A tale of two Kings
Well, this morning (famous last words) I told the assembled sports desk editors that today would be pretty straightforward. Frankie had ridden his winner yesterday and the Gold Cup was clearly going to be the big story of the day. Of course I had not counted on the king and queen having a winner on a horse bred by the late Queen Elizabeth in their first year inheriting her horses and that Dettori would also ride the Gold Cup winner himself.
Quite simply that was one of the greatest days in the track’s long history and my old pal Sean Magee, who wrote the official history of Ascot, is no doubt scribbling a new chapter right now. If you were there count yourselves lucky. My most memorable days at the track have been Dawn Run’s Gold Cup; Desert Orchid’s victory in the same race; Frankel’s swansong in the Champion Stakes (at Ascot of course) and Tony McCoy’s farewell at Sandown but this would have been threatening to be added to the list.
Lester Piggott was the greatest Flat jockey I’ve ever seen but Dettori has that something special and, like Lester, he has gone out of racing’s orbit and into the public consciousness. His final appearance at Ascot (indeed, his last day race-riding in Britain) on Champions Day in October is a day not to be missed.
Buckingham Palace Handicap (6.10pm) result
1 Witch Hunter 50-1
2 Croupier 7-1
3 Northern Express 16-1
🧙♀️ Witch Hunter gets up late to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 22, 2023
A 50-1 winner for @JPSPENCER1980 and his first since 2018#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | @rhannonracing pic.twitter.com/UzcZaqtF9T
Updated
Buckingham Palace Handicap (6.10pm)
And they’re off … Warrior Brave is prominent … Tylos also there … but they are in three, or is it four groups and you try and work it out … Croupier goes for it and Witch Hunter goes past and gets up in the closing stages. A hot mess.
Updated
Buckingham Palace Handicap (6.10pm) betting
Biggles 6/1
Croupier 7/1
Montassib 10/1
Vafortino 11/1
Rhoscolyn 11/1
Unforgotten 11/1
Northern Express 12/1
Kingdom Come 12/1
Totally Charming 16/1
Lir Speciale 14/1
Baradar 18/1
The Gatekeeper 20/1
Ropey Guest 20/1
Spangled Mac 22/1
Spirit Of Light 20/1
Spanish Star 22/1
Toimy Son 25/1
Accidental Agent 28/1
Rhythm Master 33/1
Warrior Brave 40/1
Documenting 40/1
Great Max 40/1
Percys Lad 50/1
Silent Film 50/1
Witch Hunter 50/1
Tylos 50/1
Bopedro 66/1
Gorak 66/1
Redarna 66/1
Buckingham Palace Handicap (6.10pm) preview
Another handicap with no end of possibilities to round off the day, although seven furlongs on the straight course here is something of a specialists’ challenge and the form of last month’s Victoria Cup could be significant. No fewer than nine of the declared runners lined up for that race, including Biggles, Vafortino, Baradar and Totally Charming, who finished second, third, sixth and eighth respectively. Of that quartet, Baradar, who was having only his third start for George Boughey, arguably had the least luck in running and I’ll be backing him to go a few places better today. It’s true that most of his best form to date is with a little more ease in the ground but that is factored into a price of around 22-1.
SELECTION: BARADAR
Hampton Court Stakes (5.35pm) result
More details to come …
Waipiro is too good in the Hampton Court for @edwalkerracing and @TomMarquand at #RoyalAscot!pic.twitter.com/3xpug2xiFS
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 22, 2023
Updated
Hampton Court Stakes (5.35pm)
And they’re off … Brave Emperor leads and Torito is held up … Oviedo is in second … Exoplanet is in midfield … Bolster is in third as they turn for home … it’s a rough race and Waipiro kicks away to win from Exoplanet.
