Race report
Royal Ascot is back ... and still on course
So that’s it from Royal Ascot for another year, back with the full crowds for the first time since 2019 and still as absorbing and replete with incident and drama as ever. The top crowd of the week is always on Saturday and that is something to bear in mind for racing’s rulers and for those who are always carping about Cheltenham moving to a weekend slot for the Festival. One of my few complaints about a meeting that gets so much right is that they front-end the fixture too much with three Group One races on the first day. Going back to Tuesday, Native Strip was incredibly impressive in the King’s Stand Stakes for Australia and 34 races ago we saw the horse that may well turn out to be the horse of the season in Baaeed, who was brilliant in the opening race of the meeting. Wherever that horse goes this season I want to be there. Hope you had a great week and see you next on the Guardian live racing blog on Arc day in October.
Updated
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) result
1 Stratum (W Buick) 10-1
2 Reshoun (R Kingscote) 20-1
3 Calling The Wind (David Egan) 13-2
12 ran
Also: 7-4 Fav Wordsworth, 10-3 Falcon Eight 4th
Non Runners: 1,2
Updated
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm)
And they’re off ... Highway Companion was slowly away ... Dinard Rose leads in the early stages ... Nate The Great now takes the lead and they have over a circuit to go ... Stratum is near the back ... and Wordsworth moves up into second ... Calling The Wind is fourth and Falcon Eight just behind him ... Wordsworth is taking closer order with Dinard Rose in third ... Nate The Great and Wordsworth lead the field towards home ... now they push on quicker ... turn for home and Wordsworth gets the lead ... Calling The Wind challenges him and Stratum gets up on the line to win for the second year running.
Updated
Ryan and Brandreth ... two best buddies
What a wonderful day at #RoyalAscot & what a treat to meet up with the great Ryan Moore - the genius jockey who rode seven winners this week. It was a privilege to present him with his trophy after he won the Hardwicke Stakes. pic.twitter.com/ONu7FqGRj6
— Gyles Brandreth (@GylesB1) June 18, 2022
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) betting
- Wordsworth 7/4
- Falcon Eight 10/3
- Calling The Wind 8/1
- Nate The Great 9/1
- Stratum 10/1
- Timour 12/1
- Reshoun 18/1
- Urban Artist 22/1
- Master Milliner 28/1
- Single 66/1
- Highway Companion 80/1
- Dinard Rose 100/1
- Full Oddschecker betting
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) preview
The traditional oddity that is the Queen Alexandra Stakes brings the week’s proceedings to a close. It was first run over three miles in 1864 as the Alexandra Plate, and even at its reduced current distance of two miles, five furlongs and 143 yards, it is still not only the longest Flat race in Britain, but apparently also the longest for professional riders anywhere in the world. Unsurprisingly, it has produced a few specialists over the years, the most famous being Brown Jack, the winner six years running from 1929 to 1934.
Stratum, last year’s winner, is back for another go in the colours of Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, but is not in quite the same form as he was going into this race 12 months ago and with Trueshan now finally declared a non-runner due to the fast ground, it may pay instead to give Falcon Eight another chance after his disappointing run when favourite for this last time around. The ground was much softer than he prefers in 2021 and the quicker surface today will very much play to the strengths of Dermot Weld’s stayer.
Selection: FALCON EIGHT
One of the themes of the week has been the brilliance of Ryan Moore who had a superb week, culminating in his prize for leading jockey. When BritishGambler.co.uk sent me a press release earlier this week which pointed out that Frankie Dettori, who started the week 3-1 to be top rider, was now 100-1 for the prize it reminded me, in contrast to Moore, what a shocker of a Royal Ascot the Italian had had. From getting in a mess in the stalls over the hood and losing all chance on Lord North to the poor ride he gave Stradivarius to losing out when runner up twice on the Queen’s horses it has been a meeting to forget for the Italian, aside from Inspiral’s victory in the Coronation Stakes.
Dettori’s chief employer John Gosden clearly gave him a dressing down after the ride on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup and the jockey and trainer got into a bit of a barney in public. Gosden continued to criticise the rider in interviews the following day and there are now rumours that there could be a parting of the ways. Teaming up with Gosden has brought Dettori back into the limelight and the jockey is a boon to British racing. There is simply no one who transcends the sport like he does and he and those who market racing will be hoping the rumours are false.
