Royal Ascot: day four wrap
French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget saddled his second consecutive Coronation Stakes winner, sending out Qemah to win the day’s feature race in the capable hands of jockey Gregory Benoist, who recorded his first Royal Ascot winner. On a day of several surprises, perhaps the most popular result of the day came in the Commonwealth Cup, when one-time jump jockey justified favouritism and his decision to switch to Flat racing by winning the Coronation Cup on the Karl Burke-trained Quiet Reflection for the jubilant Ontoawinner syndicate. The success marked Burke’s first Royal Ascot winner and first Group One success on UK soil.
In the opening Albany Stakes, Brave Anna, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Seamie Heffernan, held off a late run from Bletchley to land the prize in a photo finish. In the following race, Frankie Dettori and Sir Michael Stoute teamed up to win the King Edward VII Stakes with 7-1 shot Across The Stars, who bounced back from a disappointing run in the Derby to win it’s Royal Ascot equivalent.
The days penultimate race, the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes was won by Kinema and Fran Berry, although the horse’s connections had to suffer an agonising wait for a stewards inquiry after the winner blocked a potentially winning run from the luckless Ryan Moore on Kings Fete, who eventually finished third. Aidan O’Brien made it two wins on the day when 33-1 shot Sword Fighter won the Queen’s Vase under a wonderful front-running ride from Colm O’Donoghue.
Queen's Vase (5.35) result
1 Sword Fighter (C O’Donoghue) 33-1
2 Harbour Law (G Baker) 8-1
3 Twilight Payment (K J Manning) 20-1
18 ran
Also: 10-3 Fav Landofhopeandglory 4th
Non Runner: 5
CSF: 284.24
Tricast: 5447.72
Queen's Vase (5.35) 2m
They turn for home and Sword Fighter leads on the rails from Harbour Law ... Sword Fighter keeps plugging away and girmly hangs in there to win bravely from H|arbour Law and Twilight Payment. I’ll need to confirm those minor placings, but Sword Fighter wins the Queen’s Vase for jockey Colm O’Donoghue and and trainer Aidan O’Brien. Colin O’Donoghue gave that horse a brilliant ride.
Updated
Queen's Vase (5.35) 2m
Sword Fighter leads by a couple of lengths from Harbour Law, with Soldier In Action in third and Cole Porter in fourth ... about 15 lengths separates first from last ... Sword fighter continues to lead, with about five lengths between him and Harbour Law, who is two lengths clear of Soldier In Action and Girling ...
Queen's Vase (5.35) 2m
Apologies for not bringing you the betting - technical issues and all that! Landofhopeandglory (4-1), Ormito (9-2) and Ebediyin (4-1) led the market. They’re away and running in the final race of the day, a listed race for three-year-olds Ormito got very agitated in the stalls under David Probert, but went away safely ...
Jockey change ...
Kieren Fallon replaces John Velazquez on No19 Saga Sprint.
That definitely looked like Ryan didn't want to say anything that might lose Fran the race given he wasn't going to win it.
— Simon Clare (@SiClare) June 17, 2016
Queen's Vase (5.35) preview
Dermot Weld, who recently trained the Derby winner, has a fine chance of further glory here with Ebediyin, from one of the Aga Khan’s many talented families and a winner at Naas last time when he appeared to relish the step up in distance. His mother was sister to two horses that won the Gold Cup around here.
Ormito is the leading British contender after plodding on behind the principals in Derby trials at Chester and Goodwood. Aidan O’Brien, who has a fine record in this race with four successes in the past nine years, saddles three. Landofhopeandglory is the mount of Ryan Moore and therefore appears the number one from Ballydoyle but hasn’t won since his maiden and looks slow.
Stewards inquiry result ...
“The placings remain unaltered and the jockeys have weighed in.”
Ryan Moore saying very little in the stewards enquiry apart from "yes" when asked if he thought he would have won the race #RoyalAscot
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
Stewards inquiry ...
