Farewell to Frankie
Frankie Dettori did not sound like a man who will be riding at Royal Ascot next year in his ITV interview after his last ride today, despite all the speculation about whether he’s actually going to quit at the end of the year as he has promised. So it’s time to say goodbye and thanks to a jockey who has dominated this racecourse and so many headlines since his incredible seven-timer at the track in 1996. We won’t see the likes of him again.
"I'm too tired to cry!"
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2023
No fairytale farewell for @FrankieDettori at #RoyalAscot - a true icon of the sport bows out on an extraordinary 8⃣1⃣ victories at the Royal Meeting 🏆
We will miss you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aPBDJ7AWOH
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) result
1 Dawn Rising 2/1 f
2 The Grand Visir 9/1
3 Run For Oscar 3/1
Ryan Moore at his brilliant best 🙌
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 24, 2023
This year's leading rider at #RoyalAscot gives Dawn Rising a peach to win the Queen Alexandra for @JosephOBrien2 and JP McManus! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/0lyGmATyJO
Updated
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm)
And they’re off … Coltor takes an early lead … Dawn Rising is up there on the outside … First Emperor is in third spot with a circuit to go … The Grand Visir is in fourth … Estacas is in fifth … then Stratum … with Typewriter in last place … Coltor is in the lead still but is being nudged along … Dawn Rising is challenging on the home turn … The Grand Visir is coming … Dawn Rising is being challenged by The Grand Visir but Ryan Moore wins on Dawn Rising, appropriately the top jockey of the week wins the last race of the meeting!
Updated
Frankie Dettori has just given an emotional interview on ITV in which he reflected on his day and some of his memories from down the years. He said: “I went to the king’s castle but I didn’t have lunch … I watched people having lunch … It was the best thing I’ve ever done (going in the royal procession). I was told I wasn’t allowed to wave and I found that really difficult.
“I didn’t really have time to reflect on it all today because I was so busy. I was a little bit sad but I’ve a really good run at it. I’m pleased I’m going to finish in front of Ryan Moore [in terms of the full total of winners at Royal Ascot]. Being busy kept my mind off not sulking too much. When I walked into the weighting room today I felt like I was 16 again. This place has been lucky for me. Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t win my last race as I might not have handled the razamatazz.”
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) betting
Dawn Rising 9/4
Run For Oscar 9/4
Stratum 4/1
Falcon Eight 17/2
The Grand Visir 10/1
Typewriter 18/1
Coltor 33/1
First Emperor 33/1
Estacas 100/1
Lest we forget ... and everybody seems to have done ... the powers that be wanted to kill off the Queen Alexandra Stakes (traditionally the last race at Royal Ascot) some 30 years ago but wine writer John Livingstone-Learmonth led a grassroots campaign to keep it going.
Updated
Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm) preview
And so we arrive at the familiar, rather eccentric finale to the royal meeting – the longest race not just of the meeting but of the entire Flat season, and an event that the track tried to consign to the history books about 30 years ago before giving in to a grassroots campaign to save it. In recent years, it has been increasingly targeted by the biggest jumping yards, with Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott picking up six of the last 11 between them, including the last two, won by Mullins’s Stratum. Now 10, Stratum has been a wonderful servant both to his trainer and his owner, Tony Bloom, who is, of course, also the chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion, and I’m always delighted to see his blue-and-white colours come home in front, on the basis that it could put a bit more money behind Brighton’s pursuit of the next teenaged starlet from South America. He is a drifter in the betting today, though, and probably faces a tougher a field of opponents than he has for either of his previous wins. Dawn Rising, with Ryan Moore riding for Joseph O’Brien, who had a winner here yesterday, has replaced Stratum as favourite, while Run For Oscar, from the Charles Byrnes stable, is also popular at around 5-2.
SELECTION: RUN FOR OSCAR
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) result
1 Burdett Road 20/1
2 Lion Of War 9/2 jt-fav
3 Local Dynasty 9/2 jt-fav
Burdett Road holds on to win the Golden Gates Stakes
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
It's a 2nd win of the week for @neilcallan78 #ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | @MikeBellRacing pic.twitter.com/X5qxD9NlrM
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm)
And they’re off … Knockbrex is up there under Frankie and takes the lead … Ziryab is in second … Liberty Lane challenges Knockbrex … Londoner takes the lead … but Burdett Road comes through to win convincingly. (As a footnote I’m afraid to say Canute suffered a bad injury in that race and that horse looks very seriously injured).