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) result
1 Missed The Cut (James McDonald) 5-2 Fav
2 Asgoodassobergets (Jim Crowley) 40-1
3 Sun King (R L Moore) 12-1
13 ran
Also: 25-1 Groundbreaker 4th
Non Runners: 11,15,1,3
No 1 Aldous Huxley (11-2) and No 3 Phantom Flight (14-1) were
withdrawn not under orders. Rule 4 applies to all bets. Deduct 20p in the £.
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm)
Phantom Flight and Aldous Huxley are withdrawn at the start after playing up in the stalls ... and they’re off ... Trojan Horse has the lead early ... Sun King is at the back ... Tollard Royal goes forward ... Missed The Cut takes over on the run-in and kicks clear for an easy win.
Updated
Ryan Moore is officially top jockey now at Royal Ascot
🏆 Ryan Moore - Champion Jockey at Royal Ascot for a NINTH Time
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 18, 2022
Is there anyone better?#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/4XdMJHwjX8
Trueshan, the favourite, is out of the final race, the Queen Alexandra Stakes at 6.10pm.
Trueshan has been declared a non-runner in today's Queen Alexandra Stakes at #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/nzYYMdh7vC
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 18, 2022
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) betting
- Missed The Cut 5/2
- Honiton 9/2
- Falling Shadow 13/2
- Aldous Huxley 7/1
- Sun King 12/1
- Phantom Flight 14/1
- Knightswood 18/1
- Blue Trail 20/1
- Splendent 20/1
- Groundbreaker 22/1
- Bushfire 22/1
- Tollard Royal 33/1
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) preview
The Golden Gates Handicap is never going to be one of the Royal meeting’s most anticipated events, but its position as the penultimate race of 35 means that it can sometimes be the decisive contest in the race for the top jockey prize, as it was 12 months ago when Oisin Murphy secured his fifth win of the week. If this year’s contest is still alive, William Buick has a decent chance of getting another on the board via Charlie Appleby’s lightly-raced Falling Shadow, but the market prefers both Missed The Cut, whose young trainer, George Boughey, got off the mark at the Royal meeting when Inver Park won the last on Thursday, and Honiton.
The latter represents the Frankie Dettori/John Gosden combo, which has had a distinctly up-and-down week, but he might well help them to end it on an up. Honiton is turning out very quickly after an easy nine-length win in a Sandown maiden last weekend, but assuming he has come out of that ok, his winning time there suggests the handicapper may have been unusually generous is giving him an opening mark of 94.
Selection: HONITON
Updated
Wokingham Stakes (5.00pm) result
1 Rohaan (R L Moore) 18-1
2 Popmaster (Tom Marquand) 16-1
3 Jumby (W Buick) 12-1
4 Mr Wagyu (Jason Hart) 28-1
26 ran
Also: 4-1 Fav Fresh
Non Runners: 18,19
Updated
Wokingham Stakes (5.00pm)
And they’re off ... Commanche Falls has unseated the rider coming out of the stalls ... Apollo One has the lead and they are all coming down the nearside ... Rohaan bursts through to win on the line. It’s Ryan Moore again ... what a week for the rider who is this year’s leading jockey.
Updated
Wokingham Stakes (5.00pm) betting
- Fresh 9/2
- Blackrod 6/1
- Silver Samurai 15/2
- Tabdeed 14/1
- Jumby 14/1
- First Folio 16/1
- Popmaster 16/1
- Asjad 16/1
- Quarantine Dreams 18/1
- Smmerghand 18/1
- Rohaan 18/1
- Lampang 20/1
- 22/1 bar
- Full Oddschecker betting
Wokingham Stakes (5.00pm) preview
The Wokingham Handicap over six furlongs is the last big challenge of the week from a betting perspective, so it would be rude not to have a go at cracking it, despite the long odds against finding the right one from a closely-knit field of 28 sprint handicappers. Fresh, who was edged out by Rohaan in this race 12 months ago when running off a 7lb lower mark, is the narrow favourite and deserves to be considered on his excellent track for alone, but he tends to make the frame rather than win and is edging up in the weights as a result. Silver Samurai, the winner of his last two, is also attracting support and he’s just got a 5lb penalty after a comfortable win at Haydock last time, but personally I’ll go with another last-time winner in Blackrod, whose trainer, Michael Dods, is a dab hand with sprinters. He posted an eye-catching time on his seasonal debut at Newmarket in April, had been progressive throughout his four-year-old season, and he appeals as the type to continue improving for some time yet.
