2pm Live racing
Tony Paley with live updates
Money desperately needed
I don't suspect the denizens of the Royal Enclosure have ventured down to their local Tesco for a pint of milk lately but the bulk of us are having to contend with raging inflation. A lot is riding on the shoulders of our resident tipster Ron Cox and winners are desperately needed. I had a look at Ascot's first-day card yesterday and would concur with Ron's ruminations. The first race is tight but Darjina has conditions in her favour at last.
2.20pm Godolphin woe
No wonder Frankie Dettori was not his ebullient self as the parade of jockeys took place in the last few minutes. His Godolphin stable's wretched season just got worse with the news that Rio de la Plata is out of the 3.45 and he has had to switch to no-hoper Alexandros.
Clare Balding is wearing a flying saucer with a meringue slipping off the edge. The wind was giving her problems when she reported from the track on the BBC1 news and she's going to have difficulty holding on to her hat as the afternoon progresses.
I know Royal Ascot is as much about socialising as track action and lesiurely lunches are the order of the day but 2.30 is an incredibly late time to start a race meeting. The talking is over -- bring it on!
Clare has just told us that The Queen, who has just set off down the track, gets a first feel of the ground. Perhaps she can let us know how it rides -- one of the tricky aspects of Ascot after its reopening has been gauging the state of the ground, especially on the straight track whcih some contends rides faster after some rain!
One of those catty fashion commentators on the Beeb has just told us Princess Eugenie has done herself no favours with her choice of headwear -- off with his head!
2.25pm Racing needs to start -- badly
If I had been concentrating on Britain's Next Top Model, which airs every night in our house, I would have known that Lisa Snowden is the presenter. She's just appeared on the BBC talking about bare midriffs and plunging hemlines. Ten minutes to go to race one. Darjina is our selection. Tariq a negative on gallops work.
Thursday's runners are in and I would urge a close look at a couple in the Britannia Handicap (4.20). Jamie Spencer has been booked for Redford and he looks the ideal jockey for that one while I was very taken by Flawed Genius on its last run and expect that to go well. Both are drawn high which could turn out to be favoured. We MAY know the answer to that conundrum by then!
Britannia hoofnote: I am so pleased to see Michael Jarvis has resisted the temptation to run Kal Barg in this red-hot handicap. This is number one on my current horses to follow list and has entries at Newmarket on Friday and Ayr on Saturday. Keep that one in mind -- if you have any cash left . . .
2.32pm Beo backed but O'Brien cleans up
Finsceal Beo is suddenly all the rage in the first for those that follow the money . . . Well we knew it was going to be close! What a start for the all-conquering Aidan O'Brien team as Haradasun wins in a desperate finish, just ahead of our Darjina who has run an excellent race. Haradasun looked one of the first beat and has displayed plenty of guts to get home. The Beo finishes a close third.
2.45pm Keep an eye out for Nelson
They've finished in a heap in the first but if there's a horse to take out of this race it's surely Mount Nelson, a stable companion of the winner. He was the subject of an extended essay on here the last time he ran when he looked might unlucky at Chantilly. Back him when the stable step him up to ten furlongs as he's crying out for a race over that trip. He has done so well to finish fourth here in what was probably not a fast-run race and over a distance short of his best.
My colleague Chris Cook points out how clever the O'Brien tactics were with the pacemaker out the front and two other runners allowing Haradasun a clear passage on the rails -- the winner would have been in big trouble considering he got outpaced if he had not been able to get a clean run through. The O'Brien team have already pulled off a similarly audacious plan in a high-profile race at Epsom in the Coronation Cup -- this wasn't as obvious but was still very well executed.
3.30pm Spain inflicts pain on punters
Equiano at 22-1 wins the King's Stand Stakes, foiling the well-fancied Takeover Target and favourite Fleeting Spirit. Surprisingly, they split with a small number going to the far side with Dandy Man first home on the wrong side for the second year. Matt Chapman on ATR (Attheraces) has analysed the race brilliantly -- Equiano, who led the stands side runners, had an uncontested lead off a slow pace while the faster far side were stranded.