In the televised stewards inquiry, winning jockey Fran Berry says his horse hung into the whip and argues that the gap Ryan Moore went for was a bit too tight. For his part, Elite Army’s jockey James Doyle says his horse’s back end was knocked by Kinema. It’s Elite Army who’ll get the race if Kinema is judge to have caused deliberate interference.
"My gut feeling is yes he would have won" - says @mcGracing about KING FETE, but if anything changes, ELITE ARMY gets the win #RoyalAscot
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
"The best horse won the day I'm sure. Please God everything's OK," says Kinema's jockey @Franmberry
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
Duke of Edinburgh (5.00)
1 Kinema (F M Berry) 8-1*
2 Elite Army (James Doyle) 9-2 Fav
3 Kings Fete (R L Moore) 13-2
4 First Sitting (G Baker) 14-1
19 ran
CSF: 42.78
Tricast: 265.13
*Stewards inquiry
Updated
Stewards Enquiry
A stewards’ enquiry has been called as there was clear interference on Ryan Moore’s mount Kings Fete, who was blocked by Kinema as he went for a gap while coming with a strong, strong run.
Duke of Edinburgh Handicap (5.00) 1m 4f
Hamelin takes an early lead as the horses set off on the mile-and-a-half trip, before A Soldier’s Life takes up the running ... A Soldier’s Life leads from Elite Army in a military one-two, with Hamelin bowling along in third ... on the turn for home A Soldier’s Life leads them around the bend but is soon taken on by Elite Army ... Elite Army kicks for home two furlongs out with Kinema and Kings Fete ... Kinema wins with a late run under Fran Berry. This one could go to the stewards, as Kings Fete went for a gap while travelling strongly and was blocked off.
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (5.00) betting
- Elite Army 5-1
- Rare Rhythm 7-1
- Kings Fete 8-1
- Fabricate 8-1
- Kinema 9-1
-
10-1 bar
This just in ...
Seamie Heffernan has been handed a nine-day whip ban for his winning ride on Brave Anna in the Albany Stakes.
Duke of Edinburgh Handicap (5.00) preview
Talented but fragile, Elite Army tries for an impressive double, having won a different Royal Ascot handicap over this distance two years ago, since when he has raced just twice. He proved his liking for this track when bagging a Listed race last month. His best form has been on a fast surface and his only attempt on soft going became one of his two defeats. Kings Fete is another fancied runner who hasn’t been seen much, running fifth of eight last month on his first try since 2014, which wouldn’t encourage me. Cymro and Kinema have the necessary talent but are both drawn very wide. First Sitting, with a new stable this year, achieved a career peak last time, albeit in a much smaller field.
Coronation Stakes (4.20)
French trainer Jean Claude Rouget wins his second Coronation Stakes in as many years, having triumphed with Ervedya 12 months ago. Ryan Moore will be cursing his luck as he got caught up in serious traffic problems. We can only speculate over the likely outcome if he’d had a clear run, but I suspect nothing would have beaten Qemah today.
Updated
Coronation Stakes (4.20) result
1 Qemah (G Benoist) 6-1
2 Nemoralia (O Peslier) 4-1
3 Alice Springs (R L Moore) 8-1
13 ran
Also: 9-4 Fav Jet Setting, 16-1 Now Or Never 4th
CSF: 30.45
Tricast: 208.44
Updated
Coronation Stakes (4.20) 1m
Jet Setting makes the early running on the rails, followed by Fireglow, Marenko, Nathra and Promising Run ... Jet Setting leads them around the bend with Fireglow challenging ... Quemah takes over in front and wins the Coronation Stakes in the hands of French jockey Gregory Benoist. It’s a photo for second between Nemoralia and Alice Springs. Quemah wins the Coronatino Stakes for trainer Jean Claude Rouget.
Updated
Coronation Stakes (4.20) 1m
We’re running a little behind schedule, with the horses only just gone behind the stalls ahead of today’s feature race. They’re loading them up and we’ll be off very soon.
