Menu

Stay in Touch
Sign up for ENews
Subscribe Now

Unlimited access >

Menu

Royal Ascot: FRI June 17 - live on TVG at 9am EST

Racing
#1

It’s been somewhat well noted that several American-trained and American-based runners will be attacking in earnest the upcoming Royal Ascot meet next month.

Last month, trainer Wesley Ward had great success at Chantilly, France

The Keeneland 2-year-old maiden winners Everyday Dave and Judy the Beauty won allowance races over five furlongs on turf at Chantilly, France, on Monday for American trainer Wesley Ward, giving Ward three winners in France in a little more than 48 hours.

Saturday at Longchamp, Ward won with his first-ever French starter, Tiz Terrific. [Who then earns a berth into the Queen Mary].

Monday, Everyday Dave won by eight lengths as the 6-5 favorite, while Judy the Beauty won by a neck at 3-5. Jeffrey Sanchez rode all three of Ward’s winners.

All three are bound for the Royal Ascot meeting in England in June, though Ward has not stated which horses will start in what races.

Most eyes will be cast on Frankle who is skipping the Epsom Derby and instead resurface in the St. James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Even Todd Pletcher will join in the US contingent traveling across the pond: Pletcher plans to run three at Royal Ascot

Ascot head of PR Nick Smith is delighted with the prospect of such a senior US trainer making his royal meeting debut as part of what could easily be the biggest American squad ever seen.

“It would be tremendous to see Todd at Royal Ascot,” he said. “Representation at the royal meeting from the US could be at an unprecedented level, with Todd’s three possibles, plus the likes of Sidney’s Candy, Caracortado and Wesley Ward’s horses.”

Among the expected runners: Bobby Flay’s 2010 Breders’ Cup JV filly winner More Than Real and Ken Ramsey’s Keeneland track record setter Holiday For Kitten.

In case anyone is disappointed with the heavy hitter Frankel skipping the Epsom Derby (June 4, 2011) at least the royal watchers may have their tongues wagging as H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed her runner Carlton House win Dante Stakes at York May 12th.

Queen Elizabeth, 85, has not owned a Classic winner since Dunfermline ‘doubled’ in her Silver Jubilee year of 1977.

Dunfermline, trained by the late Major Dick Hern and ridden by Willie Carson, won both the Epsom Oaks, for three-year-old fillies, and the St Leger, run over a mile and six furlongs for both three-year-old colts and fillies, at Doncaster in northern England.

Carlton House’s victory in this year’s Dante came on the same day the Queen became Britain’s second-longest reigning monarch after more than 59 years on the throne.

Image: Carlton House (Ryan Moore up) Dante Stakes; wearing The Queen’s colours

(They are: purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and black velvet cap with gold fringe.)

#2

A mouthful if ever there was in prose on [url=" http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/racing/queens-colt-now-derby-favourite-after-regal-display-2283179.html"]the Queen and her chances with the Derby:

Anyone baffled, or worse, by the somewhat unreconstructed public response to a recent nuptial ceremony at Westminster Abbey would be well advised to avoid Epsom on 4 June. For the success here yesterday of Carlton House appears to give the monarch her best chance yet of winning the greatest race staged in her kingdom – and you may rest assured that the sport will be milking the moment.

Mind you, only the most ingenuous patriot will be backing Carlton House for the Investec Derby at odds now as short as 6-4. Yes, the Totesport Dante Stakes looked the strongest of the trials, and had in recent years produced Workforce, Authorized and Motivator. But if the courts of law were to stage their own trials in such perfunctory fashion, then perhaps their findings would tend to favour the Crown no less reliably.

The Queen’s racing manager John Warren said: “The Queen will be at Epsom and this will mean a lot to her. It is fantastic for racing and if she can help the industry, all the better.”

The closest the Queen has gone to winning the Derby is second place in 1953. The last Royal to win the Epsom Derby: Minoru (IRE) for King Edward VII in 1909.

As an interesting aside - Minoru went to stud in Russia (1913) but disappeared during the turmoil of the 1917 Russian Revolution and although there is speculation that he survived, no trace of him was ever actually found.

#3

So will Mike Smith be riding any mounts in the UK outside of Folkestone? It looked like a go yesterday but …

The Racing Post Sun May 22nd said Smith was riding at Lingfield upon request:

Illuminative’s part-owner Simon Clare, who is PR director for Coral, is hoping Smith’s expertise can help the five-year-old, having read that the jockey was available for rides in the Racing Post.

"The chance to shake Mike’s hand in the paddock and to give him riding instructions is one I’m really looking forward to, and you never know, his genius might just rub off on Illuminative, who, like the great Zenyatta, has a tendency to be slowly away from the stalls, although that’s where the comparison ends.