Updated
Hampton Court Stakes (5.35pm) betting
Torito 4/1
Epictetus 11/2
Drumroll 6/1
Caernarfon 7/1
Waipiro 9/1
Bold Act 12/1
Exoplanet 12/1
Oviedo 18/1
Canberra Legend 20/1
Bolster 22/1
Captain Winters 33/1
Dear My Friend 40/1
Dancing Magic 40/1
Tony Montana 50/1
Brave Emperor 80/1
Killybegs Warrior 125/1
Updated
Hampton Court Stakes (5.35pm) market movers
Drumroll 6/1 into 4/1
Oviedo 33/1 into 18/1
Updated
Hampton Court Stakes (5.35pm) preview
A wide variety of form lines are coming together in this three-year-old contest over 10 furlongs, ranging from handicaps to Classics, while John and Thady Gosden are responsible for the current market leaders, Torito and Epictetus. The former, who won a handicap at Epsom on Derby day, is currently the narrow favourite despite having seemingly been rejected by Frankie Dettori, who is aboard the latter, fifth home in the French Derby at Chantilly earlier this month. But while they arrive in this Group Three from different directions, there is precious little to choose between them – or about six or seven of the runners, for that matter - on ratings. That brings in Waipiro, sixth home behind Auguste Rodin in the Derby, and Canberra Legend, who was disappointing in the Dante at York but is clearly thought capable of better. Top-rated on Timeform, in fact, is Caernarfon, who finished less than two lengths behind the winner, Soul Sister, in the Oaks at Epsom earlier this month. Jack Channon’s filly was a double-figure price for this race yesterday and has since shortened to around 6-1, but that still looks fair given her relentless improvement this year (she was also fourth home in the 1,000 Guineas).
SELECTION: CAERNARFON
Updated
Britannia Handicap (5.00pm) result
1 Docklands 6-1 fav
2 New Endeavour 22-1
3 Urban Sprawl 50-1
4 Thunder Ball 66-1
Docklands runs down New Endeavour to win the Britannia Stakes@Hayleyturner123 take a bow!#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | @H_Eustace pic.twitter.com/aicyuJUg49
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 22, 2023
Updated
Britannia Handicap (5.00pm)
And they’re off … Naxos is fast away … Saxon King gets going … Thunder Ball is going well … Urban Sprawl is in a good position … New Endeavour bursts through with Docklands coming late and he might have got it … and he has!
Updated
Britannia Handicap (5.00pm) betting
Docklands 9/2
Quantum Impact 13/2
Racingbreaks Ryder 9/1
Saxon King 12/1
Surely Not 14/1
Royal Cape 16/1
Fort Vega 18/1
Bless 18/1
Just An Hour 22/1
New Endeavour 22/1
Carracci 25/1
High Bank 25/1
Finns Charm 25/1
Good Karma 25/1
One Nation 28/1
Panic Alarm 30/1
Naxos 33/1
Physique 33/1
Benacre 33/1
Betterdaysrcoming 40/1
Ramazan 50/1
Metal Merchant 66/1
Urban Sprawl 60/1
Starnberg 66/1
Thunder Ball 66/1
Forca Timao 80/1
Mustajaab 80/1
Dark Thirty 80/1
Tempered Soul 90/1
Updated
Britannia Handicap (5.0opm) market movers
Docklands 14/1 into 11/2
Racingbreaks Ryder 20/1 into 9/1
Britannia Handicap (5.00pm) preview
Some punters might disagree about which of the royal meeting’s handicaps is generally the most difficult to solve, but for me the discussion starts and ends with this one. A huge line of three-year-olds spread across the straight mile, 7-1 the field and a double-figure (or even three-figure) price about the winner are the features of a typical Britannia, and it would take an hour or two to even scratch the surface in terms of analysing the runners with a chance. Frankie, inevitably, will be popular aboard Ralph Beckett’s Quantum Impact, but 16-1 is pretty much a minimum price for me in a race of this type and I’m going to have an each-way dabble on Physique at around 40-1. Paul and Oliver Cole’s gelding has only one win to his name, in a Newmarket novice last October, but he ran really well against older horses over seven furlongs at Goodwood last time, a race that was both strongly run and his first on quick ground. An added bonus is that the stable’s excellent apprentice, Mohammed Tabti, is taking 7lb off his back, and the way that Physique finished at Goodwood suggested that this step back up to a mile will be in his favour.