Selection: BLACKROD
Platinum Jubilee Stakes (4.20pm) result
1 Naval Crown (James Doyle) 33-1
2 Creative Force (W Buick) 12-1
3 dead-heat Artorius (J P Spencer) 17-2
3 dead-heat Campanelle (Irad Ortiz Jr) 10-1
24 ran
Also: 5-2 Fav Home Affairs
Non Runners: 8,12,27
Platinum Jubilee Stakes (4.20pm)
And they’re off ... Highfield Princess broke well and Home Affairs is down the centre ... Artorius is being pushed along ... it’s a photo-finish with Creative Force and Naval Crown with Naval Crown it looks like just getting there on the replay.
Updated
Gyles Brandreth, who was handing out the prizes after Broome’s victory in the Hardwicke Stakes, made current Royal Ascot leading rider Ryan Moore laugh! Moore is notoriously grumpy on the track so this has caused much humour among the racing Twitterati.
I need to know what @GylesB1 said to Ryan Moore.
— Lydia Hislop (@LydiaHislop) June 18, 2022
Updated
Platinum Jubilee Stakes (4.20pm) betting
- Home Affairs 5/2
- Artorius 15/2
- Sacred 8/1
- Highfield Princess 11/1
- Minzaal 12/1
- Campanelle 14/1
- Creative Force 14/1
- Alcohol Free 25/1
- Happy Romance 25/1
- A Case Of You 25/1
- Great Ambassador 28/1
- Naval Crown 33/1
- Dragon Symbol 33/1
- Emaraaty Ana 33/1
- 40/1 bar
- Full Oddschecker betting
Updated
Platinum Jubilee Stakes (4.20pm) preview
An extraordinary field of 27 runners for the Royal meeting’s second £1m race, just one fewer than the field for the Wokingham Handicap that follows, although as far as the betting goes, the similarities end there as this Group One has a firm favourite in Home Affairs at 5-2. He represents the same Australia-based trainer/jockey combo that took the King’s Stand Stakes, the meeting’s other Group One sprint, with Nature Strip on Tuesday and actually beat his stable companion by a short-head on his penultimate start at Flemington in February. last time out. That form looks rock-solid, but while Nature Strip - and Golden Pal, who ran well below form – were a long way in front of Tuesday’s field on ratings, Home Affairs is just 3lb in front on Timeform’s numbers and also ran a little below his best on his final start before leaving for Europe.
The second Australian-trained runner in the field, Artorius, was over three lengths behind Home Affairs in a Group One in October and so is easily swerved, despite attracting some support over the last couple of days to end up as the current second-favourite, but Creative Force, dual Royal winner Campanelle and A Case Of You, who has won two Group Ones since early October and is still on offer at 25-1, all have something to recommend them. But I’m going to throw in my lot with the admirably tough and consistent mare Highfield Princess, from the John Quinn stable. She has spent much of her 26-race career running over seven furlongs, but the drop back to six – for only the second time – saw her produce a career-best performance in a very strong time at York in May. With many bookies paying six places, she could be an each-way steal at around 16-1.
Selection: HIGHFIELD PRINCESS
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (3.40pm) result
1 Broome (R L Moore) 6-1
2 Mostahdaf (Jim Crowley) 11-2
3 Hurricane Lane (W Buick) 8-11 Fav
7 ran
Also: 14-1 Solid Stone 4th
Non Runner: 8
It's another stunning ride from Ryan Moore as Broome takes the Hardwicke! Hurricane Lane only third...
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 18, 2022
Follow our #RoyalAscot LIVE Blog here: https://t.co/MIMLxDdmaspic.twitter.com/KDsWEwFzXu
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (3.40pm)
And they’re off ... Solid Stone is away in the lead and Away He Goes was slowly away ... Broome being kept put wide ... Broome moves over and takes the lead ... Hurricane Lane is in third ... Broome is still clear and presses on at a good pace ... Broome goes into the straight ... Hurricane Lane battles but won’t get there and Broome is clear of Mostahdaf.
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (3.40pm) betting
- Hurricane Lane 4/5
- Broome 5/1
- Mostahdaf 9/1
- Solid Stone 10/1
- Layfayette 12/1
- Living Legend 33/1
- Away He Goes 50/1
- Full Oddschecker betting
Hardwicke Stakes (3.40pm) preview
A welcome return to action for Hurricane Lane, whose only defeats in his three-year-old season came in the Derby and Arc, and who notched up wins in the Irish Derby and St Leger along the way. Charlie Appleby’s colt has plenty of major targets during the remainder of the season, and while his main rivals today have the benefit of a race under their belt already this season, it will be disappointing if he cannot stamp his class on this field. Broome, a globetrotting Group One winner from the Aidan O’Brien stable, is his main rival on paper but is only likely to worry Hurricane Lane if the favourite is a long way short of his best.