“Illuminative has been an incredibly frustrating horse and this could almost be his last run before we think about finding him a new career, so it would be just incredible if Mike were able to win on him.”

Smith has ridden in Europe before and won the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Fourstars Allstar in 1991.

However it appears the British authorities are nixing this deal:

Racing Post 5-23-11 “Red tape prevents Smith from riding at Lingfield”

Adrian Beaumont, who has been booking rides for Smith during his stay in Britain, said: "What happened is the UK Border Agency just rang us and the conditions of his visa say he can’t ride outside Folkestone. The UK Border Agency don’t feel [riding at Lingfield] is related to what he is doing at Folkestone. We don’t think that and neither do the trainers, it’s frustrating.

“[The UK Border Agency] said they won’t stop him [from riding at Lingfield] but it might have an impact on future trips so he’ll just ride at Folkestone.”

Interesting labor issue but it is not unlike other countries and barring work (riding) by non-nationals. A US rider cannot, for example, ride a horse in Canada unless the horse is American owned.

#4

Remove the gold braiding and you have the old Belmont silks.

#5

I previously suggested that Bobby Flay’s Breeders’ Cup JV Filly Turf winner More Than Real was a “go” for Royal Ascot however that appears to be just a potential option:

DRF 5-24-11 “More Than Real possible for Royal Ascot”

Todd Pletcher, who trains More Than Real, said the filly is under consideration for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. Pletcher said he must decide by June 6, because that’s the day North American horses are scheduled to ship to England.

“We just got to feel good about the way she’s training, and obviously a race like that is one you’d have to be at your very best,” Pletcher said. “I feel like she’s the kind of filly that could run her very best off a layoff, but we need a couple more solid works to make sure they are there.”

It certainly would be nice to see her there.

Another Royal Ascot runner anticipated - from New Zealand - is So You Think who just won Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday May 22nd at the Curragh.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien said So You Think is likely to make his next start in the Prince of Wales’s Stake at Royal Ascot.

#6

Does anyone know if Wesley Ward is going to be taking his filly Gypsy Robin to Ascot?
I know there was some talk about it between him and his partners.

#7

[QUOTE=evntr5218;5623249]
Does anyone know if Wesley Ward is going to be taking his filly Gypsy Robin to Ascot?[/QUOTE]

Nothing confirmed, although as you said there had been mention of it following her great win in April at Keeneland. It will likely be Royal Ascot for Gentleman’s Code:

As noted elsewhere, today (May 26th) winning British debut for Mike Smith and Gentleman’s Code for Wesley Ward.

Trained by Wesley Ward, who saddled another two-year-old maiden winner in France an hour before Folkestone started, favourite Gentlemans Code read his linesperfectly as he made just about all of the running to score from Bear Behind.

As for Mike Smith

Reflecting on his time in Britain, which included riding out with Luca Cumani’s string and a tour of Newmarket, Smith added: “It really was [worth coming]. I feel like a kid again and I have been doing this for 30 years. I really enjoyed and if I could come again I’d love to do it.”

#8

To me, the silks look like a version of a hussar/cavalry regiment uniform.

Does anyone know if they are the traditional royal silks or were created for QEII?

[QUOTE=WhiteCamry;5621126]
Remove the gold braiding and you have the old Belmont silks.[/QUOTE]

#9

Since this thread has gone somewhat the direction of the silks, I’ll add this bit of trivia I read in this cute little book Horse Bits & Pieces: Sublime Equine Trivia by S. Widdicombe.

[I]First Racing Colours

On October 4, 1762, the 19 Stewards of the Jockey Club announced a resolution to register the specific racing colours to members “For the greater Conveniency of distinguishing the Horses in Running, as also for the Prevention of Disputes, arising from not knowing the Colours worn by each Rider.” In the first list of colours registered following the resolution, 18 owners shared 17 sets of colours

Duke of Cumberland - Purple

Duke of Grafton - Sky blue

Duke of Devonshire - Straw

Duke of Kingston - Crimson

Duke of Ancaster - Buff

Duke of Bridgewater - Garter blue

Marquis of Rockingham - Green

Earl of Waldegrave - Deep red

Earl of Orford - Purple & white

Earl of March, Mr. Vernon - White

Earl of Northumberland - Deep yellow

Earl of Gower - Blue with black cap

Viscount Bolingbroke - Black

Sir John Moore - Darkest green

Mr. Grevile - Brown trimmed with yellow

Mr. Shafto - Pink

Lord Grosvenor - Orange

Sir J. Lowther - None
[/I]

Funny thing is, there is no mention of what exactly is meant by crimson versus deep red or what kind of blue “garter blue” actually is… :smiley: Nor does it state what is meant by “trimmed with”… trim where? on the sleeves? cuffs? collar? And did it mean Sir J. Lowther’s jockey rode shirtless? :lol:

Also, silk colours could be passed from one person to another after the death of the first “owner”.