SELECTION: PHYSIQUE
Updated
Gold Cup (4.20pm) result
1 Courage Mon Ami 15/2
2 Coltrane 11/4 f
3 Subjectivist 9/2
🏆 @FrankieDettori WINS HIS FINAL EVER GOLD CUP!
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 22, 2023
Courage Mon Ami has enough left in the tank to carry the King of Ascot to Glory!#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | #GoldCup pic.twitter.com/1zTGIWS2Hh
Updated
Gold Cup (4.20pm)
And they’re off … Subjectivist and Emily Dickinson are the early leaders … Broome is also prominent … Lone Eagle moves into second spot behind Subjectivist with a circuit to go … Yibir is last … Wise Eagle and Coltrane are behind the leading quartet but there’s a long way to go … Subjectivist is now about four lengths clear … Lone Eagle is closing as is the rest of the field … Lone Eagle now challenges for the lead … Coltrane tries to make ground … Courage Mon Ami with Frankie challenges … and Frankie wins the Gold Cup!
Updated
Gold Cup (4.20pm) betting
Coltrane 10/3
Eldar Eldarov 9/2
Courage Mon Ami 6/1
Subjectivist 15/2
Yibir 9/1
Emily Dickinson 11/1
Broome 12/1
Echoes in Rain 12/1
Lone Eagle 25/1
Wise Eagle 33/1
Big Call 50/1
Nate The Great 66/1
Full betting via BestofBets.com
Updated
Gold Cup (4.20pm) preview
The showpiece of the royal meeting, and once a close second behind the Derby as the most prestigious race of the season, when it was seen as the natural four-year-old target for the Epsom winner. The Gold Cup has slipped a little in terms of prestige since then, but it remains a key race in the canon and also one that, much more than most, tends to see its heroes return year after year. Yeats set a new modern-day record of four straight wins in 2009, while in recent years, Stradivarius has twice tried, and failed, to secure a fourth win of his own.
Kyprios looked very much like dynasty material when he won at just four years of age 12 months ago, but unfortunately an injury has ruled him out of a defence. Subjectivist, though, who had Stradivarius back in fourth when he won the 2021 Gold Cup, is in the field, and it will bring the house down if he can notch a second win after being nursed back to race-fitness following a serious, and potentially career-ending, injury. His opponents include Eldar Eldarov, last year’s St Leger winner, and Coltrane, who boasts a course-and-distance win in last year’s Ascot Stakes as well as a comprehensive success in last month’s Sagaro Stakes, a traditional trial for this race. Frankie, meanwhile, is aboard the dark horse, Courage Mon Ami, who is unbeaten in three starts but is stepping straight into Group One company after landing a handicap at Goodwood off a mark of 98 last time out.
SELECTION: SUBJECTIVIST
Updated
Great lines from the principals involved with Desert Hero after the horse’s success for the King and Queen on Gold Cup day.
Tom Marquand, who rode the 18-1 winner of the King George V Handicap, told ITV Racing: “Genuinely, it is probably one of the proudest moments of being in the saddle so far.
“It’s obviously not on the same level Estimate was on, being in the Gold Cup, but I grew up watching horses like that go and win for the Queen and to ride the King’s first Royal Ascot winner is unbelievable – I’m in dream world.
“Royal Ascot is the pinnacle and riding a royal winner at the Royal meeting is so special.”
Winning trainer William Haggas said: “We discussed it and I thought he was going to be more forward, but he obviously thought they were going too fast and they clearly did go a bit fast, and he stayed on really well.
“It was his first time at a mile and a half and he’s done well since Newbury and while this is a surprise, you hope that things like this can happen, but I’m delighted it has.
“The King and Queen are absolutely thrilled. They have been looking forward to Ascot for a long time and wanting to have as many runners as possible, and I think they are absolutely delighted.
“It is obviously very important for racing, but it is important that the King and Queen enjoy it, which they clearly appear to do, and long may that continue.”