Selection: HURRICANE LANE
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm) result
1 Noble Truth (W Buick) 4-1 Fav
2 Find (David Egan) 40-1
3 Dubai Poet (Andrea Atzeni) 20-1
15 ran
Also: 9-2 Star Girls Aalmal 4th
No getting past!
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 18, 2022
Noble Truth finds plenty to take out the Jersey for William Buick, Charlie Appleby and @godolphin 🔵
Follow our #RoyalAscot LIVE Blog here: https://t.co/MIMLxDdmaspic.twitter.com/WRNx3J8KUx
Updated
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm)
And they’re off ... Noble Truth is out quick ... Monaadah is second ... Tuscan is in trouble at the back ... Dubai Poet is there ... Noble Truth still leads and sees them all off ... a very brave effort.
Updated
Betfair have Holloway Boy at 50-1 for the Guineas and 40-1 for the 2023 Derby. He’s just won the Chesham Stakes at 40-1 and half an hour ago the favourite Alfred Munnings was market leader for next year’s Derby!
Updated
Happy Power is out of race four today ...
Additional NR @Ascot #RoyalAscot:
— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) June 18, 2022
R4: HAPPY POWER (IRE) - Going
Holloway Boy’s owner Nick White celebrates his success wit the 401- winner in the Chesham Stakes on ITV.
Loved this! What racing is all about https://t.co/vtvJc0MIJ9
— Oli Bell (@olibellracing) June 18, 2022
Updated
The story behind that first-race winner just keeps getting better!
Superb story. Holloway Boy was only entered so the owner could get some admission badges after being let down for a private box. Ends up winning a £59,000 race at 40-1🍾
— Bruce Millington (@brucemillington) June 18, 2022
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm) betting
- Noble Truth – 5/1
- Samburu – 6/1
- Alflaila – 15/2
- Monaadah – 8/1
- Dubawi Legend 9/1
- Audience – 14/1
- Rocchigiani – 18/1
- Toimy Son 20/1
- Tacarib Bay – 25/1
- Hello You – 28/1
- Dubai Poet – 33/1
- 80/1 bar
- Full Oddschecker betting
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm)
A Group Three over seven furlongs for three-year-olds which has been won by several subsequent Group One winners in the recent past, including Creative Force, Expert Eye and Ribchester. This year’s field is an interesting mix of relatively experienced campaigners and lightly-raced runners with untapped potential, with the unbeaten Monaadah and Samburu falling very much into the latter category.
Among those that have more experience, Noble Truth is the top-rated runner in the field and has obvious claims while Henry de Bromhead’s Star Girls Aalmal is also very interesting. She shaped very well for a long way in the Irish 1,000 Guineas last time, gets 3lb from her rivals as she is the only filly in the field and seems sure to appreciate this drop back in trip.
Selection: STAR GIRLS AALMAL
Quick history lesson from Craig Thake at the Racing Post.
Think Shamikh (Chesham 1996) may have been the last juvenile to win on debut at Royal Ascot
— @CraigThake (@CraigThake) June 18, 2022
Updated
That training performance by Karl Burke cannot be exaggerated. That’s something else to win a Royal Ascot two-year-old race with a horse on its racecourse debut. Winning jockey Danny Tudhope said: “That was a bit of a surprise. He’s a fine big specimen of a horse. Karl just said give him a nice education. We liked him but we didn’t think he would do that!”
Burke said: “He was supposed to run at Musselburgh but pulled a muscle. The owner wanted some tickets for the races so I entered him and then thought why not we’ll run him!”
Here’s Chief Singer winning the Coventry Stakes on his two-year-old debut in 1983 ...
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Holloway Boy (D Tudhope) 40-1
2 Pearling Path (David Egan) 80-1
3 Lakota Sioux (James Doyle) 33-1
13 ran
Also: 11-8 Fav Alfred Munnings, 12-1 Finn’s Charm 4th
Non Runner: 11
40-1 shock winner to start the day 😯
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 18, 2022
HOLLOWAY BOY & Danny Tudhope win the Chesham Stakes!
(via @itvracing) pic.twitter.com/cTpJYPztyP
Updated
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off ... Finn’s Charm the fastest away ... now Alzahir takes off under Frankie Dettori ... Alfred Munnings is in third ... The favourite makes his challenge ... and Pearling Path kicks clear and here comes Holloway Boy ... and incredibly that’s a winning debut in a Royal Ascot two-year-old race!