Coronation Stakes (4.20) betting
- Jet Setting 9-4
- Nemoralia 11-2
- Nathra 11-2
- Qemah 13-2
- Alice Springs 8-1
- Besharah 14-1
- |Fireglow 16-1
-
20-1 bar
Coronation Stakes (4.20) preview
Rarely has a seven-figure payment for a horse been tested for value quite so quickly. Jet Setting fetched £1.3m on Monday evening after her Irish Guineas success last month, when she pipped the mighty Minding. Can she do it again on this drier surface, without a long and galloping straight to help her grind down her rivals? I’m betting against it but then who to choose? Could it be Nemoralia, a rocket that might not spark if there’s still too much juice in the ground? Qemah or Czabo, who will relish any moisture that remains? Marenko, who is growing into herself but hasn’t run on turf this year? I’ll give another chance to the 20-1 shot Tanaza, who seemed to need the run when tiring into seventh behind Jet Setting last time. She has seemed to have plenty of quality in the past and her stable has burst into form lately.
Tom Dascombe speaks ...
Looking disappointed, but sounding extremely dignified in defeat, the trainer of Kachy is at a loss to explain why his charge drifted across the track on to the stands rail only to lose by a whisker. He’s baffled by the horse’s antics, but says he’d rather lose the race to his good friend Karl Burke than anyone else. “Drop him back to five with a pair of blinkers on,” is his rueful suggestion as to what to do with Kachy next.
My God, that was cool from Dougie Costello. Was begging him to push the button about five minutes before he did
— chris cook (@claimsfive) June 17, 2016
A Grade 1 winner at the Cheltenham Festival, @dougiecostello is now a Group 1 winner at #RoyalAscot QUIET REFLECTION https://t.co/RBhpmuLZBv
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
Commonwealth Cup (3.40) result
1 Quiet Reflection (D C Costello) 7-4 Fav
2 Kachy (R Kingscote) 14-1
3 Washington Dc (R L Moore) 8-1
10 ran
Also: 11-1 La Rioja 4th
Non Runners: 1,7
CSF: 30.63
Tricast: 168.43
Updated
Commonwealth Cup (3.40)
Karl Burke notches up his first Group One winner in the UK and will be chuffed to bits with former jump jockey Dougie Costello’s wonderfully timed ride.
Updated
Commonwealth Cup (3.40) 6f
They’re away in the Group One Commonwealth Cup with Log Out Island and Kachy first out of the gates ... Kachy and Log Out Island make the running, with Kachy drifting across the track towards the stand side ... Quiet Reflection comes through down the centre to win from Kachy and Washington DC. Quiet Reflection wins the Coronation Cup for jockey Dougie Costello.
Commonwealth Cup (3.40) betting
- Quiet Reflection 13-8
- Donjuan Triumphant 11-2
- Log Out Island 9-1
- Cheikeljack 8-1
- Washington DC 11-1
- La Rioja 12-1
-
16-1 bar
Stars align for Dettori and Stoute
Across The Stars bounced back from a disappointing run in the Derby to win the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Having finished only 10th at Epsom behind Harzand, he perhaps did not have as hard a race as some there as once his chance had gone he was allowed to coast home.
Frankie Dettori was booked by Sir Michael Stoute for the colt and had him in the perfect position, just behind Ryan Moore who tried to make all on Beacon Rock. Across The Stars was keen enough in the early stages, but Dettori, riding full of confidence, has few peers in getting them to settle.
His mount had to be brave to get through a narrow gap between Beacon Rock and Choreographer and while he took a narrow lead, Beacon Rock would not give in lightly.
Stoute, who has an excellent record in the race, will have liked the way his charge stuck to his task and the 7-1 winner kept the Ballydoyle runner at bay by a length and a quarter.
John Gosden’s Muntahaa made eyecatching late gains from the rear to claim third.
