Stephen Dwyer

Thursday, August 9, 2012

The Ladbrokes St. Leger

The Ladbrokes St. Leger

By Stephen Dwyer

It is the oldest of the classics. First run in 1776, the same year that The United States declared their independence, the St. Leger is also the longest of Britain’s five classic races. Sponsored by Ladbrokes since 2005, the St. Leger is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards.

The 2012 renewal of the St. Leger takes place on Saturday September 15^th..This year’s race is centred around a rare event, a bid for the Triple Crown. The unbeaten Ballydoyle colt, Camelot is attempting to become the first horse since Nijinsky to win the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St. Leger. The Triple Crown has eluded many top class racehorses since it was last won in 1970 and it has become a rare occurrence for a horse to attempt it nowadays. Almost out of fashion, there is a tendency from top yards to target other races.

Most recently Sea The Stars, who won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2009 opted for the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe instead of the St. Leger route. Remember Sea The Stars is only the second horse since Nashwan in 1988 to have won the Guineas-Derby double so this in itself is a rarity. Expect the hype machine to kick into overdrive as Camelot attempts to make history by becoming the first colt to win the triple crown this century.

Currently available at a best priced 1/2 for the St. Leger, Camelot was always that bit special. He was bred by Sheik Abdulla Bin Isa Al-Khalifa from the Sheik’s own mare Tarfah. By Montjeu, Camelot was sold for 525,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October sales in 2010. Demi O’Byrne, bloodstock agent for Coolmore acquired the colt and he is now unbeaten in all five starts. Already a winner over a mile and 1m 4f, Camelot has plenty of stamina on his dam’s side. Tarfah won the Snowdrop stakes and the Group 3 Dahlia stakes and the colt is fully expected to stay the extended 1m 6f trip at Doncaster.

It was only after the Derby win that Camelot’s connections copper-fastened an assault on the Triple Crown. John Magnier noted “ We’re all getting older and somehow these things start to mean a little more”. Yet for all the confidence behind Camelot, the race is still a classic and one that is never easily won. Shergar was beaten in the St. Leger, and although Nijinsky won it comfortably, the race settled from two furlongs out , Camelot is out of the same top drawer. After his heavy ground win in the Irish Derby, Hayley O'Connor of St. Leger sponsor Ladbrokes said: "Conditions were far from ideal yet Camelot still managed to impress us and on better ground his St Leger performance could be even more spectacular.”

The St. Leger can be a gruelling test of stamina and Aidan O’ Brien has given Camelot a break since his Irish Derby win and will run fresh at Doncaster. As short as 1/4 in places at one point, Camelot’s price has improved in recent weeks but he is still very cramped odds for the final classic of the season.

Those vying to upset the Coolmore champion include Great Heavens, Shantaram and Main Sequence. Owned by Lady Rothschild, Great Heavens is a sister to Nathaniel and is a well-finished daughter of Galileo. A winner of four of her five starts she suffered her sole defeat on her racecourse debut when running green. Great Heavens then made all the running to win cosily in the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes at Newbury in June before employing similar tactics in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks, a race she won by 8 lengths as favourite. Her latest run on heavy ground at the Curragh saw her stay on strongly in the final furlong to win the Group 1 Darley Irish Oaks, beating all local challengers including Epsom Oaks heroine Was. Great Sequence is hovering around the 7/1 mark for the St. Leger and with William Buick on board and a valuable 3lb fillies allowance, she is likely to race prominently and provide Camelot with plenty to think about.

Trained by John Gosden, who is going for a third St. Leger win in a row, Shantaram is stablemate to Great Heavens. By Galielo and out of All’s Fogotten, a Darshaan mare, Shantaram is a full brother to Gan Amhras. The colts most notable win was in July at Newmarket when staying on well in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. Run over 1m 5f, Shantaram handled the soft ground just fine and will appreciate any cut in the ground at Doncaster where he has been supported into 9/1 from 12/1.