Updated
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) betting
- Alfred Munnings – 5/4
- Alzahir – 7/1
- Crypto Force – 9/1
- Legend of Xanadu – 9/1
- Finns Charm – 14/1
- The Foxes – 16/1
- Dark Thirty – 18/1
- Faisal Road – 18/1
- One World – 22/1
- Sunningdale – 33/1
- Lakota Sioux - 50/1
- Pearling Path – 100/1
- Holloway Boy – 100/1
- Full Oddschecker betting
Updated
No 8 Third Realm is out of the Hardwicke Stakes (3.40pm)
Updated
The favourite in the first, Alfred Munnings, seems to be taking the preliminaries well.
Alfred Munnings looking very calm ahead of the Chesham!
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 18, 2022
Follow our #RoyalAscot LIVE Blog here: https://t.co/MIMLxDdmas pic.twitter.com/gf5hvYEORW
Updated
Another royal who hasn’t shown up this week is Prince Andrew. Nor have there been any suggestions during the week that he might be attending following the kerfuffle around the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor last Monday. The Times royal correspondent Valentine Low writes today (£):
‘The Duke of York’s decision not to attend Royal Ascot this week has given the royal family hope that he is finally listening to sense.
Prince Andrew, 62, had been due to attend the race meeting in Berkshire, which would have involved taking part in the carriage procession with other senior members of the royal family.
After the shambles surrounding the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle on Monday, however, he decided to stay away. It was all done “without fuss”, a source said.’
Low concludes: ‘ ... royal insiders believe that Andrew — a man who, in the words of one, “is not known for his emotional intelligence” — may at last be starting to heed the advice of his family. One said: “If he wasn’t listening before, maybe he is listening now.”’
Updated
No4 Shabhaz is a non-runner in the Chesham Stakes (2.30pm)
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) preview
Aidan O’Brien has a fantastic record in this Listed contest for two-year-olds, with six winners in all and no fewer than four of the last half-dozen, and Alfred Munnings, his sole representative this year, will be a very warm order to make five from seven. His debut over this trip at Leopardstown last month was dripping with potential, as he needed little encouragement from the saddle to gallop nearly five lengths clear of his field, and while he certainly knew what was required, it would be a surprise if he does not find more for the experience.
There are, of course, several opponents with a similar profile, including Crypto Force, who changed hands for £900,000 at the Goffs London sale just a few days ago, and John & Thady Gosden’s Faisal Road, but if you are looking for a big each-way price against the favourite, Pearling Path, from John O’Donoghue’s yard on the Curragh, might pique your interest. He showed plenty of improvement to win in a decent time at Fairyhouse at the end of May and if he continues on a similar curve, a place at massive odds is not out of the question.
Selection: ALFRED MUNNINGS
There’s been a shower or two but it’s still not likely that the favourite Trueshan, who was pulled out of the Gold Cup on Thursday because of the fast ground, will run in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at 6.10pm later today. Zoe Bird of Sky Sports Racing caught up with trainer Alan King who wasn’t sounding positive.
“The rain needs to get a bloody move on!” – Alan King isn’t positive we’ll see Trueshan this afternoon… #RoyalAscot @zoeybirdracing pic.twitter.com/I2GKj4lTRm
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2022
Updated
Today's line up plus tips
- 2.30pm - Chesham Stakes 7f ... Alfred Munnings
- 3.05pm - Jersey Stakes 7f ... Star Girls Aalmal
- 3.40pm - Hardwicke Stakes 1m 4f ... Hurricane Lane
- 4.20pm - Platinum Jubilee Stakes 6f ... Highfield Princess (nb)
- 5.00pm - Wokingham Stakes (Handicap) 6f ... Blackrod (nap)
- 5.35pm - Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap) 1m 2f ... Honiton
- 6.10pm - Queen Alexandra Stakes 2m 5f 143y ... Falcon Flight
Updated
More non-runners
No 8 Glen Shiel (4.20pm)
No 11 Charmain (5.35pm)
Updated
Royal Procession (2pm)
1st Carriage
The Duke of Kent
Mr. Alexander Dudgeon
Mrs. Alexander Dudgeon
Mr. George Broughton
2nd Carriage
Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Mr. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Professor Douglas Antczak
Mrs. Douglas Antczak
3rd Carriage
Sir Michael Rake
Lady Rake
Mr. Guy Henderson
Mrs. Guy Henderson
4th Carriage
Mr. Toby Lawes
Ms Clare Alexander
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas White
Mrs. Thomas White
Michael Owen hasn’t got there yet but seems to be enjoying himself.