Updated
Lest we forget this is Frankie’s last ever ride at Royal Ascot in the 5.35pm race (on Knockbrex!)
Getting ready for Frankie's final #RoyalAscot ride... pic.twitter.com/6xc4q0zFXY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 24, 2023
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) betting
Knockbrex 3/1
Canute 5/1
Lion of War 6/1
Ziryab 7/1
Cuban Dawn 12/1
Local Dynasty 12/1
Have Secret 20/1
Liberty Lane 25/1
Laafi 28/1
Londoner 28/1
Obelix 33/1
Burdett Road 33/1
Coco Jack 33/1
James Mchenry 40/1
Lose Your Wad 66/1
Updated
Golden Gates Handicap (5.35pm) preview
A couple of non-runners have reduced the field here to 15, but Knockbrex, Frankie Dettori’s final mount at the royal meeting, is still in the running and likely to start favourite at around 5-2. Having started the afternoon in the royal procession, the most popular jockey of the last 30 years will ride off the stage aboard a colt with form on fast ground, and who made a decent start to his handicapping career at York’s Dante meeting, where he travelled well on the lead for a long way and faded only inside the final furlong. Charlie Johnston’s runner also finished less than two lengths behind Gregory, the Queen’s Vase winner on Wednesday, on his seasonal debut. His main rivals in the betting include Aidan O’Brien’s Canute, with Ryan Moore in the saddle, and a stable-companion at the Johnston yard, Lion Of War, who showed an impressive turn of foot to win from some way off a steady pace in the Edinburgh Cup Handicap at Musselburgh last time.
SELECTION: LION OF WAR
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (5.00pm) result
1 Saint Lawrence 22/1
2 Apollo One 11/1
3 Juan Les Pins 18/1
4 Mums Tipple 11/1
😇 Saint Lawrence takes the Wokingham Stakes
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
It's a 3rd BIG win of the week for @HollieDoyle1 & @Archie_Watson #ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/mbYimL2rl6
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (5.00pm)
Tanmawwy is loose before the race after unseating his rider and won’t be running … and they’re off … Duca Di Como is near the lead … First Folio is prominent … Saint Lawrence finishes well down the middle and claims first prize for Hollie Doyle!
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (5.00pm) market movers
Ozario 7/1 into 9/2
Apollo One 16/1 into the 10/1
Market movers via Oddspedia
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (5.00pm) betting
Orazio 9/2
Probe 11/1
Apollo One 12/1
Khanjar 12/1
Mums Tipple 14/1
Juan Les Pins 14/1
Spangled Mac 14/1
Saint Lawrence 16/1
Lethal Levi 18/1
Kings Lynn 20/1
Fresh 22/1
Chipstead 22/1
Mr Wagyu 22/1
Summerghand 25/1
Bielsa 25/1
Flaming Rib 25/1
Tanmawwy 28/1
First Folio 33/1
Kape Moss 33/1
Albasheer 33/1
Hurricane Ivor 40/1
Spirit Of Light 50/1
Dream Composer 50/1
Duca Di Como 66/1
Princess Shabnam 80/1
Tabdeed 80/1
Tis Marvellous 80/1
Hierarchy 80/1
Updated
Wokingham Handicap (5.00pm) preview
There are still two races to come after the Wokingham but from most punters’ point-of-view, it is the meeting’s last chance saloon in terms of clawing something back or, in a few happy cases, turning a good Royal Ascot into one for the ages. The Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood and the Ayr Gold Cup in September are the only sprint handicaps that come close in terms of history and prestige. I won’t bore you with a long list of possibilities – as the record books show, pretty much anything can win – but I do think that Apollo One is well worth inclusion in any portfolio after an excellent run into eighth 12 months ago. The five-year-old led the field all the way to the furlong pole last year before the effort started to tell, but has been ridden with more restraint in his subsequent starts and should have a strong pace to settle behind with several confirmed front-runners drawn mid-to-high. He also arrives off what was arguably the best run of his career, when he finished a neck second to the thriving Badri at Epsom’s Derby Festival meeting.
SELECTION: APOLLO ONE
Updated
Stewards’ inquiry! Stewards’ inquiry after the Hardwicke Stakes. I think’s a certainty the winning rider will get a ticking off but no way will the placings be changed. Go collect! The placings remain unaltered!