By Aldebaran a former champion sprinter, Main Sequence has already run against Camelot. Following a narrow win in the Group 3 Derby Trial at Lingfield, Main Sequence finished second to Camelot in the Investec Derby at Epsom. He quickened well enough but could not live with the eventual winner. Trained by David Lanigan in Lambourn, Main Sequence will get the green light for the St. Leger if he runs well in the Great Voltigeur. After finishing fourth in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, his trainer was asked about his St. Leger hopes and replied "You never know if they will get that sort of trip [1m6½f] but he relaxes well and would give himself every chance. All he did in France last time was stay". Before last year’s St. Leger, 4 of 10 winners of the St. Leger ran in the Derby, finishing 0274 at Epsom, Camelot though has much more in reserve than these contenders. Of interest too is that there have been only 2 winners of the race priced above 8/1 in past 15 years. Time will tell but Camelot seems unstoppable in his bid for the Triple Crown. The first Triple Crown in forty two years may become one of the most memorable.

Copyright - Betview Magazine - September issue 2012.

References:

Details of Labdroke’s sponsorship

http://www.igamingbusiness.com/content/ladbrokes-extends-st-leger-sponsorship

Odds comparison to ascertain the best odds for entries.

http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing-betting/ante-post-racing/flat/st-leger

Quote : Hayley O’ Connor – Ladbrokes.

http://www.sportinglife.com/other-sports/news/article/3714/7854070/camelot-1-2-for-st-leger

List of British Triple Crown Winners:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Triple_Crown_race_winners

Camelot’s pedigree

http://www.montjeu.com/

Nijinsky’s St. Leger win- 1970

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfSLvlDzhkc

Aldebran – Sire Details

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/47767/aldebaran-headed-to-japan

Snippets from the world of horse racing

Snippets from the world of horse racing

By Stephen Dwyer

Champion Jockey Title Race Heats Up

Richard Hughes, after knocking on the door for so many years is now the odds on favourite to be crowned Champion Jockey in the UK. Available at odds of 7/1 at one point in the season, Hughes is now as short as 1/3 to claim his first ever champion jockey title. The top flat earner last season with over £2.6 million in prize money, Hughes has been in scintillating form recently. A native of Kildare, Hughes recently won a four-timer at Bath and is now currently level with his rival Ryan Moore. Son of National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes, Richard rides mainly for Richard Hannon in the UK. Hughes has a strong book of rides to finish out the season, he rode his first winner in 1996 and has since become one of the best jockeys Ireland has ever produced.

Kauto Star Plans Still Undecided

Connections of Kauto Star, the greatest steeplechaser since Arkle, are still undecided on the future of the 12 year old. After Kauto Star was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, his owner admitted he was almost certainly retiring the horse. Yet a decision has not been made whether to keep him in training for the forthcoming season. Trainer Paul Nicholls noted “Nicholls explained. "He's out in the field at the moment. He'll probably come into the yard in the next week to 10 days and he'll be paraded at the owners' open-day early next month.” Kauto Star is a history maker on so many fronts, he is the first National Hunt horse to win more than £2 million in prize money. Additionally was the first horse to regain the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is the only horse to have won the King George VI Chase five times. Whether he jumps a fence in public again remains to be seen but he is a horse with nothing to prove.

Ruby aims for Listowel return

Following a fall at the fourth hurdle aboard the former Howard Johnson-trained novice hurdler Drive Time at Galway, jockey Ruby Walsh is hoping to return to the saddle in time for the Listowel festival. Trained by Willie Mullins, Drive Time was the 4/1 favourite for the Guinness Galway Hurdle but fell awkwardly in front of the stands at Ballybrit. Walsh was briefly knocked unconscious as he was trampled on by Donald McCain's Lexi's Boy, who was brought down in the incident. Suffering a small break in his ankle, Walsh was ruled out of action for six weeks following the fall. All is not lost however with Ruby noting: “I've bruised my shoulder and have a cast around my ankle, but I've been enjoying a lot of the Olympics on TV.”. With the first day of the Listowel Festival on September 17^th and Walsh feels that date is a realistic target for his comeback, "We're looking at around six weeks, so Listowel would be a good target”. Ruby, who turned 33 in May was also injured at this time last year when he crushed a vertebra in his neck and tore a ligament after falling in a handicap hurdle at Killarney. He returned in time for the Listowel festival, admitting “It was a lot easier to be hurting during the summer than the winter. Being injured is part and parcel of being a jumps jockey. I guess I’ve learned to cope with it”. There is every chance he will make the trip to Kerry and resume his winnings ways.

