That's your lot for today ...
Order of St George won the day’s feature, finding plenty to triumph over hitherto uncharted waters in a rollocking Gold Cup under Ryan Moore, who overcame traffic problems to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his seventh win in the race.
Less than an hour previously, Moore and O’Brien had teamed up to win the Ribblesdale Stakes with Even Song, notching up a half-centurty of Royal Ascot winners for the Master of Ballydoyle. It is a remarkable feat the 46-year-old has achieved in less than 20 years as a trainer.
Prince Of Lir, trained by Robert Cowell and ridden by Luke Morris, got the afternoon’s proceedings under way with victory in the Norfolk Stakes, before Godolphin secured their fourth winner of the meeting when William Buick and Hawkbill won the Tercentenary Stakes for trainer Charlie Appleby.
Jamie Spencer got off the mark for this Royal meeting when he won the Britannia Stakes for trainer Jamie Osbourne after getting the leg-up on favourite Defrocked, while the final race of the day, the King George V Stakes, went to Primitivo and William Twiston-Davies, riding for Alan King.
King George V Stakes (5.35) result
1 Primitivo (William Twiston-Davies) 13-2
2 Platitude (R L Moore) 12-1
3 Harrison (S De Sousa) 8-1
4 The Major General (D O’Brien) 14-1
16 ran
Also: 5-2 Fav Shraaoh
Non Runners: 9,11
CSF: 82.79
Tricast: 641.64
King George V (5.35)
Primitivo wins, but there’s bad news for the royal connections of Guy Fawkes, the Queen’s horse which suffered a bad fall in the early stages of the race. It looks like he’s suffered a fatal injury.
King George V (5.35) 1m 4f
They’re away and running in the final race of the day and royal runner Guy Fawkes has fallen. Jockey Pat Smullen is back on his feet, but it doesn’t look great for the horse ... Navajo War Dance leads them into the home turn, with Juste Pour Nous upsides him ... Primitivo leads them into the final furlong ... he wins it for trainer Alan King and jockey William Twiston-Davies. Primitivo wins the King George V Stakes.
King George V (5.35) betting
- Shraaoh 5-2
- Primitivo 6-1
- Lovell 6-1
- Guy Fawkes 7-1
- Harrison 10-1
- Paris Protocol 14-1
- Point Of View 16-1
- The Major General 16-1
- Midhmaar 20-1
- Platitude 22-1
-
25-1 bar
King George V (5.35) preview
A mile and a half handicap for three-year-olds, this race features one of the oddities of this Royal meeting, a horse owned by The Queen who has been named after a terrorist plotter. Guy Fawkes (a son of Big Bad Bob) ran a really pleasing trial at Redcar but might not want any further rainfall today.
Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick were the team that bagged this prize last year and they have the favourite this time, Lovell, who got going too late on his reappearance and could only get second but has scope to do better over this extra distance and looks well handicapped.
Shraaoh (Sir Michael Stoute) has a bit to prove after winning just a maiden, a point that also applies to Point Of View. Primitivo, the winner of his last three, is much more experienced, getting better each time and versatile as to ground.
Britannia Stakes (5.00) result
1 Defrocked (J P Spencer) 13-2
2 Abe Lincoln (Jim Crowley) 20-1
3 Chief Whip (S M Levey) 12-1
4 Arcanada (M Harley) 66-1
28 ran
Also: 11-2 Fav Out And About
Non Runner: 24
Withdrawn: 4
Tote: win 8.90 places 2.90 7.80 3.50 20.50
Tote Exacta: 339.30
CSF: 143.07
Tricast: 1640.72
No 4 Perkunas (50-1) was withdrawn not under orders. Rule 4 does not
apply.
Updated
Not the conventional way to head for home - but he held on! DEFROCKED is a #RoyalAscot winner under Jamie Spencer: https://t.co/WCILaRKmOo
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Britannia Stakes (5.00) 1m
Defrocked wins the Britannia under Jamie Spencer for trainer Jamie Osbourne! Abe Lincoln was second. Defrocked was lucky there; he hung very badly in the closing stages.
