Races

Chances are you’re about to lose.

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au

ROYAL ASCOT – WHAT TO EXPECT

Posted on | Posted by Andrew Hawkins

It is almost here once again: Royal Ascot is right on our doorstep and, even with the meeting’s matriarch missing this year, it is still set to be an incredible five days of action.

While other meetings try to claim the title of the world championships of racing, most notably the Breeders’ Cup, it is usually Royal Ascot that has the biggest global flavour to it.

The Japanese, who have been dominant in the early part of 2023 right around the world, don’t have any runners at the meeting this year. It will have to wait until 2024 for them to shatter one of the last holdouts in their quest to conquer the racing world.

Instead, it will be up to Australia, Hong Kong and the United States to beat the Brits on home soil. And, in a year in which Royal Ascot takes place amidst an Ashes tour, what could be better than capturing the urn and beating up on their sprinters?

Here are four things to watch for next week.

LARGE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT

It was looking like an even bigger Team Australia just six weeks ago until Anamoe’s retirement forced him out of the traditional Ascot curtain-raiser, the G1 Queen Anne Stakes. However, the two sprints will both feature an Australian presence as us antipodeans saddle up our biggest contingent in eight years.

The G1 King’s Stand Stakes next Tuesday night, won last year by Nature Strip, will feature G1 Black Caviar Lightning winner COOLANGATTA and fellow three-year-old CANNONBALL over the five furlongs (1000m).

Interestingly, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will become the first non-European trainers to have had runners at both Royal Ascot and its jumping equivalent, the Cheltenham Festival. And given their level of success, you wouldn’t put it past them to have winners at both in the years ahead.

Could that come with Coolangatta this year? There’s no doubt her sheer speed will be an asset, as seen before with a horse like Lady Aurelia. The last little bit up the Ascot hill will be her test, but if James McDonald can harness her speed effectively, her rivals may be chasing in vain.

While the decision by James Harron and his owners to send Cannonball to the UK raised eyebrows when it was first announced, he has increasingly looked the right type for the race. His two runs at Rosehill were terrific and he was great in a Flemington jumpout recently. At a time when the Australian sprint ranks are undergoing something of a rejuvenation through Giga Kick, I Wish I Win and Think About It, it wouldn’t surprise to see Cannonball emerge from nowhere as a late season addition to those ranks.

Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – the race formerly known as the Cork and Orrery Stakes, the Golden Jubilee Stakes, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and the Platinum Jubilee Stakes – will see ARTORIUS seeking redemption after his luckless third last year, while THE ASTROLOGIST will be hoping to find form at his third UK run.

It is hard to see The Astrologist proving competitive, although he has a habit of running well in races like this, but Artorius is early favourite and deservedly so. If McDonald can time his run just right – something that is so critical with the mercurial four-year-old – he should be incredibly hard to beat.

There will be a third Australian angle too, with Hong Kong’s WELLINGTON – foaled at Kia Ora Stud in the Hunter Valley – also taking to the straight six. The leading sprinter at Sha Tin the last two seasons, he has been eclipsed by Lucky Sweynesse this season but has still run consistently. He looms large.

With the Australian-based McDonald also taking a large book of rides and a swathe of Australian owners represented across the week, it would be a disappointing result if there wasn’t at least something to celebrate come Day 5.

THE WESLEY WARD FACTOR

Coming in from the opposite direction are the Americans in droves, especially for the two-year-old races.

The United States has tasted the most success for a non-European country with 13 winners over the years.

Of those, 12 have been trained by Wesley Ward, with eight of those coming in two-year-old races. (Side note: one of his non-juvenile winners, Con Te Partiro, went on to win the G1 Coolmore Classic and the G1 Queen Of The Turf for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.)

That tells you that any of his horses, particularly his youngsters, should be on your radar.

Arguably the most anticipated horse of the week is unbeaten two-year-old AMERICAN RASCAL, who contests the G2 Norfolk Stakes.

He is the first foal of the aforementioned Lady Aurelia, who impressively took both the G2 Queen Mary Stakes as a two-year-old and then the G1 King’s Stand Stakes as a three-year-old for Ward, both over the same five-furlong trip as the Norfolk.

His Keeneland debut on dirt was phenomenal, scooting home to win under a tight grip by more than 10 lengths, and on pedigree the switch to turf should be no concern.

If he lives up to expectations, we could see something quite brilliant in the Thursday feature.

EXCITING JUVENILES AT HOME

While the Americans are always tough to beat in the juvenile races, the hype around the British and Irish two-year-olds is also significant this year.

The Coventry Stakes could be one of the races of the week with ASADNA and RIVER TIBER going head-to-head in a traditional English/Irish battle.

Asadna has had one start for an incredible 12-length victory at Ripon. Now, winning at Ripon in the north of England would be like winning at Bathurst on debut, but he smashed the clock and did it in style.

The authoritative Racing Post Ratings gave the George Boughey trainee a 106 mark for that performance – the highest figure for a newcomer in Britain or Ireland since 2007 and the third-highest overall debutant figure since 2000.

The legendary Galileo ran to 113 on debut in a Leopardstown maiden in 2000, while Great Barrier Reef – who eventually struggled to break his maiden – ran a 109 when second in the 2007 G2 Gimcrack Stakes.

That’s exalted company and would normally guarantee favouritism for the six-furlong Coventry, sometimes referred to as England’s Golden Slipper. However, he doesn’t even hold the best figures for the race!

Another wide margin maiden winner awaits in River Tiber for Aidan O’Brien, who seeks his 10th win in the feature.

River Tiber ran to a 104 figure in winning by 10 lengths on debut at Navan before going to a 107 when successful in a conditions race at Naas. He’s bred to get better with age and over further, so what he’s doing now is extremely exciting.

Throw in Ward’s BLEDSOE and another American with a sporting reference, NO NAY METS (part-owned by baseballer Alex Bregman), and it’s going to add to an incredible opening day.

FRANKIE’S FINAL HURRAH

Last year, the thought of Royal Ascot without Queen Elizabeth II seemed daunting.

In 2024, we will have to confront a world in which Royal Ascot takes place without the Queen at the helm and without Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

A seven-time champion jockey at the meeting and the current record holder for most winning rides at Royal Ascot with 77, he is unlikely to hold that mantle for long with Ryan Moore just four victories behind him.

However, the Italian’s charisma and style has made him one of the world’s most popular jockeys for almost four decades – even if that popularity hasn’t always been apparent down under – and he will be the object of plenty of attention next week.

He is having an incredible farewell tour currently, riding all over the world and picking up Group 1 wins for fun, and that looks set to continue in Berkshire.

Among his booked rides are leading chances INSPIRAL (G1 Queen Anne Stakes), CHALDEAN (G1 St James’s Palace Stakes), SAGA (Royal Hunt Cup) and FREE WIND (G2 Hardwicke Stakes).

Expect to see a few flying dismounts across the week.




Recent Articles