“To win the ‘Ascot Derby’ is great,” said Dettori. “Michael has been hitting the crossbar and I’m pleased to get him a winner. He’s a master trainer and he had this horse well prepared for today. He didn’t come down the hill at Epsom, (but) he handled this track really well and we won.”
Commonwealth Cup (3.40) preview
Just the second running of this top-class sprint for three-year-olds, featuring a lot of horses who showed talent last year but have yet to show they’re quite so good this summer. Illuminate was well beaten in the Guineas but that mile was never going to be her trip. Still, it’s starting to feel like a long time since she showed her best form. Waterloo Bridge won the Norfolk at Royal Ascot last year, while Washington Bridge won the Windsor Castle but only Washington DC has shown a comparable level of form this year. Quiet Reflection is the likely favourite, the winner of five of her six starts, and her cannonball Group Two win at Haydock last time looks the best recent form on offer. Donjuan Triumphant, second that day, is trying to make up a four-length deficit.
Tipped by @Mcgracing on the #MorningLine, ACROSS THE STARS wins the King Edward VII Stakes - 4th win for Dettori https://t.co/F2XsFabKoN
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05) result
1 Across The Stars (L Dettori) 7-1
2 Beacon Rock (R L Moore) 7-2 Fav
3 Muntahaa (P Hanagan) 10-1
9 ran
Also: 16-1 Housesofparliament 4th
CSF: 32.70
Tricast: 250.48
Updated
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05)
That was a great ride from Frankie Dettori, who goes ahead in the leading jockey table with his fourth winner of the week. He won by a length from Beacon Rock, who’d made most of the running.
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05) 1m 4f
Beacon Rock continues to make the running, followed by Choreographer, Across The Stars, Carntop and Housesofparliament and Muntahaa ... the field is separated by 10 lengths as they enter the final four furlongs ... Beacon Rock leads as they turn for home ... Linguistics sets off on a charge from the back ... Beacon Rock is headed by Across The Stars who charges on to win for Frankie Dettori. Across The Stars wins the King Edward VII Stakes.
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05) 1m 4f
One-and-a-half miles is the trip, with Beacon Rock going off the luke warm favourite with Ryan Moore in the saddle. Carntop sets off in front before being passed by Beacon Rock who makes the early running ...
Royal Ascot 1931: Racegoers around the paddock & newly constructed Tote which featured 360 betting windows pic.twitter.com/xIDqOlHlbP
— Histi Pics (@HistiPics) June 17, 2016
King Edward VII Stakers (3.05) betting
- Beacon Rock 4-1
- Carntop 5-1
- Choreographer 11-2
- Humphrey Bogart 8-1
- Linguistic 17-2
- Lustrous Light 8-1
- Across The Stars 11-1
- Muntahaa 11-1
- Housesofparliament 20-1
Brave by name and brave by nature
Brave Anna defied her lengthy odds to win the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot for Aidan O’Brien. O’Brien also supplied the 2-1 favourite for the race in Cuff but the Ryan Moore-ridden filly could not quicken in the final furlong.
Having missed the break Brave Anna and Seamie Heffernan had plenty of ground to make up on the likes of Create A Dream and Sea Of Snow, but the daughter of War Front knuckled down well. She had to live up to her name close home, as Ralph Beckett’s Bletchley and Richard Fahey’s Frankel filly Queen Kindly made her pull out all the stops.
The 16-1 winner crossed the line just a short head in front of Bletchley, with half a length back to Queen Kindly. It was a third Royal Ascot winner for Heffernan, who is a crucial part of the Ballydoyle operation.
The winner is a full-sister to the same owner’s Breeders’ Cup winner Hit It A Bomb.
“She’s a lovely filly and came here on the back of a good win at the Curragh,” said Heffernan. “It’s nice we can pitch up here on the big day and win again. “Aidan told me to give her a chance and hopefully she’d finish out well and that’s what she’s done.”