Britannia Stakes (5.00) 1m
The field sets off without Perkunas, who spread a plate down at the start and was withdrawn by connections. There are 28 left and Carrington was slowest away ... the field splits into two groups as Arcanada leads the near side group, while Out And About and Folkswood ... Defrocked hangs badly as Abe Lincoln comes through the centre ... it’s Abe Lincoln and Defrocked in a photo ...
Britannia Stakes (5.00) betting
- Out And About 11-2
- Folswood 7-1
- Defrocked 7-1
- Garcia 8-1
- Mustashry 12-1
- Manson 12-1
- Chief Whip 12-1
- 14-1 bar
Order Of St George hoses up in Gold Cup
Order Of St George ran out an easy winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. The youngster sprang to prominence when winning the Irish St Leger by 11 lengths last season but had only been seen once since then against inferior opponents.
Punters who had backed him into 10-11 favourite would have been panicking with half a mile to run, as Ryan Moore had nowhere to go when stuck in the pack. French raider Mille Et Mille was allowed to set his own pace in front and at one stage was nearly 10 lengths clear before slowing down and kicking clear again.
Moore had to bide his time until finding a gap in the straight and as soon as the four-year-old was in the clear he stamped his authority on the contest. Luca Cumani’s Mizzou gave chase in vain up the rail to finish second, while Sheikhzayedroad eventually got in the clear to claim third.
In winning a seventh Gold Cup, Aidan O’Brien once again proved he has no peers in training the stayers. “He’s a class horse and class horses win races,” said Aidan O’Brien. “He picked up very well and after two and a half miles, he was pouring it on at the end. PA Sport
Updated
Aidan O'Brien: "Ryan relaxed him as he had to because we'd never tried the trip. He's a horse who loves racing!"#OrderOfStGeorge
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Britannia Handicap (5.00) preview
Like yesterday’s Hunt Cup cavalry charge over a mile, but restricted to three-year-olds. Garcia has, for me, the strongest form after his powerful finish at Haydock but it looks as though he may be drawn on the wrong side.
Out And About, another Haydock winner, has a better berth towards the far side and should improve for the extra distance. Oh This Is Us, also drawn in single figures, is proven at a mile, though not on soft ground. Manson is also vulnerable on soft, though his power-packed finish at Sandown last time makes him easy to like.
ORDER OF ST GEORGE wins the Gold Cup! #RoyalAscot https://t.co/I8ezIegLQG
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Chris Cook has been in touch ...
He has this to say about Olivier Peslier’s ride in the Ribblesdale: “I appreciate I’m a bit one-eyed on this, having tipped Queen’s Trust, but what a poor ride that was from Olivier Peslier,” he says. “OK, she didn’t break well, but he stuck her out the back of a big field and widest of all to boot and then stayed there long after it should have been clear that the pace was not strong. He didn’t make a move until the turn for home, at which point it was far too late. Of course, in a special act of cruelty, she then scythed through the field when it was just too late to reach a place. Ugh.”
The Gold Cup (4.20)
1 Order Of St George (R L Moore) 10-11 Fav
2 Mizzou (Andrea Atzeni) 10-1
3 Sheikhzayedroad (M Harley) 40-1
17 ran
Also: 33-1 Mille Et Mille 4th
Non Runner: 2
CSF: 11.00
Tricast: 266.46
Updated
Gold Cup (4.20) 2m 4f
Mille Et Mille is really putting the hammer down with a punishing gallop, but comes back to the field as Max Dymnamite makes ground as they approach the final half-mile. The field is well bunched, with Mille Et Mille still in front ... Mille Et Mille from Flying Officer ... here comes Order Of St George ... Order Of St George win by three lengths from Mizzou. Order Of St George wins a punishing Gold Cup for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.
The Gold Cup (4.20) 2m 4f
There’s £226,840 in the winner’s purse as this massive Gold Cup field is sent on its way, with Order Of St George the 10-11 favourite. Mizzou, Wasir and The Twisler are all prominent. Mille Et Mille takes up the running from The Twisler as they pass the grandstand ... Mille Et Mille leads from six or seven lengths from The Twisler, who has two or three lengths on Fun Mac in third. Flying Officer is next and then Gririaz ... Order Of St George is well down the field ...