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm) result
1 Warm Heart 13-2
2 Lumiere Rock 14-1
3 Bluestocking 9-2
Al Asifah well-beaten! Warm Heart powers clear to win the Ribblesdale for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore at #RoyalAscot! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/daPyBrdOny
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 22, 2023
Updated
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm)
And they’re off … Ferrari Queen is out fast as is Sea Of Roses … Warm Heart is up with the leaders … Sea Of Roses has eased to the lead … Midnight Mile is there … Al Asifah makes ground … Warm Heart is trying hard … and has kicked clear for a smooth win.
Updated
King and Queen have winner at Royal Ascot … that’s added to the day’s rich tapestry. Here’s a fuller report:
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm) market moves
Warm Heart 20/1 into 7/1
Lumiere Rock 28/1 into 20/1
Ground change: it’s now GOOD TO FIRM on straight and round courses.
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm) betting
Al Asifah 5/6
Bluestocking 11/2
Warm Heart 8/1
Village Voice 14/1
Crown Princesse 18/1
Lumiere Rock 25/1
Maman Joon 33/1
Midnight Mile 33/1
Understated 40/1
Lmay 66/1
Ferrari Queen 66/1
Sea Of Roses 100/1
Red Riding Hood 100/1
Climate Friendly 150/1
Ghara 150/1
Perfect Prophet 150/1
Rocha Do Leao 200/1
Updated
Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm) preview
A maximum field of 19 was declared for this race, and even with two of those – Luckin Brew and Infinite Cosmos – ruled out, it is comfortably the biggest for this race since at least 1992. But according to the betting at least, 16 of them are running for second place behind Al Asifah, who looked like an exceptional talent when running away with a Listed race at Goodwood just 11 days ago. If you were looking for a reason to oppose her at odds-on, the short break between that race and today’s Group Two would be an obvious point to cling to, and this will also be her third start in less than a month as she made a winning debut at Haydock on 25 May. Her two races to date have both been little more than exercise gallops, however, and while a draw in stall 13 is perhaps a little wider than ideal, it will be a big letdown if Al Asifah finishes anywhere but first.
SELECTION: AL ASIFAH
King George V Handicap (3.05pm) result
1 Desert Hero 18-1
2 Valiant King 7-1
3 Bertinelli 6-1
👑 A Royal winner at #RoyalAscot! 👑
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 22, 2023
Desert Hero powers home to win the King George V Stakes for @TomMarquand, William Haggas, HM The King & HM The Queen...pic.twitter.com/C4oe0a80NU
Updated
King George V Handicap (3.05pm)
And they’re off … Land Legend was away very slowly after getting his head caught in the stalls … Davideo leads in the early stages with Sisyphus Strength … Mr Mistiffelees is up there … into the home straight and Wonder Legend goes for home with Bertinelli making ground … Desert Hero squeezes through for a royal victory! All stand for King Charles III on Gold Cup day!!
Updated
Eoin Morgan, who captained England in limited overs cricket from 2015 until his international retirement in June 2022, is at the races and had plenty to say about that Ashes debacle/entertainment, depending on where you stand.
🏏"It was sort of difficult to watch at times...they're playing completely uninhibited cricket that everybody relates to. Everyone wants to play the way Ben Stokes and Joe Root play"
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 22, 2023
Eoin Morgan enjoying some respite after a stressful week in Birmingham#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/g9fGDXs6gN
Valiant Force a 150-1 shocker on Ladies' Day
Valiant Force caused a 150-1 shock in the Norfolk Stakes, the opening race on day three of Royal Ascot.
Trained in Ireland by Adrian Murray and owned by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing, he was always up with the pace in the centre of the track under Rossa Ryan and while he had previous experience with two runs, he was unconsidered by punters.
Ryan got into a good rhythm aboard the Malibu Moon colt, who had finished runner-up to His Majesty on his debut at the Curragh before being well held in a Group Three contest over six furlongs at the same track on his second run.
The field split into two and six of the first seven home were in the far side group, up the middle of the track.
Bookmakers were in clover as 66-1 chance Malc finished a length-and-a-quarter second, with well-supported Elite Status, sent off the market leader at 7-4, only third. PA Media
Starting today with a HUGE shock - VALIANT FORCE finds phenomenal form at #RoyalAscot in the Norfolk Stakes, the joint-highest winning SP at the Royal Meeting at 150-1 🤯 congrats to @AMurrayRacing @RossaRyan15 @amoracingltd pic.twitter.com/3hHwbysdzJ
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 22, 2023
Trueshan is OUT of the Gold Cup. Not unexpected given the ground’s on the fast side and getting quicker all the time.