GAA and Horse Racing Superstars clash at Saint Conleth’s Park

A celebrity hurling match takes place on Tuesday, August 14^th in Saint Conleth’s Park Newbridge in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. The event has been organised by trainer Jim Bolger & Champion Jockey Davy Russell. The teams will feature a mixture of GAA and horse racing stars and include; former All Ireland winners Mark Landers, T.J. Ryan , Pat Fox, Joe Deane, Dave Bernie, Kieran Purcell, Damien Fitzhenry and Charlie Carter and D.J. Carey; Wexford all Ireland winning manager Liam Griffin; Aidan O’Brien; Kilkenny Manager Brian Cody; Derby winning Jockey Kevin Manning; Colm O’Rourke; Gráinne Seoige; Micheal O’Leary; Ronnie Delaney; Sile Seoige; Irish Sports Woman of the year, top lady jockey Katie Walsh; Niall Quinn; Nicky English; with Cork legend Jimmy Barry Murphy as Referee for the day. Entertainment on the day will include the Artane Band and Internationally renowned tenor Anthony Kearns. Tickets are €10 for adults and €15 for families.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Pat Smullen

Pat Smullen

By Stephen Dwyer

There is no busier jockey in Ireland at the moment than Patrick Joseph Smullen. Even at the start of the Galway Festival, a week in which he is partnered with practically every runner Dermot Weld turns out, Smullen has had 327 rides this season. This is a significant figure for although Smullen sits second in the Jockey’s title race behind Joseph O’ Brien, he has had 110 more rides than the young Ballydoyle pilot. With 44 wins to his name so far this term, Smullen is just 4 wins behind Joseph O’ Brien. Bound to be buoyed by the inevitable success that he encounters each Summer at Galway, it will be no surprise to see Smullen top the leading riders charts. Deservedly so.

Pat Smullen is a native of Rhode in County Offaly, he turned 35 last May and is married to Frances Crowley who in her own right is a fine horsewoman both as a former trainer and the first ever woman to be crowned Irish Champion Amateur Rider. Crowley is also the sister-in-law of Aidan O’Brien. Many years before becoming a leading rider, Smullen became interested in horses through his brother Sean. Sean Smullen worked with Joanna Morgan where he prepared horses for the breeze-up sales. As a slight teenager, Pat was noticed by Joanna Morgan and he began to exercise horses for her and ride them at breeze-up sales. It was shortly after this introduction that Smullen began cycling down to Tom Lacy, a small trainer with about 15 horses based about three miles away from the Smullen household.
Shortly after turning sixteen, Smullen would ride his first winner, Vicosa, trained by Tom Lacy in an apprentice handicap at Dundalk. From that starting point it took just two years before Smullen was crowned champion apprentice with 26 winners, a title he retained the following year with 29. In 1997, at the age of 20, he rode his first Group 1 winner. After wintering in Dubai for a couple of seasons, Smullen became stable jockey to Dermot Weld in 1999 when Mick Kinane moved to Aidan O’ Brien. Smullen claimed his first Irish jockeys' championship in 2000 with 80 wins from 514 rides, leaving him 14 clear of both Johnny Murtagh and Mick Kinane and retained that title in 2001 when finishing three in front of Kinane.

Aboard Vinnie Roe, Smullen would win four Irish St. Legers, he would also win the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Refuse to Bend and he Irish Derby with Grey Swallow. One of his most famous career wins came courtesy of Rite Of Passage in the Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot Aside from this glittering cast there have been major career wins both in France and the USA.

Smullen is an accomplished rider, a multiple Champion Jockey he is tenacious in the saddle and one of the best judges of a race in living memory. His association with Dermot Weld, especially throughout the Galway Festival is a symbiotic one, both trainer and jockey gel so closely that rarely has a partnership lasted so long, hand in glove. Remember it was Pat Smullen who was the bookie’s even-money favourite to take the vacant post at Ballydoyle when Johnny Murtagh resigned in 2010. At the time Smullen elected to rule himself out of the post in record time, noting “I've got a very good job and I ride for some very good owners, so I'm happy where I am". To be Champion Jockey at the end of the season, Smullen is a best-priced 7/4, although Joseph O’ Brien is a short 4/7, the value could be with Smullen. His work rate, ride frequency and dogged belief are all admirable and he could be the percentage call.