The Gold Cup (4.20) 2m 4f
Pallasator, a notoriously leery bugger when it comes to travelling down to the start and entering the stalls, has got down to the start, with Oisin Murphy giving him a tender ride with his feet out of the irons. In the parade ring, his trainer Sir Mark Prescott gives the horse’s stable lass all the credit, saying she’s found a way to get into her charge’s head. They’re loading the stalls, not long now ...
Even Song calls the tune in Ribblesdale
Even Song justified heavy market support to give Aidan O’Brien his first ever winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes and in the process provide the master of Ballydoyle with his 50th Royal Ascot success.
Sent off the 15-8 favourite, Even Song was not too far behind a steady gallop set by Ted Durcan on Shall We. Oaks runner-up Architecture ran keen from a wide draw under Frankie Dettori and gave herself little chance of going one better.
Roger Varian’s maiden Ajman Princess had the perfect trip through on the rail and showed a determined attitude, keeping on gamely but she had no answer to Even Song’s turn of foot.
Everything opened up in front of Ryan Moore and she soon put the race to bed when asked a question.
Even Song powered a length and a half clear of Ajman Princess, with The Black Princess holding off the fast-finishing Queen’s Trust for third. Moore said: “She had a good turn of foot. We did go slow, but she relaxed well and was in tight quarters before we got a gap.
“She’s a very good filly. Architecture had a rough trip backing up from the Oaks,” said Moore. “This filly, we thought it was a good spot for her and Aidan has trained her with this mind. Let’s hope he gets to 100 - that would be more special.”
Gold Cup (4.20) betting
- Order Of St George 10-11
- Max Dynamite 8-1
- Flying Officer 10-1
- Clever Cookie 12-1
- Mizzou 12-1
- Pallasator 16-1
- Scotland 25-1
-
40-1 bar
Gold Cup (4.20) preview
Order Of St George is the big, young talent here and comes from the Aidan O’Brien stable that has won this race six times in the past 10 years with three different horses. But things could go wrong for him if, as expected, he is held up towards the rear for this first attempt at two and a half miles. Ryan Moore, who left his challenge too late on The Gurkha on Tuesday, could find himself trying to thread amongst a dozen rivals when it’s time to make his challenge here.
A case can be made for a few of the others, especially as their odds are inflated by the market love for the favourite. Max Dynamite only needs to be forgiven his reappearance flop, when he surely needed the run. On his form from the second half of last year, he’s got a great shot. Mizzou has won two good races here and might have matured enough to improve on last year’s seventh. Flying Officer looks a very solid option, though this could be a bit far for him if they go a good gallop. Clever Cookie will have his chance, though the suspicion remains that he’s not quite good enough.
Updated
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40)
So, Ryan Mooore rides Even Song to victory, making it 50 Royal Ascot winners for Aidan O’Brien. Asked if it’s a special moment, Moore says “I’d say it’ll be more special when he gets 100 up.” No51 could come within the hour, as the pair team up on the favourite Order Of St George in the Gold Cup.
Updated
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40) result
1 Even Song (R L Moore) 15-8 Fav
2 Ajman Princess (Andrea Atzeni) 33-1
3 The Black Princess (W Buick) 8-1
14 ran
Also: 12-1 Queen’s Trust 4th
CSF: 85.72
Tricast: 439.80
50 winners at #RoyalAscot! Trainer Aidan O'Brien brings up a memorable feat with EVEN SONG in the Ribblesdale: https://t.co/E1XDkQ5BGu
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40) 1m 4f
They’re away and running and Shall We leads on the inside of Beauly, from Rocaverde ... Shall We continues to lead as they head into the final six furlongs, followed by Beauly as they gallop along at a steady pace ... Shall We continues to loll along in front from Beauly, Ajman Princess on the inside and Rocaverde ... it’s a slow pace ... they head for home and Even Song hits the front, passing Ajman Princess ... Even Song stretches clear to win under Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Even Song wins the Ribblesdale.
Updated
Hawkbill flies home in Tercentenary
Hawkbill had too much pace for Prize Money to give Godolphin a one-two in the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Having enjoyed a a treble on Wednesday Sheikh Mohammed left Ascot a happy man but none of those winners were trained by his main Newmarket men.
This time the race was dominated by Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor, with Appleby’s more experienced Hawkbill coming out on top under William Buick. Race Day, another Godolphin runner, set off at a tremendous gallop, with Prize Money keen in second and Hawkbill in third.