The oldest continuously used colour in racing is “straw”, which was first registered by William Cavendish (1720 - 64), the Duke of Devonshire, and is still registered to and used by that family.

Viney - it doesn’t say anything about the Queen’s colours, but I’d imagine given the above list, that the Windsor family colours have been theirs for some time, though I don’t know for sure…

#10

Ascot Origins…

Also from the same aforementioned book:

It was Queen Anne who first saw the potential for a racecourse on the open heath at Ascot (then East Cote), not far from Windsor Castle. The racecourse was built in 1711 on her orders, and the first race meeting was held on August 11 that year. The inaugural event was Her Majesty’s Plate, worth 100 guineas, which was open to any horse, mare or gelding over the age of six years. (The story is that the prizes were paid for using money from the Secret Service fund.) the seven runners were all hunters and were required to carry a weight of 12 stone. The race consisted of three separate heats, each 4 miles long or so, so the winner (unfortunately unrecorded) must have been a horse of exceptional stamina.
:cool:

#11

Viney, found an answer!

[QUOTE=vineyridge;5626691]
To me, the silks look like a version of a hussar/cavalry regiment uniform.

Does anyone know if they are the traditional royal silks or were created for QEII?[/QUOTE]

Found an answer for you!
[I]The late QE, the Queen Mother, inherited her famous blue-and-buff striped colours with black cap and gold tassel from her great-uncle Lord Strathmore, who rode in four Grand Nationals between 1847 and 1850.

HM QEII’s colours are the same as those of Edward VII and George IV as Prince Regent: purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and black velvet cap with gold fringe.

The Prince of Wales rode in a number of steeplechases from March 4, 1980 to May 21, 1981, clocking up top-four placings in his first three races. When riding his own horses in these and less successful races that followed, the Prince wore his own scarlet colours with royal blue sleeves and black cap. His final race was on his grandmother’s Upton grey at Newton Abbot in Devon, where he finished ninth.[/I]

#12

Garter Blue must be the shade of blue that is traditionally associated with the Order of The Garter.

Pretty darned impressive that Prince Charles rode in chases.

Found this on ebay from the time that Edward VII was Prince of Wales; and the Prince Regent was also the Prince of Wales. So it would appear that QEII has snaffled what were originally the colors of the Prince of Wales. I’ve also found a painting from the late 1700’s or the abouts showing a jockey wearing the Prince of Wales’ (Prince Regent, I would guess) colors, and they are the same as the current ones used by the Queen.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1888-N22-Racing-Colors-World-PRINCE-WALES-SGC-40-/120650017599
http://emuseum.huntington.org/view/objects/asitem/1046/3/title-asc?t:state:flow=d231d8b1-7bcb-4bed-9b61-729d77c386fe

#13

Setting the origins and use of silks aside. The Queen’s big-contender horse is having a slight issue:

May 31, 2011 Racing Post: “Derby favourite Carlton House has slight setback”

John Warren, racing advisor to the Queen said on Tuesday: "Carlton House was found to have a small amount of filling in his near-fore joint at evening stables last night, following a routine canter yesterday.

“As a result, precautionary x-rays were taken this morning which revealed no abnormalities. There is an issue but we remain hopeful that he is on target for the Derby on Saturday.”

Warren later told RacingUK: "Luckily his important work is out of the way. It would only be routine cantering that would be left to be undertaken for the remainder of the week.

"It could be the equivalent ofa footballer straining his ankle. It was not evident in his cantering yesterday that he actually took a false step or anything and the horse is sound this morning.

"It was a little bit sore and they will be icing, hosing and wrapping to try and keep the joint well looked after. We are still extremely hopeful but it will be a day-by-day thing to watch.