Staggeringly, Smullen rode 592 times during the 2011 flat season, 645 times in 2010 and 671 times in 2009. He has historically ridden more times per season than any other jockey in Ireland. Although 35, he has no intention of retiring just yet, when questioned “I haven’t really thought about a point when I will give it up really. I have always said that I’d want to give it up before it gives me up, I want to be riding at the highest level when I do decide to give up. I don’t think I’ll be riding until I’m 50, like Mick Kinane”.

Dare we think that the best is yet to come.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Dreams of Glory

Dreams of Glory

By Stephen Dwyer

Former Liverpool Football player Michael Owen became interested in horse racing over twenty years ago. When he was eleven, his father asked him to pick horses for a weekly 50 pence patent bet and a lifelong attraction to horseracing ensued. Owen would score over 350 goals for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United and during this time he would acquire several horses. Holoko Heights, trained by Tim Vaughan became Owen’s first National Hunt horse.

No superstar, Holoko Heights did win six low grade races but it was the dam of that horse that would bring Owen his greatest success as an owner. Treble Heights, a 12-year-old former racehorse that is now treated as a pet by Owen’s four children is the dam of Holoko Heights. The mare is also the dam of Brown Panther, Owen’s best horse and is a Royal Ascot winner.

Brown Panther powered home in the George V stakes at Royal Ascot last year. The colt finished second to Masked Marvel in the St. Leger and followed up with a listed win last month at Pontefract. To date, Brown Panther has won over £210,000 in prize money for Owen. He is now entered in one of the most prestigious open-age flat races, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes which takes place at Ascot this Saturday.

Brown Panther is trained at Manor House Stables by Tom Dascombe. Converted from a cattle barn at a cost of millions, Manor House Stables is privately owned and operated under the watchful eye of Michael Owen. Realistically, Brown Panther does not have much of a fighting chance in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Hovering around the 20/1 mark, the colt is well down in the betting. He proved to be a major disappointment when finishing last in a small field in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester at odds of 6/5. Stepping up to the Group 1 King George will pose a major challenge for the colt especially given the opposition.

Saturday’s race, worth £1,000,000 has been won by some top class older horses in recent years. Montjeu, Galileo, Daylami and Hurricane Run have all been successful. Last year’s winner, Nathaniel, returns for a repeat bid and has attracted significant support in recent weeks. Backed from 5/1 down to 5/2, he is the second favourite for the race behind Aidan O’ Brien’s St Nicholas Abbey who leads the market at 9/4.

Ballydoyle, with three wins in the race since 2001 train St Nicholas Abbey who is perhaps the best older horse in training. A former European champion two year old, St Nicholas Abbey has won multiple Group 1 races. Among them include the Coronation Cup, Racing Post Trophy and most famously the Breeders' Cup Turf where Joseph O’ Brien became the youngest winning jockey in the Cup's history at the age of eighteen. St Nicholas Abbey finished third in the King George last year and returns as a five year old now but he is in fine form recently and will make a bold bid for connections.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Sea Moon also goes to post in the King George. An ultra-consistent type, Sea Moon, a 3/1 chance, has won five of his eight starts including the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot. Sea Moon was second to St Nicholas Abbey at the Breeders’ Cup and finished just half a length behind Brown Panther when third in last year’s St. Leger. Both Sea Moon and St Nicholas Abbey have a crushing turn of foot so it is set up to be a very exciting renewal of one of the top races of the flat season.

The inclusion of Brown Panther in the race was a surprise to many. Clearly Michael Owen believes that the colt will put in a big performance but in such a prestigious field he will have to put in a career-best performance. Brown Panther’s best trip is probably over a mile and six furlongs and it was thought that Owen would would have entered the colt in France at Longchamp’s Prix Maurice de Nieuil, a Group Two over that distance.

Nothing ventured nothing gained of course and from his footballing career Michael Owen knows all too well that you miss all of the shots you never take.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ballydoyle bid for July Cup

Ballydoyle bid for July Cup

By Stephen Dwyer

The July Cup is one of the most valuable and important sprint races in Europe.

Run at Newmarket over the July course this Saturday, the 6f sprint Group 1 is part of the Global Sprint Challenge which aims to find the world’s greatest sprinter. Aidan O’ Brien is bidding to turn out his fourth winner in the race since Stravinsky in 1999, the ill-fated Mozart in 2001 and the classy Starspangledbanner in 2010. This year Ballydoyle saddle their newly acquired colt, Excelebration. A winner of 6 of his 12 starts, Excelbration has finished either second or third to Frankel no less than five times. Trained at Newmarket by Marco Botti last season, Excelebration won the German 2000 Guineas and the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Coolmore bought Excelebration midway through the season and he is now the 6/1 second favourite for The July Cup on Saturday.