Nothing else got into it as with two furlongs left to run the pacemaker dropped away and Hawkbill (11-2) quickened past Prize Money to win his fifth race in a row. Aidan O’Brien’s Long Island Sound stayed on from the rear to claim third but there were only ever two horses in it.
“We always knew he was a nice horse, and it was a great ride by William Buick,” said Appleby. “Both myself and Saeed needed pace and Marin Lane did a fantastic job on the pacemaker. William was confident and he is a horse we feel will get a mile and a half. I said the best way to ride him was to ride him like the best horse in the race.
“Turning for home, I know they were travelling well in behind, but he was travelling supremely well and he galloped all the way to the line, which he showed he can do at Newmarket.” PA Sport
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40) betting
- Even Song 9-4
- Architecture 3-1
- Sovereign Parade 9-1
- Queens Trust 10-1
- Chicadoro 12-1
- The Black Princess 14-1
- We Are Ninety 16-1
- Olala 20-1
-
25-1 bar
Guardian fashion correspondent Imogen Fox writes
Can we talk about Sophie Wessex’s hat for a minute between races? Yesterday the royals at Ascot tried hard to out do each other with the hats which all seemed to be referencing some food theme -Kate (Middleton/Cambridge/Whatever) wore a pringle crisp in hat form. But today Wessex has opted for a Georgia O’ Keeffe flower reference. (I mean I took the higher cultural ground there and it could have gone either way).
Her skirt is a nod to Christian Dior’s New Look which suggests she’s read some sort of A-Z of fashion, but it is her shoes which are really interesting. Hidden platform buttermilk court shoes are practically standard issue for the royal family these days thanks to Princess Kate. So I reckon that the subliminal messaging with this outfit is that yesterday’s Cambridge appearance was merely a blip and that it is Wessex who actually owns royal enclosure chic.
Meanwhile we have an unexpected sartorial move from the Queen. But then she’s come over all brave new wardrobe (the neon) since her 90th. She’s usually all over the mono-toning but today she’s experimented with this complicated dual blue/orange thing. The fashion desk’s best guess if that she is, in the absence of actual summer time at Ascot, channeling a summer sky. Which is kind of noble and in the-service-of-one’s-country-ish of her, but also completely futile.
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40) preview
Architecture is the obvious one, having run second in the Oaks a fortnight ago, when only the astonishing Minding was good enough to catch her. But that was a tough race on a taxing surface and we saw with A Shin Hikari yesterday that horses are not always able to run two good races on soft in quick succession.
Aidan O’Brien fields Even Song, who was a bit unlucky in running when third in a Listed race last month but still has a bit to prove at this level. Newmarket appears to be bursting with promising young fillies, since John Gosden fields a couple, of which Sovereign Parade is the most interesting, while Sir Michael Stoute sends Queen’s Trust, who promises to relish this step up in distance.
Five in a row! HAWKBILL maintains the winning run with victory in the Tercentenary at #RoyalAscot: https://t.co/Djshz1sl9q
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) result
1 Hawkbill (W Buick) 11-2
2 Prize Money (James Doyle) 4-1 Jt Fav
3 Long Island Sound (R L Moore) 9-2
9 ran
Also: 4-1 Jt Fav Abdon, 12-1 Steel of Madrid 4th
CSF: 27.75
Tricast: 107.35
Updated
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) 1m 2f
They’re away and running with Race Day, Prize Money and Hawkbill making the early running ... Abdon is at the back of the field ... Race Day, from Prize Money and Hawkbill, followed by Royal Artillery and Steel of Madrid, they’ve less than four furlongs to go. Prize Money pegs back Race Day ... it’s Prize Money and Hawkbill ... Hawkbill edges clear and wins by a length from Prize Money in a Godolphin one-two. Hawkbill wins the Tercentenary under William Buick.
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) 1m 2f
One mile-and-a-quarter is the trip here with £51,039 the purse for the winning connections. Abdon and PRize Money are current 4-1 co-favourites, with Blue De Vega a 9-2 shot. Kieren Fallon rides that one in his first appearance at Royal Ascot in two years.