Daily Mail’s guide Saturday’s £1.25m Epsom Investec Derby

Note HRTV will air the race (June 4) :

#14

The Epsom Schedule - aired on HRTV

Friday 3 June [Times are GMT]

1340 Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3) 1m 114y
1410 Investec Mile (Handicap) 1m 114y
1445 Coronation Cup* (Group 1) 1m 4f
1525 Investec Investment Stakes (Handicap) 1m 2f
1605 The Oaks* (Group 1) 1m 4f
1650 Surrey Stakes (Listed Race) 7f
1725 Opportunity Stakes (Handicap) 7f

Saturday 4 June

1340 Investec Horses Help Heroes Stakes* (Handicap) 1m 2f
1410 Woodcote Stakes* (Listed Race) 6f
1440 Diomed Stakes* (Group 3) 1m 114y
1515 Investec Entrepreneurial Class ‘Dash’* (Handicap) 5f
1600 The Derby* (Group 1) 1m 4f
1650 Investec Surefooted Stakes (Handicap) 1m 4f
1725 Investec Specialist Bank Stakes (Handicap) 6f

#15

I just looked at the Racing Post’s cards for some of the big races, and they list probable/possible starters. They identify the owners through their silks which is a very attractive way to do that boring task.

If it weren’t for Godolphin and Khalid Abdullah and the Tabor/Smith/magnier groups half the races wouldn’t fill. Is British racing really that dependent on such a few people?

They think Frankel will go in the St. James Palace Mile Stakes.

#16

[QUOTE=evntr5218;5623249]
Does anyone know if Wesley Ward is going to be taking his filly Gypsy Robin to Ascot?[/QUOTE]

Update: Yes.

Sportinglife June 8, 2011 "Ward Lines Up Ascot Team

On the first day, he has Italo entered for the Coventry Stakes and both Holdin Bullets and recent Folkestone winner Gentlemans Code in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

On Wednesday’s card, Ward has Gypsy Robin and Judy The Beauty in the Queen Mary Stakes while on Thursday he has Everyday Dave in the Norfolk Stakes.

Gypsy Robin and Judy The Beauty have alternative entries in the Albany Stakes on Friday and Tiz Terrific and/or Holdin Bullets will fly the stars and stripes in the Chesham Stakes on Saturday.

The elder member of the Ward raiding party is Holiday For Kitten, who goes for the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday.

[b]"Gypsy Robin has been entered in both the Queen Mary and the Albany. It has not been completely determined yet which race she is going to run in. She could run in either of the two.

"She’s run just the once at Keeneland over four and a half furlongs in 50.2 seconds, a fast time, and she won by seven and a half lengths in an 11-horse field. She can really run.[/b]

TVG will be airing the races live each day next week - starting at 9am EST.

It looks to be one hell of a damn good meet!

Just look at opening day of Tuesday June 14th: Frankel in the St James’s Palace Stakes and Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes - that’s firepower!

How about Todd Pletcher and Royal Ascot? He will have two runners at the meet - including Bobby Flay’s Breeders’ Cup winning filly:

More Than Real, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner, will run in the one-mile Coronation Stakes on June 17. Bridgetown, fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, but a stakes winner this year, will run in the five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes on June 14.

This will mark Pletcher’s first trip to Royal Ascot, something he said he was “kind of” excited about. In between race days, Pletcher plans to visit the famed Ballydoyle training center of Vincent O’Brien.

#17

If you have TVG you’d do yourself a huge disservice if you skipped taping at least the racing action on opening day - Tuesday the 14th.

Respected host Simon Bray has flown in and he’ll join the network’s UK racing expert, Graham Cunningham, for commentary from the paddock.

The Queen attends each day so you get to see her royal carriage enter.

Highlighting the racing action are seven Group I events, kicking off Tuesday with the Queen Anne Stakes, St. James’s Palace Stakes and King’s Stand Stakes. On Wednesday it’s the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, on Thursday the Ascot Gold Cup, on Friday the Coronation Stakes and on closing day, Saturday, the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

More detail on the races here:

RUNNING ORDER FOR ROYAL ASCOT

Tuesday

2.30 Queen Anne StakesGp 1 1m Four year-olds & up £250,000
3.05 King’s Stand StakesGp 1 (Group 1) 5f Three year-olds & up £300,000
3.50 St James’s Palace Stakes Gp 1 1m Three year-old colts £250,000
4.25 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f Two year-olds £85,000
5.00 Ascot Stakes (Handicap) 2m 4f Four year-olds & up £50,000
5.35 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) 5f Two year-olds £85,000

RACE OF THE DAY

St James Palace with Frankel. He is trained by Henry Cecil, who has sent out 72 Royal Ascot winners. Frankel’s Guineas victory was breathtaking and while Grand Prix Boss has top class form in Japan, this is all about Frankel.