Trueshan has been declared a non-runner in the Gold Cup due to the going pic.twitter.com/XksJOiz1so
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 22, 2023
King George V Handicap (3.05pm) betting
Perfuse 5/1
Tagabawa 13/2
Bertinelli 15/2
Burglar 15/2
Davideo 8/1
Valiant King 9/1
Wonder Legend 10/1
Struth 18/1
Desert Hero 18/1
Land Legend 20/1
Cloudbreaker 22/1
Inquiring Minds 33/1
Greysful Storm 40/1
Mr Mistoffelees 50/1
Sisyphus Strength 66/1
Double March 66/1
Duke Of Oxford 80/1
Crackovia 125/1
Updated
King George V Handicap (3.05pm) preview
All the handicaps at this meeting are fiercely competitive and unpredictable, with a mixture of seasoned performers and lightly-raced potential improvers, but this one in particular is a devilish conundrum as pretty much the entire field fall into the latter category, and plenty are also bred to win a Derby and stepping up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time. A big pack of relatively inexperienced horses can also lead to all manner of traffic problems, no matter how cunning a trainer has been in getting a potential Group-class horse into the race off a lowish weight.
Bertinelli, the London Gold Cup winner at Newbury, is a narrow favourite, but he is giving at least 7lb to the entire field and it is 22 years since Beekeeper became the last top weight to win. Alternatives that are sure to attract their fair share of support include Tagabawa, whose trainer, Charlie Appleby, won this with a similar type last year, and Perfuse, from the Sir Michael Stoute yard, who is making his handicap debut. My marginal pick at the prices, though, is Valiant King, the mount of Oisin Murphy, who is stepping up to this trip for the first time and looks fairly handicapped on 8st 11lb after a five-and-a-half length maiden success last time.
SELECTION: VALIANT KING
Crypto influencer & proud Ukrainian Kate Levchuk @KateGoesTech in what is believed to be the first AI-designed dress, the brainchild of Mark Cole (trainer Paul Cole’s youngest son), at Royal Ascot. Some sight.
STAND WITH UKRAINE pic.twitter.com/YMyllIhlz4
— Kate Levchuk 🇺🇦 (@KateGoesTech) June 22, 2023
Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Valiant Force 150/1
2 Malc 66/1
3 Elite Status 7/4 f
😲 Valiant Force is a HUGE price winner of the Norfolk Stakes at 150-1
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 22, 2023
A second winner of the week for @Rossaryan15 #ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/nY5gwJ7WVY
Updated
Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off … this will be quick … Baheer has been withdrawn just before the start … His Majesty was slow … Valiant Force and Thunder Blue are up there … American Rascal is poised … Valiant Force is now kicking clear and holds on for a decisive win. He went off at 150-1!!!
Updated
Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) betting
Elite Status 15/8
American Rascal 4/1
No Nay Mets 6/1
Noche Magica 17/2
His Majesty 9/1
Devious 16/1
Thunder Blue 22/1
The Fixer 22/1
Mon Na Slieve 33/1
Malc 35/1
Reveiller 50/1
Toca Madera 110/1
Baheer 125/1
Valiant Force 150/1
Shayekh 250/1
Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) market movers
American Rascal 6/1 into 7/2
Thunder Blue 28/1 into 20/1
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) result
1 Blue 7-2
Updated
Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) preview
A warm favourite to kick off the third day, as Karl Burke’s Elite Status attempts to follow up his emphatic success in the National Stakes at Sandown last month and extend his unbeaten record to three. That win last time established that the son of Havana Grey is almost certainly the best juvenile sprinter in Britain right now, but he is now taking on the best from Ireland and the United States too, including several that are also unbeaten and open to any amount of improvement. Key races to consider include the Royal Palm Stakes at Gulfstream Parklast month in which George Weaver’s No Nay Mets booked his place in the field, joining his stable companion Crimson Advocate, the winner of yesterday’s opener, on the plane. Royal meeting veteran Wesley Ward, meanwhile, saddles American Rascal, a son of Lady Aurelia, who won both the 2016 Queen Mary Stakes and 2017 King’s Stand Stakes for the yard. He posted a fast time on debut at Gulfstream Park in April. And don’t rule out His Majesty, Aidan O’Brien’s only runner, who drops back to five furlongs after a narrow defeat over six at the Curragh.
