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...
Aidan O’Brien’s colt an intriguing supplementary entry for the prestigious race at Royal Ascot to face StradivariusAn unexpected obstacle appeared on Friday between Stradivarius and a record-equalling fourth win in the Ascot Gold Cup next week, when Aidan O’Brien added Serpentine, the easy winner of the 2020 Derby at Epsom last July, to the field for the Royal meeting’s feature event at the £30,000 supplementary stage.The Gold Cup was seen as an obvious target for a Derby winner in his four-year-old season throughout the 19th century, when turf legends including The Flying Dutchman (1850), the Triple Crown winner West Australian (1854) and Gladiateur (1866) were among the horses to complete the Epsom-Ascot double. Related: Talking Horses: 100-1 winner headlines not...
Wichita, narrowly denied in the 2,000 Guineas, can gain compensation in the big race on the final day of Royal AscotWichita (3.00) was denied victory in the 2,000 Guineas by mere inches. The Irish colt can gain compensation in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the big race on the final day of Royal Ascot.Arizona had seemed to be Aidan O’Brien’s main contender but the market spoke in favour of Wichita and we saw why on the track. Pinatubo hit a flat spot at a crucial stage and may be better for the run but Wichita looks one to stick with and it would be a surprise if the form were reversed. Palace Pier has to be respected, as an unbeaten...
Addeybb tends to be pigeon-holed as a mudlark but it is worth giving him the chance to prove he is a top-class competitorTo judge by Tuesday’s race times, this week’s rain has had only a limited effect on the ground but more is forecast from lunchtime today, setting a poser for punters. Addeybb (3.00) tends to be pigeon-holed as a mudlark but it may be worth giving him the chance to prove he has become a top-class competitor in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.It was only a Listed race that he won over this course and distance last summer but there was some top-class form represented by the three that followed him home. The fitting of cheekpieces since that day...
The jockey, a prolific winner since racing resumed a fortnight ago, will be aboard the joint-favourite Win O’Clock in a Wednesday handicap at the prestigious Flat meetingFans of Hollie Doyle will be interested to learn that the in-form rider has picked up a very useful spare ride at Royal Ascot on Wednesday. The 23-year-old has been booked by Roger Charlton for Win O’Clock in Wednesday’s King George V Handicap, the 13-2 joint-favourite with most firms. Related: Sandown shunt shows racing needs safety-first approach on interference | Chris Cook Goodwood12.00 Dark Company 12.35 Rusper's Lad 1.10 Treacherous 1.40 Basilicata 2.10 Sir Roderic 2.45 Variyann 3.15 Master Spy (nap) 3.45 StagiairePontefract12.20 Lost My Sock 12.50 Bowman 1.20 Corvair 1.50 War Defender 2.20...