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) betting
- Abdon 7-2
- Prize Money 9-2
- Blue De Vega 5-1
- Long Island Sound 5-1
- Hawkbill 6-1
- Mulk 11-1
- Steel of Madrid 11-1
- Royal Artillery 12-1
- Race Day 33-1
-
Tercentenary Stakes betting
Prince among men (and one filly) in Norfolk Stakes
Prince Of Lir gave Luke Morris a first Royal Ascot victory in the Norfolk Stakes. Winner of his only start at Beverley prior to this race, trainer Robert Cowell had voiced concerns about his ability to handle the soft ground.
In beating Mark Johnston’s The Last Lion, the Brocklesby winner from Doncaster, he confirmed the form from their previous meeting 19 days ago in the Brian Yeardley Trophy in winning by half a length.
The favourite Global Applause appeared to have everything covered at halfway, but Frankie Dettori chose to go to the previously-favoured far side whereas the race unfolded in the centre of the track.
The Last Lion briefly went clear but Silver Line and Peace Envoy came with a chance, only to be put in their place by the 8-1 winner. It was a third Royal Ascot win for Cowell, who had won two runnings of the King’s Stand through Prohibit and Goldream.
“It’s a great buzz,” said Morris. “It’s what you work hard for. He’s only had one run and he’s just a bit inexperienced but he’s a very talented horse. He put the race to bed nicely.”
Cowell added: “He’s a pocket rocket. He’s not very big but he’s very well formed and mature. He’s shown a lovely attitude. I’m delighted for the Swanns and family because they paid a lot of money for him and he’s repaid their faith.” PA Sport.
Updated
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) preview
Kieren Fallon has a live chance of Royal Ascot glory at the age of 51, having got the leg-up on Blue De Vega. This Irish raider was a fair third in the Irish Guineas, four lengths behind Galileo Gold who won a Group One here on Tuesday, and the extra quarter-mile here should help.
Abdon comes from the Sir Michael Stoute yard and may be able to improve on his reappearance second, just the second start of his career, when he would have preferred a stronger pace. Godolphin’s Prize Money was also outpaced at the end of a slow-run race last time and can do better. He’s bred to be better on this wetter surface. In the same ownership, Hawkbill is on a winning run of four and beat Abdon last time but could do with drying conditions.
Norfolk Stakes (2.30)
Prince of Lir and Luke Morris got in front inside the final furlong and held on to win by half-a-length from The Last Lion and Silver Line for trainer Robert Cowell.
The game and improving PRINCE OF LIR takes the opener on day three under Luke Morris for Robert Cowell #RoyalAscot https://t.co/onolKM02vz
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
Norfolk Stakes (2.30) result
1 Prince Of Lir (L Morris) 8-1
2 The Last Lion (J Fanning) 20-1
3 Silver Line (James Doyle) 7-2
11 ran
Also: 3-1 Fav Global Applause, 9-2 Peace Envoy 4th
CSF: 161.51
Tricast: 534.21
Updated
Norfolk Stakes (2.30) 5f
They’re off and running the Norfolk Stakes, with Silver Line having made it’s way down to the start wearing earplugs to drown out the din before racing. Global Applause was last in, with big Time Baby and Plata O Plomo making the early running as the gates open. Plata O Plomo continues to make the running, with six or seven lined across the track ... Prince Of Lir takes the lead and holds on for the win under Luke Morris.
Not a drop of rain at Ascot since last night. Cloudy but bright. Ground might be good to softish now
— chris cook (@claimsfive) June 16, 2016
Norfolk Stakes (2.30) betting
- Global Applause 11-4
- Silver Line 4-1
- Peace Envoy 7-1
- Red Lodge 8-1
- Ledendary Lunch 10-1
- Prince of Lir 10-1
- The Last Lion 25-1
- Prince of Cool 25-1
- Plata O Plomo 28-1
- Big Time Baby 40-1
- Nuclear Power 200-1
-
Norfolk Stakes betting
The Royal Procession is under way ...
Sitting in the back of her landau getting a tow from four Windsor Grey horses, the Queen is wearing a cobalt blue coat with an orangey/yellow butter-coloured hat.
Today's Royal Carriage List
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) June 16, 2016
What will the Queen's Hat colour be?