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05) preview
A poor man’s Derby, this is a mile and a half Group Two for three-year-old males. The standout talent is rather hard to locate, suggesting this is not a quality renewal. Beacon Rock has some workmanlike form to his name but offers little prospect of progress on his eighth start. Humphrey Bogart stayed on to be fifth in the Derby and must be a strong contender. Perhaps Choreographer can improve past him, though, having had no luck in running when a fair seventh in the Dante on just his second start. Carntop, owned by the Prince of Wales, was a close second to Humphrey Bogart at Lingfield in May and should be capable of better, though he may still need more time to mature.
Updated
BRAVE ANNA (16-1), the Aidan O'Brien second string, beats the strong-finishing Bletchley in the Albany Stakes https://t.co/1prkty50Bq
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 17, 2016
Albany Stakes (2.30) result
1 Brave Anna (J A Heffernan) 16-1
2 Bletchley (Oisin Murphy) 16-1
3 Queen Kindly (J P Spencer) 13-2
16 ran
Also: 2-1 Fav Cuff, 11-2 Create A Dream 4th
CSF: 239.89
Tricast: 1926.52
Updated
Albany Stakes (2.30)
Brave Anna wins under Seamus Heffernan in a photo from the fast-finishing Bletchley, who came with a late run down the outside.
Albany Stakes (2.30) 6f
Create A Dream was quick out of the gates with Dainty Dandy prominent too ... past the halfway stage, Kilmah leads with Romantic View making a run ... inside the final two ... Queen Kindly and Brave Anna are duking it out ... Brave Anna wins the Albany for trainer Aidan O’Brien.
A daughter of Frankel runs ...
Queen Kindly is the first foal out of Frankel to run at Royal Ascot and is currently priced up at 6-1 second favourite.
Albany Stakes (2.30) betting
- Cuff 2-1
- Queen Kindly 6-1
- Grizzel 7-1
- Create A Dream 7-1
- Romantic View 12-=1
- Kilmah 12-1
- Bletchley 16-1
- Brave Anna 16-1
The Queen wears coral today ...
Or pink, if you’re as savvy about fashion as this reporter. Call me cynical, but I think those lads at Betting Expert might want to change their twitter handle.
Updated
Listen while you wait ...
Yesterday, I joined comedians Al Murray and And Zaltzman to discuss Royal Ascot, among other subjects, on Andy’s Summer Of Sport podcast. Tune in and subscribe in all the usual places.
Listen to the latest of @ZaltzCricket's Summer of Sport podcasts, with @almurray and @bglendenning https://t.co/kOssXAeaSy
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 17, 2016
Albany Stakes (2.30) preview
Fast, competitive and high-quality stuff to open the card as young fillies compete for this Group Three. Cuff heads the market, from the Aidan O’Brien yard that appears not to prioritise this race, judging by the fact that the Irishman has yet to win it, though he has had a couple of beaten favourites in the past decade. Cuff clearly has quality, winning a Listed race at Naas last time, and should cope with whatever today’s going turns out to be.
Create A Dream comes from the Wesley Ward stable that specialises in precocious juveniles. She won here on her debut last month but that was over a bare five furlongs and she tired at the end. Her target seemed to be the Queen Mary at the time but she comes for this longer race because Ward came up with a stronger Queen Mary candidate in Lady Aurelia. Stamina looks an issue for Create A Dream. Queen Kindly becomes the first foal of Frankel to race at Royal Ascot, following an easy debut win in what was probably a weak race at Catterick. Frankel’s progeny have made a fine start, her mother was also a zippy juvenile and she should go well.
Racing game's the same, just got more fierce ...
Jimmy McNulty from The Wire, best remembered for the strong-language scene below will present the trophy for today’s Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, the fifth race at Royal Ascot. And The Queen has a runner! What a meeting that would be. “And what do you do?” “Ah....”
By Jimmy McNulty, I mean, of course, the noted actor Dominic West who played him and has indeed been highly praised for other more recent roles. I presume he’ll have a sentimental few quid on Harbour Law (5.35) in memory of the time McNulty got reassigned to the police boats in Baltimore harbour as punishment for upsetting the top brass.
