The first Royal meeting since the monarch’s death will look much the same on the surface but will inevitably feel differentEven in the final years of her reign, when first the Covid epidemic and then failing health prevented Queen Elizabeth II from attending Royal Ascot in person, the late monarch was still a presence at her favourite course during the biggest week of its year. “Even though she wasn’t here last year, she was still at Windsor Castle and watching the whole affair,” Nick Smith, Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs, said this past week. “She did still feel very much part of the event.”The Royal meeting was often said to be the first – and most sacrosanct –...
A misjudged strategy by the normally masterly Frankie Dettori scuppered the horse’s chances of a fourth triumph in this raceRacing history was denied in emphatic fashion at Royal Ascot when Stradivarius, the usually mighty chestnut, finished a disappointing fourth and missed out on becoming only the second horse to win the Gold Cup four times. In a strangely misjudged race by the normally masterly Frankie Dettori, the jockey and Stradivarius suffered. Stuck in heavy traffic on the rail at the home turn, they struggled to find the space to have a sustained crack at the impressive Subjectivist, who streaked home to win by five lengths.Stradivarius was almost 10 lengths behind with three furlongs to run and, from that position, victory...
The Queen may not be there every day but racing will rejoice with the bigger crowd representing a huge stride forward for the sportEven with the daily schedule increased to seven races from the traditional six, Royal Ascot 2021 will not be the biggest as there were 36 races 12 months ago. Whether it will be one of the best remains to be seen, though the early signs – fine weather, fast ground and a long list of exceptional horses lined up to run – are promising.There is one certainty before the Flat season’s most glamorous and prestigious race meeting: from Ascot’s point of view, it will leave the biggest hole in their balance sheet of any event in its...
Alan King’s youngster looks leniently weighted for Betfair Exchange Trophy, highlight of six Saturday races on ITV4The prize money for Ascot’s Betfair Exchange Trophy is a lot less than when Alan King sent out Raya Star to win it in 2011, but a fantastically competitive field will line up just the same. The Wiltshire trainer has two of the more interesting runners and can bag the prize again with the topically named Isolate (3.35), appealingly priced at 16-1. Related: Talking Horses: King George behind closed doors after tier 3 extension Tips by Chris CookHollie Doyle could land one of the gambles of the season on Sunday evening, when she will head to Salford for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the...
The showpiece Royal meeting next June will take place with social distancing measures still in force, believes the track’s CEOThe many challenges that still lie ahead for racing as it recovers from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic were placed in sharp relief on Wednesday when Ascot, Britain’s most popular course by attendance, said it anticipates a “significant pre-tax loss in 2021” and that its showpiece Royal meeting next June will take place with social distancing measures still in force.The five days of Royal Ascot in 2019 attracted nearly 300,000 racegoers, out of an annual total of around 550,000 spectators for the track’s 25 afternoons of racing (a figure that excludes Champions Day in October, which is run under an...