Wednesday

2.30 Jersey Stakes Grp 3 7f Three year-olds £70,000
3.05 Windsor Forest Stakes Grp 2 1m Four year-old & up Fillies £100,000
3.50 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes Grp 1 1m 2f Four year-olds & up £400,000
4.25 Royal Hunt Cup Handicap 1m Three year-olds & up £100.000
5.00 Queen Mary Stakes Grp 2 5f Two year-old Fillies £75,000
5.35 Sandringham StakesHandicap 1m Three year-old Fillies £50.000

RACE OF THE DAY

The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes offers So You Think the chance to add to his fast-growing reputation. Regarded by Australians as one of the best horses to race there during the past 25 years, There was huge controversy when Cooolmore bought a share and took him to Ireland. He has looked exceptional in both his races since.

Thursday

2.30 Norfolk Stakes Grp 2 5f Two year-olds £75,000
3.05 Ribblesdale Stakes Grp 2 1m4f Three year-old Fillies £100,000
3.50 Gold Cup Grp 1 2m4f Four year-olds & up £250,000
4.25 Britannia StakesHandicap 1m Three year-olds £100,000
5.00 Tercentenary Stakes Grp 3 1m 2f Three year-olds £70,000
5.35 King George V Stakes Handicap 1m 4f Three year-olds £50,000

RACE OF THE DAY

The Irish have dominated the Gold Cup since 2006 and Mr Dinos (2003) was the last home win. John Gosden has a live candidate this time with Duncan. He looked useful when landing the Yorkshire Cup. Fame And Glory is the favourite and is classy.

Friday

2.30 Albany Stakes Grp 3 6f Two year-olds £60,000
3.05 King Edward VII Stakes Grp 2 1m4f Three year-old colts£140,000
3.50 Coronation Stakes Grp 1 1m Three year-old Fillies £250,000
4.25 Wolferton Stakes Handicap 1m 2f Four year-olds & up £50,000
5.00 Queens Vase Grp 3 2m Three year-olds £60,000
5.35 Buckingham Palace Stks Hcap 7f Three year-olds & up £50,000

RACE OF THE DAY

This Coronation Stakes might not be seen as a vintage, but it is rarely won by a poor horse. Memory was fancied to win the Guineas, but disgraced herself and almost refused to race. Together, runner-up in both the Irish and Newmarket Guineas, represents the powerful Ballydoyle team.

Saturday

2.30 Chesham Stakes Listed 7f Two year-olds £50,000
3.05 Hardwicke Stakes Grp 2 1m4f Four year-olds & up £100,000
3.50 Golden Jubilee Stakes Grp 1 6f Three year-olds & up £400,000
4.25 Wokinham Stakes Handicap 6f Three year-olds & up £100,000
5.00 Duke of Edinburgh Stks H’cap 1m4f Three year-olds & up £50,000
5.35 Queen Alexandra Stakes 2m6f Four year-olds & up £50,000

RACE OF THE DAY

Delegator will be the mount of new wonder boy Mickael Barzalona and will obviously attract huge attention. Bated Breath is improving fast and comes into the reckoning while Star Witness represents Australia, which always has a strong set of sprinters.

As an aside Frankel’s trainer Henry Cecil is to be knighted by The Queen

#18

Free past performances for Tuesday’s race card!

http://www.tvg.com/forms/Ascot061411.pdf

#19

Here’s interactive PPs with silks and a course map and aerial view of the course.
http://www.racingpost.com/horses/course_home.sd?crs_id=2&bottom_tab=2

First race on the card is the Queen Anne G1… Goldikova v Canford Cliffs v Cape Blanco… now that’s the way to start a race meet!!!

Btw, Goldi is not favourite in the betting at the moment, Canford Cliffs is 6/4 with Goldi a hair behind in price at 13/8. May well change by post time, but shows punters’ confidence in last year’s champion 3yo Miler who looked mighty impressive winning the Lockinge G1 last time out.

Second race is the cavalry dash of the King’s Stand, 5f over the straight course. Only 19 runners this year, compared to the almost 30 runners they’ve had in the past, though 9 different nations are represented in this sprint.

#20

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5663195]

Second race is the cavalry dash of the King’s Stand, 5f over the straight course. Only 19 runners this year, compared to the almost 30 runners they’ve had in the past, though 9 different nations are represented in this sprint.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, make that 9 “foreign” (i.e non British based) runners, from 8 nations total.

USA - Bridgetown, Holiday for Kitten
Hungary - Overdose (the “Budapest Bullet”)
France - Mar Adentro
Hong Kong - Sweet Sanette
Germany - War Artist
Australia - Star Witness
Ireland - Sole Power, Artic

Btw, if Star Witness wins it will say something about the Aussie mare Black Caviar’s stature as top ranked sprinter in the world, as she has handily beat him on several occasions.

Get your Digital Subscription here - only $29.99 / year

Subscribe here
See gift options

Sign up to our monthly newsletter!

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.

Copyright © 2023 The Chronicle of the Horse