Today's non-runners
- 3.40: No1 Buratino, No7 Money Maker
- 5.35: No5 Goldmember
The Queen's Horses
Worth a look for the ridiculously animated regal wave Ryan Moore gets from the Queen on his way back to the winner’s enclosure after winning the Gold Cup on Estimate in 2013.
Royal Ascot top trainers
- Aidan O’Brien: 3 wins
- John Gosden: 2
- Clive Cox: 2
Top jockeys
- Ryan Moore 3
- Frankie Dettori 3
- Adam Kirby 2
- William Buick 2
How to open and pour a bottle of champagne ...
A well-spoken and debonair Frenchman talks us through the myriad complexities of removing the cork from a bottle of fizz and pouring the contents into a flute.
Royal Ascot for dummies
“Royal Ascot! The gayest and loveliest race meeting of the year! Dame Fashion in all her glory reigns supreme!”
Queen's Vase (5.35) preview
Dermot Weld, who recently trained the Derby winner, has a fine chance of further glory here with Ebediyin, from one of the Aga Khan’s many talented families and a winner at Naas last time when he appeared to relish the step up in distance.
His mother was sister to two horses that won the Gold Cup around here. Ormito is the leading British contender after plodding on behind the principals in Derby trials at Chester and Goodwood. Aidan O’Brien, who has a fine record in this race with four successes in the past nine years, saddles three.
Landofhopeandglory is the mount of Ryan Moore and therefore appears the number one from Ballydoyle but hasn’t won since his maiden and looks slow.
Duke of Edinburgh Handicap (5.00) preview
Talented but fragile, Elite Army tries for an impressive double, having won a different Royal Ascot handicap over this distance two years ago, since when he has raced just twice. He proved his liking for this track when bagging a Listed race last month. His best form has been on a fast surface and his only attempt on soft going became one of his two defeats.
Kings Fete is another fancied runner who hasn’t been seen much, running fifth of eight last month on his first try since 2014, which wouldn’t encourage me. Cymro and Kinema have the necessary talent but are both drawn very wide. First Sitting, with a new stable this year, achieved a career peak last time, albeit in a much smaller field.
Coronation Stakes (4.20) preview
Rarely has a seven-figure payment for a horse been tested for value quite so quickly. Jet Setting fetched £1.3m on Monday evening after her Irish Guineas success last month, when she pipped the mighty Minding. Can she do it again on this drier surface, without a long and galloping straight to help her grind down her rivals?
I’m betting against it but then who to choose? Could it be Nemoralia, a rocket that might not spark if there’s still too much juice in the ground? Qemah or Czabo, who will relish any moisture that remains? Marenko, who is growing into herself but hasn’t run on turf this year?
I’ll give another chance to the 20-1 shot Tanaza, who seemed to need the run when tiring into seventh behind Jet Setting last time. She has seemed to have plenty of quality in the past and her stable has burst into form lately.
Commonwealth Cup (3.40) preview
Just the second running of this top-class sprint for three-year-olds, featuring a lot of horses who showed talent last year but have yet to show they’re quite so good this summer. Illuminate was well beaten in the Guineas but that mile was never going to be her trip. Still, it’s starting to feel like a long time since she showed her best form. Waterloo Bridge won the Norfolk at Royal Ascot last year, while Washington Bridge won the Windsor Castle but only Washington DC has shown a comparable level of form this year.
Quiet Reflection is the likely favourite, the winner of five of her six starts, and her cannonball Group Two win at Haydock last time looks the best recent form on offer. Donjuan Triumphant, second that day, is trying to make up a four-length deficit.