Excelebration was bred in Maynooth by the Owenstown Stud. He was put up for sale at Goffs in November 2008 and was subsequently sold to John Walsh Bloodstock for €15,000. The colt was then sold at the Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sale in August 2009 for £20,000 to Guiliano Manfredini. After winning the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, Coolmore parted with a figure believed to be in the region of £1.5 million for a controlling interest in the colt. They believe that he is an improving, classy sort who will train on further.

O’ Brien also believes that Excelebration will drop back in distance without much difficulty. Although he has primarily won over 7f and a mile, Excelebration has won twice over 6f including an impressive performance at Newmarket’s July meeting. By top-class Australian sprinter; Exceed And Excel, Excelebration is destined for a stud career at Coolmore and connections will be very keen to ensure he takes the July Cup.

In recent years The July Cup has thrown up sporadic results for Ballydoyle. Oracle was O’ Brien’s sole runner last year, finishing well down the field as his odds of 18/1 suggested. Starspangledbanner pipped Equiano by a neck in 2010 and the O’ Brien team were second to Marchand d'Or in 2008 with US Ranger. With the likes of dual-derby winning Camelot in the yard, a top class sprinter is perhaps the one class of horse missing in the Ballydoyle armoury. It is a small complaint of course; Ballydoyle has won a total of 18 Group races this season including nine Group 1’s. It is hoped Excelebration will add to that tally.

Excelebration is very well regarded by Aidan O’ Brien. Now a 4yo, he easily won his first start in Ireland when coasting home in a 7f Group 3 at the Curragh. Pitted, some would say out of his depth, against Frankel in the Lockinge and the Queen Anne Stakes, Excelebration finished second on both occasion, beaten by a total of 16 lengths. Excelebration will not have to face Frankel this time around and his greatest challenge will come from the Roger Charlton-trained Bated Breath and Society Rock, trained by James Fanshawe.

Bated Breath is a very resolute five year old. He beat Eddie Lynam’s teak tough Sole Power by a neck in the 5f Temple Stakes in May at Haydock and has also won five times over 6f. Society Rock was second to Black Caviar last time out and is also a previous course and distance winner at Newmarket.

Aside from The July Cup, Ballydoyle appear to be mapping out a sprint future for Excelebration. He is entered in the 5f Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August. This is a race sponsored by Coolmore and would be an ideal way to finish his racing career. Going into The July Cup with an official mark of 126, Excelebration is the highest rated entry in the field and with the likely Ballydoyle pacemakers in place, he could be set up for what will be a famous victory for the all conquering Aidan O’ Brien camp.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Royal Ascot 2012

Royal Ascot

Tuesday 19th - Saturday 23rd June 2012

By Stephen Dwyer

Not by mere coincidence does Royal Ascot take place during the height of summer. What better time to stage one of the world’s most famous horse racing meetings than when the days are at their longest. By midsummer’s eve, Royal Ascot will reach fever-pitch, just as it is entitled to do.

Last year, Royal Ascot celebrated its tercentenary. Three hundred years have passed since Queen Anne set aside the rolling turf of Ascot Heath for horse racing. The Queen attended the opening day shortly afterwards. It all began with a race worth 50 guineas, today no race is worth less than £55,000.

Ascot is now the United Kingdom’s only remaining racecourse still owned by the Crown. Her majesty’s arrival via horse-drawn carriage adds an air of tradition to what is Europe’s flagship race meeting. To add to the legend, it is said the Queen, who has had no less than 63 winners at Ascot, can tell the going of the ground by the sound her carriage wheels make.

In an era where prize money in on the decline, Royal Ascot remains unaffected. They understand that to attract the world’s best flat horses, they must offer substantial prize money. The total Prize Fund for this year’s Royal Meeting will be £4,500,000, an increase of 20% on 2011 values. For owners and trainers, this is reason enough to target their stable stars specifically at the meeting.