Final day at Royal Ascot. Pub Club in full swing on the booze bus. pic.twitter.com/nzVcBHnMdB
— Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) June 18, 2022
With the news that the Queen will not be at Ascot today it’s nearly time for the royal procession details. And so, of course, it’s also the time when I mention the Serpentine gallery exhibition by artist Mark Wallinger I saw back in 1994 when one of his installations, called ‘Royal Ascot’, consisted of a series of video monitors on top of wheeled flight cases, each isolating the royal carriage’s leisurely progress down the track on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (respectively, as it was then) of the meeting with the added TV commentary.
The point Wallinger was making is that the difference from day to day was barely discernible but what has been different this week has been the absence of the Queen. There were no cheers for Prince Charles and Camilla on the first days, a fact that was commented on, but there were plenty of them for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday. Ed Chamberlin on ITV Racing said: “Ascot and the sport of horse racing need [the Cambridges] to engage.”
Queen misses Royal Ascot for first time in her reign
The confirmation just in that the Queen won’t be attending the races on Saturday means this is the first time in her long reign that she has missed the whole of Royal Ascot. Her trainers have pulled out the stops to provide her with a winner this week but failed so far with two near misses on Thursday. Her only runner today is Kings Lynn in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes (4.20pm) but he is an outsider at 40-1. The Telegraph have the full story here.
👑 The Queen will today miss the final day of Royal Ascot, marking the first time she has failed to attend the spectacle in her 70-year reign https://t.co/SpK7APgeWB
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 18, 2022
Updated
Non-runners
Don’t put these on your betting slips. They’re not turning up.
5.35pm Golden Gates Handicap
15 Jimi Hendrix (Self Certificate (Tired after running already this week)
6.10pm Queen Alexandra Stakes
2 Earlofthecotswolds (Self Certificate - Sore)
Going news
As you were ... the going for day five of Royal Ascot is Good to Firm (again).
GoingStick readings at 8am:
Stands side: 9.0
Centre: 8.7
Far side: 9.0
Round: 7.4
I’ll let Jim explain
Going stick this am suggests far/near side (both 9.0) are quicker than middle (8.7). 9.0 is fastest reading this week.
— Mr Jim McGrath (@McGracing) June 18, 2022
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from Ascot and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the final day of the 2022 Royal meeting, when the Queen will have a runner in the feature event – the Platinum Jubilee Stakes – and the prizes for the leading trainer and jockey at the meeting are (just about) still up for grabs.
King’s Lynn, the Queen’s runner in the big race, is a 40-1 shot and it will be a big surprise if he proves to be good enough to emerge at the front of a record 27-runner field which includes top-class sprinters from four countries, but stranger things have happened already at this meeting, with a 50-1 shot winning the opening race on Thursday.
There are much likelier winners, though, including Home Affairs, one of Australia’s top sprinters, whose recent form was franked when Nature Strip, a stable companion at the Chris Waller yard, took the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday. Campanelle, a Royal Ascot winner for trainer American trainer Wesley Ward in each of the last two seasons, is also in the field, while William Haggas’s lightly-raced filly, Sacred, is another fancied runner.
Ryan Moore emerged as a clear favourite to be the meeting’s top jockey on Friday, when he rode a double on Meditate and Changingoftheguard which also put Aidan O’Brien, their trainer, in pole position to lift the trainers’ prize.
Moore has five winners over the first four days, and a big chance to put the contest to bed when he rides Alfred Munnings (again for O’Brien) in today’s openers. William Buick - who is on three winners alongside Danny Tudhope - has yet to win the prize, but has a hot favourite of his own in Hurricane Lane, last year’s Irish Derby and St Leger winner, in the Hardwicke Stakes (3.40). He also has decent chances on Noble Truth (3.05) and Creative Force, in the feature at 4.20, so all is not lost for Charlie Appleby’s stable jockey.
Appleby himself is one of four trainers on two winners this week, alongside Richard Fahey, Jane Chapple-Hyam and William Haggas, which puts them all one behind O’Brien. A good day for Buick could therefore be a very good day for Appleby, who has less ground to make up to top his table.
So there’s plenty to play for on the final day, and who knows, perhaps the Queen will decide to make the trip down from Windsor Castle, as she did on the final day 12 months ago.
You can, as ever, follow all the action live on the blog, from the first at 2.30 to the last knockings in the Queen Alex at 6.10 at the end of a blistering and memorable week.