SELECTION: ELITE STATUS
“I love horse racing and I love Royal Ascot … but how the hell is someone supposed to pick a winner … or even know where the fuck their horse is. There’s like nine million horses … they don’t put the numbers on the screen.”
American blogger David Portnoy, 2.9m Twitter followers and counting, on how not to follow a Royal Ascot horse race! There’s some lessons to be learned here actually (bit there’s some choice language be warned)
There is nothing harder to do on earth than bet Royal Ascot. pic.twitter.com/meamrmMbTb
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 21, 2023
Today's running order
2:30: Norfolk Stakes (Guardian selection: Elite Status)
3:05: King George V Stakes (Guardian selection: Valiant King)
3:40: Ribblesdale Stakes (Guardian selection: Al Asifah)
4:20: Gold Cup (Guardian selection: Subjectivist)
5:00: Britannia Stakes (Guardian selection: Physique [nap])
5:35: Hampton Court Stakes (Guardian selection: Caernarfon)
6:10: Buckingham Palace Stakes (Guardian selection: Baradar [nb])
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) betting
Blue 7/2
Pink/Peach 4/1
Yellow 5/1
Purple 7/1
Red 7/1
Green 9/1
Orange 9/1
Cream/White 10/1
Gold 11/1
Betting courtesy of Ladbrokes
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) preview
For those of us who follow the form for the first betting event each day at Royal Ascot this is a fascinating background piece on the “Queen’s Hat” flutter from our good friends at BestofBets.com highlighting Queen Camilla’s “vanilla” choices so far and why, perhaps, the days of this particular betting heat may be numbered.
“It’s Ladies’ Day and the traditional flutter for racegoers in the build up to the action is the colour of the Queen’s hat. However, it can’t go unnoticed that this betting market is far from as popular as it was when Her Late Majesty was still with us. So much so that many of the leading bookmakers have decided to opt out of this longstanding novelty betting market. And it remains to see if it’ll even be a “thing” next year.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, Queen Camilla and the late Queen Elizabeth are very different when it comes to fashion. The late Queen loved making a bold splash and she famously said ‘If I wore beige, nobody would know who I am’, so it’s no surprise that she made some bold choices during Royal Ascot over the years, and it was these bold vibrant colours that fulled the hat betting market.
“Camilla, on the other hand, tends to play it down, and play it safe and we’re unlikely to see her in fuchsia or bright lime green this week. If anything, we may see her in one of the colours that she’s already worn this week as Pink/Peach (4/1) and Cream/White (10/1) are now gaining traction.”
Updated
Royal Procession (2pm)
1st Carriage
The King
The Queen
The Earl of Snowdon
Sir Mark Prescott Bt.
2nd Carriage
The Princess Royal
Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
HH Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani
The Rt. Hon. the Lord Soames of Fletching
3rd Carriage
The Lady Sarah Chatto
Mr. Daniel Chatto
The Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
Mr. Colin Chisholm
4th Carriage
Mr. John Gosden
Mrs. John Gosden
Mr. John Warren
The Lady Carolyn Warren
Two years ago ITV Racing presenter Rishi Persad described racing as “behind the times” on racial diversity and revealed the launch of the British Horseracing Authority’s diversity in racing steering group had triggered a pushback that was “unpleasant and unnecessary”.
The BHA at the time condemned the hostility shown to Persad and stressed the sport needs, “an open, progressive and respectful debate about diversity, for both moral reasons and in the interests of the long term health of the industry”.
Last year Sky Sports Racing presenter Josh Apiafi warned: “We have to make racing more reflective of society and if we don’t then the sport will suffer. We’re constantly being told our customer base is physically and virtually disappearing. We may be living longer and retaining the same customers for our sport, but that isn’t being backfilled.”
