opening race, Nahaar being 9-2 from 14-1 this morning. In the Diamond Jubilee, Speak In Colours (tipped by Pricewise) is a general 14s from 25-1 in a place but Sceptical is not weak and the 4-1 has gone. Run Wild, the supposedly sexy Gosden runner in the Coronation, has been allowed to drift to 13-2 from a top price of 5s this morning, while Quadrilateral looks strong at 9-4. Pinatubo has not lost his popularity, being down to 6-4 for the St James’s Palace, from a bit of 2-1 this morning. No one seems to want Threat, a 16-1 shot from 11s. A few are being backed in the Wokingham, including Jack’s Point, no bigger than 10s after being a general 18-1.
Updated
Silver Wokingham Handicap (12.40pm) betting
Blue Mist - 4/1
Nahaarr - 5/1
Swindler - 13/2
Aplomb - 7/1
Embour - 14/1
Louise De Palma - 18/1
Brmese Waltz - 22/1
Woves - 25/1
Count DOrsay - 25/1
Magical Wish - 33/1
Huperfoucus - 33/1
Total Committment - 33/1
Dirty Rascal - 40/1
Flavius Titus - 40/1
Bar - 66/1
Full betting at Oddschecker
Silver Wokingham Handicap (12.40pm) preview
It hasn’t been a rewarding Ascot for William Haggas so far but he appears to have a strong contender in Aplomb, who has halved in price to 4-1 favourite for what we are told will be the one and only running of this race. Versatile as to ground, he progressed through his three-year-old season and just didn’t have the pace for five furlongs on his return. Nahaarr gives Haggas a fine second string and should also be the better for his first run back. Roger Charlton’s Blue Mist has his fans, despite having run into a good one at Newbury eight days ago. He ran well to be third of 23 behind Raising Sand here last summer.
Swindler is a classy animal with more to offer, despite his reappearance flop, but he needs the ground to dry out. Count D’Orsay, whose yard won the opener on Friday, might find this stiff six a bit far. Dirty Rascal seems unjustly neglected at 33-1, having beaten all 17 rivals in a Glorious Goodwood handicap last summer. Big-field contests evidently suit, as he was second of 22 in a sales race at two. His final run of last year suggests he may still be ahead of his rating and his low-profile trainer has had winners since resumption.
Updated
Crikey ... eight races today ... better get on with it ...
We usually like to pepper the timeline with the famous going to the races on the racing live blogs – we’ll have to do with this today ...
Top trainer
John Gosden 5 wins
Aidan O’Brien 4
Roger Varian 4
Alan King 2
Mark Johnston 1
Andrew Balding 1
Charlie Hills 1
William Muir 1
Michael Bell 1
Karl Burke 1
Owen Burrows 1
Paul & Oliver Cole 1
Clive Cox 1
Tim Easterby 1
Charlie Fellowes 1
Richard Hannon 1
William Knight 1
In a week which has seen very few runners from other Irish stables, it is impressive that O’Brien has been able to have what, for him, is a normal Royal Ascot. With eight races to go, he has already matched the total he reached here two years ago and is only one shy of last year’s tally - and that’s without being able to field a single runner in the handicaps this time! Gosden seeks to become top trainer for just the second time, having done it with five winners in 2012. I fancy he’ll need at least one more winner from his four runners today, as O’Brien has two favourites among his seven runners and is well ahead in the tie-breaking category of runners-up.
Top trainer best odds:
4-6 O’Brien, 11-10 Gosden, 40-1 Varian.
Top jockey
Jim Crowley 6 wins
Ryan Moore 4
Frankie Dettori 3
James Doyle 3
Oisin Murphy 2
Andrea Atzeni 1
Silvestre de Sousa 1
Martin Dwyer 1
William Buick 1
Ben Curtis 1
Hollie Doyle 1
Thore Hammer Hansen 1
Adam Kirby 1
Rossa Ryan 1
Hayley Turner 1
Fancied rides on Elarqam and Durston came to nothing for the high-flying Crowley on Friday but perhaps his job is done for the week. His big mistake has been to not finish second at any stage, so he’ll lose under the tie-breaking rules if anyone manages to match his winner’s total. His final four rides include Qaader, second-favourite in the Coventry. Moore has twice as many rides today, including the favourites for the Coventry and the Queen Mary, plus an obvious chance on Wichita. Dettori has five rides to come, including two fancied Irish raiders in Sceptical and Alpine Star. James Doyle isn’t out of this yet, as his seven rides include One Master, Sacred and Summerghand and there are also a couple of lively ones among Oisin Murphy’s eight bookings.
Top jockey best odds:
4-9 Crowley, 2-1 Moore, 20-1 Dettori, 50-1 Doyle.
Now No4 in the last race, Imphal, has sent in his self-certificate. He’s not running either.
Going and non-runners update
Here are the latest details from the track. I like the idea of the self-certificate; can imagine this week’s runaway winner Dandalla getting up and saying ‘I’m not doing that again today!’