Tue - Yellow
Wed - Pink#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/AaSteZ8EJM
Updated
Royal Ascot isn't today's only significant sporting event
England and Wales are going toe-to-toe at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens in their Euro 2016 group game. You can follow the action here.
Norfolk Stakes (2.30) preview
Day Three kicks off with another of those two-year-old sprints, this one over the minimum distance of five furlongs and rated a Group Two. Global Applause has the best form, especially since Mehmas, the horse he beat at Sandown last month, ran second this week to the excellent Caravaggio. But will Global Applause like this ground? I’m guessing not, unless it dries up dramatically.
Wesley Ward sends another of his speedsters and Red Lodge demands respect in light of what her stablemate did in the Queen Mary yesterday. Silver Line, representing Godolphin, won a small race easily at Nottingham. My preference is for Legendary Lunch, who clung on to win a Listed race at Epsom a fortnight ago and will be better back over this shorter trip.
Frankie Dettori speaks ...
Reflecting on his win in yesterday’s Queen Mary Stakes, he says: “Lady Aurelia - I never rode a winner like it at Royal Ascot,” he says. “To quicken off like that, I could not believe it. When Wesley Ward brings horses like that over here ... look, I didn’t have to do much, really, just keep her in a straight line. To be able to enjoy the last 100m like that was just amazing.”
On his chances today: “The first one [Global Applause] is probably my best ride,” he says. “The rest of them aren’t drawn so well but Ascot’s been very lucky for me so let’s hope the ‘lucky’ carries on.”
Today's going ...
The ground remains soft ahead of the third day of the Royal meeting after a dry night. Ascot clerk of the course Chris Stickels told the Racing Post: ““It’s still soft. I’ve had a walk of the whole track this morning and it feels much as it was. We’ve got quite a few races on the round course today and so we’ve opened up some fresh ground between the 1m4f start and the 1m2f start.”
Updated
Royal Ascot: Then & Now ...
Warning: may contain the phrase “... even if lesser folks than royalty use the internal combustion engine”.
Updated
Today's non-runners
5.35: No9 Southdown Lad
King George V Handicap (5.35) preview
A mile and a half handicap for three-year-olds, this race features one of the oddities of this Royal meeting: a horse owned by The Queen who has been named after a terrorist plotter. Guy Fawkes (a son of Big Bad Bob) ran a really pleasing trial at Redcar but might not want any further rainfall today.
Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick were the team that bagged this prize last year and they have the favourite this time, Lovell, who got going too late on his reappearance and could only get second but has scope to do better over this extra distance and looks well handicapped. Shraaoh (Sir Michael Stoute) has a bit to prove after winning just a maiden, a point that also applies to Point Of View. Primitivo, the winner of his last three, is much more experienced, getting better each time and versatile as to ground.
Britannia Handicap (5.00) preview
Like yesterday’s Hunt Cup cavalry charge over a mile, but restricted to three-year-olds. Garcia has, for me, the strongest form after his powerful finish at Haydock but it looks as though he may be drawn on the wrong side. Out And About, another Haydock winner, has a better berth towards the far side and should improve for the extra distance. Oh This Is Us, also drawn in single figures, is proven at a mile, though not on soft ground. Manson is also vulnerable on soft, though his power-packed finish at Sandown last time makes him easy to like.
The Gold Cup (4.20) preview
Order Of St George is the big, young talent here and comes from the Aidan O’Brien stable that has won this race six times in the past 10 years with three different horses. But things could go wrong for him if, as expected, he is held up towards the rear for this first attempt at two and a half miles. Ryan Moore, who left his challenge too late on The Gurkha on Tuesday, could find himself trying to thread amongst a dozen rivals when it’s time to make his challenge here.
A case can be made for a few of the others, especially as their odds are inflated by the market love for the favourite. Max Dynamite only needs to be forgiven his reappearance flop, when he surely needed the run. On his form from the second half of last year, he’s got a great shot. Mizzou has won two good races here and might have matured enough to improve on last year’s seventh. Flying Officer looks a very solid option, though this could be a bit far for him if they go a good gallop. Clever Cookie will have his chance, though the suspicion remains that he’s not quite good enough.