It’s worth those in the sport reflecting on those comments today on the 75th anniversary of the arrival of Empire Windrush, as the children of its passengers tell of an enduring legacy in a thought-provoking article in the Guardian.
Our Opinion editor Hugh Muir concludes in his article: “I see a journey that at its end and through the years made this a better country. Their sweat and that of their descendants helped build our infrastructure – physical and social, their creativity infuses our politics, our industry, our arts and culture, our sport.”
Updated
The suggestion that Highfield Princess would turn out again on Saturday after her narrow defeat earlier in the week has been confirmed. The newly christened Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes promises to be a cracker.
King's Stand Stakes second Highfield Princess will make a quick return and faces 15 rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 22, 2023
Star international sprinters Artorius and Wellington have been declared as has Cannonball, who also ran earlier in the… pic.twitter.com/QAfUC4Y338
The official going for day three is: Good to Firm on the Straight Course and Good, Good to Firm in places on the Round Course.
GoingStick readings at 8am (the higher the figure the faster the ground):
Stands side: 7.5
Centre: 7.7
Far side: 7.4
Round course: 7.2
Updated
Good morning and welcome to Gold Cup day, traditionally the highlight of the week when those outside the racing parish sit up and take notice. If you’re taking a look at the other races don’t put these down on your betting slips. They are non-runners and won’t be turning up.
2.30pm Norfolk Stakes: Hala Emaraaty (not eaten up)
3.05pm King George V Handicap: Gallerist (going change)
3.40pm Ribblesdale Stakes: Infinite Cosmos (bad scope) & Luckin Brew (going change)
4.20pm Gold Cup: 7 Tashkhan (going change)
5.00pm Britannia Handicap: 11 Theoryofeverything (going change)
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from Royal Ascot on day three of this year’s meeting, where a sell-out crowd, or something very close to it, is beginning to gather for the showpiece event of the week – the Gold Cup.
Sadly, the defending champion is absent for the second year running, as Kyprios, who kicked off a four-timer at Group One level with his half-length success 12 months ago, is recovering from an injury and will not be out until later in the campaign.
The 2021 winner, Subjectivist, however, is very much present, which appeared to be a most unlikely eventuality when he sustained a potentially career-ending tendon injury shortly after beating a strong field in convincing fashion two summers ago.
It would be a remarkable achievement by all concerned if Subjectivist – who is still only six years old – could pick up where he left off at Ascot and become only the third horse in Gold Cup history to double up in non-consecutive years (I went through the list last night and Anticipation, in 1816 and 1819, and Kayf Tara, in 1998 and 2000, are the only others I can find).
The Gold Cup is the undoubted highlight but there is plenty of variety and interest elsewhere on the card, from the Group Two Norfolk Stakes for juveniles over five furlongs which kicks off the afternoon to an impossibly difficult, 29-runner seven-furlong handicap which draws proceedings to a close.
One of the biggest ever fields for the Ribblesdale Stakes, meanwhile, is headed by one of its shortest-priced favourites, as Al Asifah bids to confirm the huge expectations created by her recent, hugely impressive win at Goodwood. If you haven’t seen it, it’s well worth a watch.
The sun is out at Ascot and the ground is getting faster by the minute, with the going riding good-to-firm on the straight course and good, good-to-firm in places on the round track.
“We’ve been dry now since Tuesday morning, when we had 10mm of rain,” Chris Stickels, the clerk of the course, said earlier. “We actually irrigated last night, with 4mm on the straight course and 3mm just on the downhill section of the round course.
“The forecast for today is for another bright, sunny warm day with temperatures of 27 degrees and that’s the theme for the rest of the week with continued dry weather. There’s an isolated shower possible but otherwise warm, dry weather with high temperatures.”
My picks for today’s races – including a couple at very big odds – are here, though with the caveat that 13 of 14 tips so far have been beaten. The sole winner was a 9-1 shot though so there’s still hope of a profit on the week.
And all the news, results, frantically-typed text commentaries and more will of course be here on the live blog throughout the day.
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