3.50pm Hail Henry!
Henrythenavigator shows a superb turn of foot to quicken through the field in the home straight and win the St James's Palace Stakes in great style. Raven's Pass clearly stays a mile well and proves his 2,000 Guineas running all wrong in finishing second but while he also quickened in good style he never looked as if he was going to collar the winner.
Henrythenavigator looks out of the top drawer and reaffirms his class with ease. O'Brien's contention that he is the best miler he has trained -- and that includes Rock Of Gibraltar and Hawk Wing -- could well be true. Let's hope he is back over for the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood -- it's a treat to see him in his pomp.
Raven's Pass is sure to win more good races and Twice Over wasn't disgraced back in third but what his best trip is is unsure as he gets outpaced late on. My feeling that the French 2,000 Guineas form is worthless is backed up again by the showing of also-ran Falco.
4.05pm Top Shop is the look
Lisa has been interviewing the gentleman on the Beeb for her fashion spot and picked out some with a more "avant-garde" look. Both young men tell Lisa they got their accessories from Top Shop!
Meanwhile, John McCririck, sadly missed on Saturdays on Channel 4, shows how to conduct an interview when he grills Aidan O'Brien on ATR. McCririck is obviously a huge Henrythenavigator fan but asks the right questions. He gets out of O'Brien the admission that despite all talk about the Derby they really think a mile and a quarter woudl be the winner's limit.
4.10pm Coventry watch
Henrythenavigator won the Coventry Stakes, due off at 4.20pm, last year and this year's renewal will be well worth watching. Peter Tchaikovsky represents the O'Brien yard but we are on Orizaba who clocked an exceptional time on his debut run and bids to get Frankie Dettori on the jockeys' leaderboard.
4.20pm Going gets harder
This just in -- the official going is now good to firm, firm in places and Ascot will be praying there is some rain tomorrow as is forecast. Himalya is weak in the betting here with the speculation being thast his high draw may not be advantageous.
4.30pm Art attack
Art Connoisseur puts up a brilliant performance to come from last to first and win what looked a competitive Coventry Stakes going away. Orizaba jumped as the stalls opened and trails home fifth. That didn't help but Art Connoisseur was behind Orizaba when he started his run a furlong out and the first home was still a smooth winner. Clearly the best two-year-old we've seen so far and already getting quotes around 12-1 for next year's 2,000 Guineas.
4.40pm Time to get liberated
Typical Royal Ascot so far -- classy perfromances but tricky finding winners with only two national newspaper tips having collected so far (outside Henrythenavigator). Ron's best bet is coming up now as Liberate lines up in the 4.55. He looks primed to run a big race having improved a lot since his last run on the Flat 691 days ago.
5.05pm Close but no cigar
Liberate is edged out in third in a blanket finish as Missoula springs a 20-1 shock. Mamlook comes from a long way back to take second and he is very much one to have in mind for the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle at the end of the month. Ryan Moore rode that one as if he was concerned about staying the trip. He certainly did that but a drop in distance for the Newcastle event will suit him ideally and he looks sure to go well in that race.
5.35pm Jupiter out of this world
I can see Jupiter Pluvius going very well in the opener tomorrow. He was widely considered to be Aidan O'Brien's main Newmarket 2,000 Guineas hope until illness forced him to miss that gig and looked very much in need of the race in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last time. Expect him to go much closer tomorrow. I can reveal he will be Ron Cox's selection and Coral are offering outstanding odds of 7-1. That's a steal each-way and he's a strong recommendation. By the time we start live blogging at lunchtime tomorrow I expect that price to have disappeared.
5.50pm 100-1 shocker in the last
Flashman Papers comes out of the clouds to win the last at a massive 100-1. The bookies must be thinking Christmas has arrived early. Let's hope for better tomorrow. I do fancy Jupiter in the first and will be taking some of the 7-1 while Ron's bet of the day will be Danehill Destiny in the 4.55. Good night.
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