#Turf
— Carlos Delfino (@CarlosGDelfino) June 19, 2020
Dominio irlandés (1-2-3) en el Albany Stakes (G3-1200m) de #RoyalAscot: Dandalla se impuso por 6 cuerpos y mantuvo el invicto en su segunda salida. Su jockey, Ben Curtis, obtuvo 12 victorias en los últimos 14 días. pic.twitter.com/qvjgZpP1PH
Going for the fifth and final day of Royal Ascot:
Straight Course: Good
Round Course: Good to Soft, Good in places
Stalls
Straight Course: Centre. Round Course: Inside
Non-runners
12.40pm Silver Wokingham Handicap
2 Open Wide (Going)
16 Pass The Vino (Going)
19 Sir Maximilian (Vet’s Certificate, infection)
22 Gunmetal (Self Certificate, infected foot)
1.15pm Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)
3 Dandalla (Self Certificate, other)
9 Nurse Florence (Self Certificate, off colour)
1.50pm Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
9 Mehmo (Going)
4.10pm Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap)
12 Bella Fever (Going)
5 Mubakker (Going)
4.40pm Queen Alexandra Stakes
6 Mekong (Self Certificate, off colour)
Updated
Our regular reader will know that only two racing scribes (one each from the Racing Post and the Press Association) are actually at the track this week owing to Covid-19 restrictions which means we might miss the big stories. Please forgive us.
In his Telegraph column today in 2009, racing writer Marcus Armytage revealed that Royal Ascot racegoers had been caught in the act of smuggling a parrot (on owner's shoulder) and a cat ('impeccably dressed in a bow tie') into the course.
— Graham Sharpe (@sharpeangle) June 20, 2020
Updated
Welcome to Super Saturday ...
I’ve been so impressed by the determination of all involved with this Royal Ascot to make sure we are entertained. It shows, for example, in the inventiveness of ITV’s faux Zoom songs around the bandstand at the end of racing and also in the sheer number of races.
It would not have occurred to me, if organising this hopefully one-off, behind closed doors Ascot, to add in a bunch of new handicaps and take the total number of races to a record 36 over the five days. Handicaps are, of course, a danger to anyone’s wallet and I can’t say the new ones have done me any good. But they also represent an opportunity and I still have hopes of today’s Silver Wokingham.
Their addition must have been a good idea because I’ve enjoyed every race and I already have that dull feeling inside that comes from knowing it’s almost over and there is no Royal Ascot card to study for tomorrow. Or maybe it’s a heady mix of sleep deprivation and frustration at some of the outcomes ...
Anyway, said Silver Wokingham will be along to lift our spirits in a matter of two hours or so. If you can’t bring yourself to have a punting interest, pretend you’re the commentator and try to learn the colours for these 24 sprint handicappers, most of whom haven’t been seen since last year. Or pretend you’re a tipster and try to guess what the going will turn out to be and where the jockeys will steer their horses, as a first step towards working out what might actually happen.
It will be the first action on an enormous, unprecedented eight-race card at the Queen’s venue that includes the two top-class mile races for three-year-olds that are among my favourite races for the whole year. The St James’s Palace Stakes would normally be run on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot but has been held back this year to give the Guineas horses a few more days to recover, a decision rewarded by the renewed rivalry between Wichita and Pinatubo, the placed horses at Newmarket.
In normal years, the Saturday card is not the most friendly for punters, in my view, being dominated by big-field sprints and the baffling enigma that is the Queen Alexandra. But today’s card has something for everyone who enjoys a bit of Flat racing, including the Coventry, with a thoroughly unexposed 16-runner field containing the next favourite for the 2,000 Guineas of 2021 somewhere in their midst.
There has been no more rain since racing ended on Friday and, although there is a risk of showers, the going is expected to dry out slowly through the day. It is officially good on the straight course, while the round course remains good to soft with good places.
Jim Crowley is back to try and add to the six winners of the best week of his racing life. Those hardened competitors Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori will prevent him from becoming top jockey here if they can.
Enjoy it, be lucky and if you’re feeling deflated at the end of it all, remember that the virus-enforced compression of this season is here to help us; the Derby will be along in just a fortnight!
Many thanks to all who took part in our tipping competitions this week! Our winners will be contacted by email by close of business on Monday. They were:
Tuesday: Borsot
Wednesday: melonk
Thursday: MyBismarcks
Friday: Dilton1
We’re not running a tipping competition today, as we’ve found in the past that Saturday attracts fewer players. But do please share your selections and fancies below.
The Saturday of Royal Ascot - which always draw the highest crowd - is the poorest card of the week normally but not this year and though I’ve said this numerous times before maybe this is the time that Ascot think about top-heavy-with-Group-Ones-Tuesday. David Johnson of Timeform agrees with me ...
This week has shown there's no need to be precious of running order based on precedent and reducing that top-heavy Group 1 Tuesday should be considered strongly on permanent basis.
— David Johnson (@davidjohnsonTF) June 20, 2020
Today's tips
Click here for full details and analysis of today’s card
12.40pm Silver Wokingham Handicap
Dirty Rascal 33-1 (40-1 in places)
1.15pm Queen Mary Stakes
Campanelle 6-1
1.50pm Coventry Stakes
Qaader 11-4
2.25pm Coronation Stakes
Sharing (nb) 13-2
3.00pm St James’s Palace Stakes
Wichita 9-4
3.35pm Diamond Jubilee Stakes
One Master (nap) 9-2
4.10pm Wokingham Handicap
Summerghand 8-1
4.40pm Queen Alexandra Stakes
Nate The Great 13-2
Which would mean two different US trainers winning on the same day, surely unprecedented for Royal Ascot. Those who don’t like that idea can take comfort in the fact that both Campanelle and Sharing are on the drift as I type.
It’s overcast here in north London but apparently the sun is (or at least has been) shining at Ascot where it was a dry night. Clerk of the course Chris Stickels has the latest going news ...
It's the final day of Royal Ascot 2020 and the sun is shining!
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 20, 2020
Here is Clerk of the Course, Chris Stickels, with the latest on the going and conditions ahead of what promises to be a thrilling Saturday #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/DRN2UBzLyG
Can Wichita claim glory?
