Tomorrow begins one of the most prestigious meets in the world. Ascot Racecourse in England hosts their annual Royal meeting with 6 races each day with the crown jewel of meeting the Ascot Gold Cup being held Thursday the 21st. However, this year's meeting will start and end with a bang.
That's because right off the bat in Race 1 tomorrow will be the Queen Anne Stakes, a Group 1 race for 4+ going a mile. The race will feature horses such as Coolmore's Excelebration, Arkansas born Strong Suit, Godolphin's Helmet, Frankie Dettori not on a Godolphin horse (he's no longer #1 jock for them), and a rabbit named Bullet Train. However, but those are just non-headline stories. Well Bullet Train is part of the headline in that he will be setting the pace for his little brother. So who is he? Why is none other then Frankel of course! The number one horse in the world will be making what probably be his final start at the Royal Ascot meet (I expect Juddmonte to retire him after this year). While he's defeated several of these horses before, this is still not going to be an easy spot for him. Especially because last year he got a little bit of a scare towards the end of the end of last year's St. James Palace. However, he won the QE2 over this same track later on the year with ease. So, it's nothing to worry too much about. If (and this is still a big if) he where to lose, Excelebration would be the benefactor. With that being said, Frankel is bigger and stronger then he was last year and the injury scare he had wasn't a factor in his first race of the year. He'll be able to find himself where he's always been, the winners enclosure.
Also running tomorrow is the Group 1 King's Stand for 3+ going 5 furlongs. Australians have done well here recently taking 3 runnings since 2006 (Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast). This year they will be represented by Ortensia who won the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai defeating the boys. Not sure she's as good as Black Caviar (who we'll see later in the meet), but we'll see how she does. Luke Nolen the regular rider on the #2 horse in the World will get some experience over the Ascot surface with a mount in this race.
The final big race on the day is the St. James Palace, a Group 1 for 3yo's going a mile. Wrote last year's BCJT winner, Power the Irish 2000 Guineas winner and Born to Sea half brother to Galileo, My Typhoon (sorry had to mention my favorite Urban Sea foal!), and Sea the Stars are all in this race. George Strawbridge's Fencing will be in the race as well (Strawbridge is one of the few US owners who has horses on both sides of the ocean). This race has very good one with past winners being Giant's Causeway, Kingmambo, Henrythenavagator, Canford Cliffs and the aforementioned Frankel.
Also on the card is the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and the Windsor Castle Stakes that Wesley Ward trainee Strike the Tiger took a few years ago becoming the first US based horse to win at Royal Ascot.
Weds card features the Jersey Stakes, a Group 3 race for 3yos at 7 furlongs, which I'll be looking forward to. That has Red Duke who was third in the German 2000 Guineas in his last (and he's a Hard Spun colt, so a little bias there). Strong Suit who runs against Frankel tomorrow won this race last year.
The feature for Weds is the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes for 4yo+ going a mile and a quarter. Big Blue Kitten (yes he is a Kitten's Joy foal) will be waving the Stars and Stripes for his trainer Chad Brown (who was an asst. to Bobby Frankel who of course Juddmonte named Frankel after). Also in the race is So You Think who is one of the best mile and a quarter horses on the grass in the world, and Wigmore Hall who was second in Paddy O' Prado's Secretariat win and 4th in last year's Arlington Million. A good finish here would more then likely set him for another chance at Million. The Royals however, will be rooting on Carlton House. Why? Because the Queen owns him!
Thursday features the big race of the meet the Ascot Gold Cup which Yeats won 4 times in a row from 2006 till 2009. Coolmore this year could be repasented by Fame and Glory. Friday has the Coronation Stakes that was going to have Stephanie's Kitten reping the US, but I believe she came down with an illness and had to pass on this year's edition.
Finally on closing day, the Diamond Jubilee (formally the Golden Jubilee) a Group 1 race for 3yo+ at 6 furlongs. This race will feature the Australian sprinting sensation Black Caviar. She takes her show on the road for the world to see. Her biggest challenger looks to be Krypton Factor who won the Golden Shaheen at Dubai. It will be interesting how she does.
So a great week of racing is ahead. I'm going to have an episode tonight on BTR to talk all about it.
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