King Edward VII Stakes (3.05) preview
A poor man’s Derby, this is a mile and a half Group Two for three-year-old males. The standout talent is rather hard to locate, suggesting this is not a quality renewal. Beacon Rock has some workmanlike form to his name but offers little prospect of progress on his eighth start. Humphrey Bogart stayed on to be fifth in the Derby and must be a strong contender. Perhaps Choreographer can improve past him, though, having had no luck in running when a fair seventh in the Dante on just his second start. Carntop, owned by the Prince of Wales, was a close second to Humphrey Bogart at Lingfield in May and should be capable of better, though he may still need more time to mature.
Albany Stakes (2.30) preview
Fast, competitive and high-quality stuff to open the card as young fillies compete for this Group Three. Cuff heads the market, from the Aidan O’Brien yard that appears not to prioritise this race, judging by the fact that the Irishman has yet to win it, though he has had a couple of beaten favourites in the past decade.
Cuff clearly has quality, winning a Listed race at Naas last time, and should cope with whatever today’s going turns out to be. Create A Dream comes from the Wesley Ward stable that specialises in precocious juveniles. She won here on her debut last month but that was over a bare five furlongs and she tired at the end.
Her target seemed to be the Queen Mary at the time but she comes for this longer race because Ward came up with a stronger Queen Mary candidate in Lady Aurelia. Stamina looks an issue for Create A Dream. Queen Kindly becomes the first foal of Frankel to race at Royal Ascot, following an easy debut win in what was probably a weak race at Catterick. Frankel’s progeny have made a fine start, her mother was also a zippy juvenile and she should go well.
Betfair Royal Ascot tipping competition
Congratulations to JahLion, who won Thursday’s low-scoring competition on a final score of +10.50, thanks to Prince Of Lir and Primitivo. Yasmin11 and ElMatador1 tied for second on +9.91.
You could have £100 credited to your betting account with Betfair 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 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 ... despair! This is our final competition of this Royal Ascot. Please feel free to post your tips or racing-related comments below.
A crown up for grabs on Coronation Stakes day
Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore have claimed the major riding honours so far this week, but some of their less heralded weighing-room colleagues could come to the fore during Friday’s card, which includes two Group One events. The Coronation Stakes, at 3.40, is the traditional centrepiece of the fourth day, but the Commonwealth Cup, a six-furlong sprint for three-year-olds which was run for the first time last year, is an excellent addition to the card and gives Karl Burke the chance to add a first British Group One to a couple of victories in top-level races abroad.
Burke runs Quiet Reflection, the easy winner of the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last time out, with Dougie Costello, a Grade One-winning jockey over jumps, holding the reins. Costello is the latest of several accomplished jump jockeys to turn his attention to racing on the level, and has been concentrating on Flat racing only since landing the job as Burke’s stable jockey late last year.
A Group One victory would bring a swift and very lucrative reward for that decision, and Quiet Reflection will be a worthy favourite. The main danger will probably be Donjuan Triumphant, also trained in the north by Richard Fahey, who will be ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, whose success in last year’s jockeys’ championship has yet to elevate him to the same level of recognition as Dettori and Moore.
Shane Foley is the jockey holding the reins on Jet Setting, the favourite for the Coronation Stakes, who was sold for £1.3m at Goffs London Sale on Monday evening. The China Horse Club, her new owners, will leave Jet Setting in the care of Adrian Keatley, who trained her to win last month’s Irish 1,000 Guineas, and will hope to pick up an immediate £200,000 return on her purchase price.
Moore is once again odds-on to be the week’s leading rider and his best chance of increasing his total of three winners to date looks to be Cuff, in the Albany Stakes at the top of the card. Dettori, meanwhile, rides the 6-1 chance Nathra in the Coronation Stakes, as well as Across The Stars, a live 10-1 chance, in the King Edward VII Stakes.
The going at Ascot remains soft this morning, but there is some hope for better ground for at least some of what remains of the Royal meeting, following less rain than some forecasts were predicting both on Thursday and overnight. Much will depend on how many showers, if any, arrive at the course this morning, but if it remains dry, there is a possibility that the going will be changed to good-to-soft before racing.
Updated