There are 30 races held over the course of the five days of Royal Ascot, seven of these are Group 1’s. Among them include The Diamond Jubilee Stakes, renamed this year to commemorate 60 years of Royal Ascot during the Reign of Her Majesty The Queen. Carrying prize money of £500,000 it is Britain’s most valuable sprint race and it attracts an unbeaten five year old mare that will travel almost 11,000 miles for this race.

Around Melbourne they call her the Freak with the Streak. Paying a first visit to the Northern Hemisphere, Black Caviar, the Australian wonder mare is currently the 1/2 favourite for the 6f Diamond Jubilee. Deservedly so, she has won 21 races in a row, 11 of those were at Group 1 level. In bullish fashion, the Australian Sunday Herald Sun recently carried the headline “Royal Ascot will bow down for Black Caviar”. Her addition to Royal Ascot will most certainly be a once-off and an occasion to truly savour.

Opening this year’s Royal Ascot is The Queen Anne Stakes; it is set to showcase once more the talent of the world’s best racehorse, Frankel. Fresh from his impressive win in the Lockinge Stakes, Frankel was chalked up at an early price of 1/3 for The Queen Anne and for a horse that is even money to remain unbeaten throughout his career, few would bet against him. The BHA Handicapper has recently upped Frankel to 138, this is the highest ever global rating since new classifications were and is 2lb ahead of Sea The Stars. Last year Canford Cliffs got the better of Goldikova in a narrow betting heat but this time around, it must surely be a case of Frankel galloping the field into submission; business as usual then

One of the crowd favourites at Royal Ascot is the 2m 4f Gold Cup which takes place on Ladies’ Day. It is Ascot’s oldest surviving race. Lester Piggott won this staying event eleven times but in recent years it is Aidan O’ Brien who has made the race his own. With Yeats completing a four-timer in the Gold Cup from 2006 to 2009, Fame And Glory bids to complete a double in this year’s renewal. Fame And Glory, a high class six year old beat the highly touted Dermot Weld trained Unaccompanied on his seasonal bow recently and he is a best-priced 9/4 for the Gold Cup. Interestingly, The Gold Cup is the first leg of Britain's Stayers' Triple Crown, followed by the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup. Fame And Glory will undoubtedly start at a shorter price on the day and is likely to strip fitter. He also remains unbeaten at Ascot. A life size statue of Yeats was unveiled in the parade ring last year to commemorate the horses achievements at Ascot. Whether or not Fame And Glory can emulate his great stablemate is doubtful given his age, but in a race renowned for repeat winners, he is sure to take all the beating for Ballydoyle.

Aside from the plethora of Group 1’s, there is a multitude of top class handicaps which support the main races. The depth and value of the races at Royal Ascot attracts an international field. Runners from Australia, New Zealand, America, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa and all over Europe have taken part in recent years. Champion sprinter Choisir, trained in New South Wales famously won the King’s Stand Stakes/Golden Jubilee Stakes double for Australia in 2003. Little wonder then that this meeting is broadcast in over 200 countries worldwide.

Undoubtedly the racing is central to Royal Ascot but of course the other attractions are the attendance of the royal family, the high fashion of Ladies’ Day and the ubiquitous good natured atmosphere throughout the week. The local population of Ascot swells by over 300,000 during race week and it is the pinnacle of the social calendar for many.

The Royal meeting is one of the busiest weeks of the year for bookmakers. In 2011 it was estimated that over £400 million of bets were placed which was a significant increase on 2010. Given the supreme calibre of equine talent on show this year, that figure is likely to rise once more.

Distilling the five days Royal Ascot into one phrase is no easy task but Johnny Weatherby, Her Majesty’s Representative describes the meeting as “the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world.” With the sun shining and the likes of Frankel, Black Caviar and So You Think on offer, who can argue with that.

Royal Ascot, summertime at its finest.

Copyright: Betview Magazine

Trivia Box:

@AscotInsider, is the Twitter handle of Royal Ascot. With 9,800 followers it is the most popular racecourse Twitter account

Ascot has the largest number of private boxes (255) of any sporting facility in Europe.

Approximately 400 helicopters and 1,000 limos descend on Royal Ascot every year.

There are four races run at Ascot commemorating racehorses – The Brown Jack Stakes,

Hyperion Stakes, Sagaro Stakes and Reynoldstown Chase.

£71 is the price of a Grandstand ticket for Saturday

The grounds of Ascot United F.C. play are at Ascot Racecourse. Their logo features a winning post.