Updated
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40) preview
Architecture is the obvious one, having run second in the Oaks a fortnight ago, when only the astonishing Minding was good enough to catch her. But that was a tough race on a taxing surface and we saw with A Shin Hikari yesterday that horses are not always able to run two good races on soft in quick succession.
Aidan O’Brien fields Even Song, who was a bit unlucky in running when third in a Listed race last month but still has a bit to prove at this level. Newmarket appears to be bursting with promising young fillies, since John Gosden fields a couple, of which Sovereign Parade is the most interesting, while Sir Michael Stoute sends Queen’s Trust, who promises to relish this step up in distance.
Updated
Tercentenary Stakes (3.05) preview
Kieren Fallon has a live chance of Royal Ascot glory at the age of 51, having got the leg-up on Blue De Vega. This Irish raider was a fair third in the Irish Guineas, four lengths behind Galileo Gold who won a Group One here on Tuesday, and the extra quarter-mile here should help.
Abdon comes from the Sir Michael Stoute yard and may be able to improve on his reappearance second, just the second start of his career, when he would have preferred a stronger pace. Godolphin’s Prize Money was also outpaced at the end of a slow-run race last time and can do better. He’s bred to be better on this wetter surface. In the same ownership, Hawkbill is on a winning run of four and beat Abdon last time but could do with drying conditions.
Norfolk Stakes (2.30) preview
Day Three kicks off with another of those two-year-old sprints, this one over the minimum distance of five furlongs and rated a Group Two. Global Applause has the best form, especially since Mehmas, the horse he beat at Sandown last month, ran second this week to the excellent Caravaggio. But will Global Applause like this ground? I’m guessing not, unless it dries up dramatically.
Wesley Ward sends another of his speedsters and Red Lodge demands respect in light of what her stablemate did in the Queen Mary yesterday. Silver Line, representing Godolphin, won a small race easily at Nottingham. My preference is for Legendary Lunch, who clung on to win a Listed race at Epsom a fortnight ago and will be better back over this shorter trip.
Updated
Betfair Royal Ascot tipping competition
It hardly seems enough to say ‘congratulations’ to dean055, who won our Day Two competition on a final score of +29. He picked the winners of five of our six races yesterday, including 16-1 and 7-1, an awesome day’s work. Well done, sir! Other good scores: Fixxxer +22, Honor Lake +20, leadadde +19, stu1892 +19, Crasivo +18.
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, don’t despair. We are running an identical competition tomorrow. Post your tips or racing-related comments below.
Eyes front for Gold Cup day at Royal Ascot
Another damp day under a threatening sky is in prospect at Royal Ascot, but headline writers won’t care about the mud if Order of St George, the even-money favourite, can take this afternoon’s Gold Cup, which is being run in honour of the Queen’s 90th birthday. And while at least some heads will be turned towards screens showing coverage of England’s match with Wales as the royal procession makes its way past the stands, the action in Lens will be done and dusted by the time the big race goes off at 4.20.
It promises to be a suitably grand spectacle, with a full field of 18 due to go to post and a host of possible winners waiting to pounce if Order Of St George runs below form. If he is anywhere close to his performance in last season’s Irish St Leger, however, this is likely to be one-horse race.
Order Of St George crossed the line 11 lengths ahead of Agent Murphy on good-to-soft ground, and while A Shin Hikari’s flop in yesterday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes was another reminder that wide-margin victories should rarely be taken at face value, Order Of St George also stopped the clock in a very fast time under the conditions.
Ryan Moore has ridden just a single winner so far this week, but Order Of St George will take some stopping and while Frankie Dettori, the new odds-on favourite to be the week’s leading rider, has some good opportunities today to add to his three victories to date, it is possible that the market has over-reacted in making the Italian a 4-6 chance.
Moore, the 1-3 favourite at the start of the week, can now be backed at 2-1 with more than half of the meeting still to run, and his other rides today include Even Song and Out And About, the joint-favourite and favourite respectively for the Ribblesdale and the Britannia Handicap.
Dettori is aboard Architecture, the other joint-favourite for the Ribblesdale, but Hugo Palmer’s filly needs to have recovered quickly after her second place in the Oaks less than a fortnight ago. He also has a solid favourite’s chance on Global Applause in the opening Norfolk Stakes.
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