"Pyledriver likes to run around...The best horse has won the race. We all know he was going to do that and that includes PJ McDonald" 🗣@Ruby_Walsh #ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/iSkSgC5sgl
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (4.20pm) result
1 Pyledriver 7-2
2 West Wind Blows 13-2
Pyledriver powers home to win the Hardwicke Stakes
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
A first EVER winner at Royal Ascot for PJ McDonald#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/LvnIxykE4q
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (4.20pm)
And they’re off … Changingoftheguard leads with Pyledriver running very keenly … Deauville Legend is up close … West Wind Blows takes the lead … Free Wind is towards the back … Free Wind is improving … it’s an open race … Pyledriver takes it up and he’s all over the shop … he wins but there will be a stewards’ inquiry surely.
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (4.20pm) betting
Free Wind 6/5
Pyledriver 9/2
Deauville Legend 6/1
Changingoftheguard 7/1
West Wind Blows 11/1
Grand Alliance 25/1
Ardakan 33/1
Updated
Hardwicke Stakes (4.20pm) preview
The shape of this race changed abruptly this morning when Hukum, the likely favourite, was ruled out due to the fast ground, which left Free Wind, the mount of Frankie Dettori, as the clear favourite in what is now a seven-runner field at around 5-4. John Gosden’s filly has had a somewhat stop-start but highly progressive career to date, winning six of her last seven starts including a remarkable success in last year’s Lancashire Oaks which is always worth reliving.
Next in the lists is the ever-popular Pyledriver, now a six-year-old, who is running for the first time since his memorable success in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over course and distance last July. He is a huge runner on that form, but obviously has a long absence to overcome and has not won on his seasonal debut since landing the first race of his career – a Salisbury maiden in July 2019 - at odds of 50-1. Deauville Legend is interesting too, having made only one start since his victory in the Great Voltigeur at York last summer, when finishing a fine fourth as favourite for the Melbourne Cup in November. Unlike Pyledriver, he has gone well fresh in the past and he has plenty of scope for progress as a four-year-old.
SELECTION: DEAUVILLE LEGEND
Updated
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (3.40pm) result
1 Khaadem 80-1
2 Sacred 9-1
3 Highfield Princess 11-4 fav
Updated
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (3.40pm)
They’re off … Highfield Princess bounces out to lead … one has unseated … here comes Sacred … Khaadem gets past Sacred on the line!
Jawdropping stuff 😯
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 24, 2023
Outsider Khaadem at 80/1 (!) comes from the back to win the QE2 Jubilee Stakes under an ice cool @JPSPENCER1980.
A huge win for the @cbhills team.
pic.twitter.com/iuX1YwSQGq
Updated
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (3.40pm) betting
Highfield Princess 7/2
Artorius 9/2
Kinross 11/2
Wellington 15/2
Sacred 8/1
Rohaan 10/1
Al Suhail 14/1
Art Power 22/1
Big Invasion 22/1
Run To Freedom 33/1
Emaraaty Ana 40/1
Sandrine 50/1
The Astrologist 50/1
Coeur De Pierre 66/1
Cannonball 66/1
Khaadem 125/1
Updated
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (3.40pm) preview
Renamed this year in memory of Royal Ascot’s biggest fan over the last seven decades, the feature race on the final day of the meeting sums up everything that the meeting is about: the best horses not just from Europe but from around the world, a betting market that is struggling to find a clear favourite and a first prize of more than half a million pounds up for grabs. This year’s renewal of the six-furlong Group One has also been further improved by John Quinn’s decision to declare Highfield Princess, who finished a close second behind Bradsell in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday. Runners from Australia – Choisir, most famously - have taken in both of the royal meeting’s sprints in the past, but it is hardly standard practice on this side of the Equator.
Quinn has plotted his brilliant mare’s rise from handicaps to multiple Group One wins so expertly, however, that his decision to run her again just four days after the King’s Stand can be taken as a positive and despite the presence of crack overseas sprinters Wellington and Artorius, she is (with her mares’ allowance) the top-rated runner in the field. Other runners that are well worth a second look include Kinross, last year’s Champions Sprint winner over track and trip, and course specialist Rohaan, twice a winner of the Wokingham Handicap over the straight six furlongs, and the depth in the race is such that even Coeur De Pierre, a 50-1 outsider, would have a chance of sneaking into the frame if he could reproduce his form behind The Platinum Queen in last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye.
SELECTION: HIGHFIELD PRINCESS
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm) result
1 Age Of Kings 22/1
2 Zoology 22/1
3 Streets Of Gold 28/1
Another #RoyalAscot winner for Aidan O’Brien! Age Of Kings wins the Jersey under Wayne Lordan... @Ascot pic.twitter.com/aMy6il6779
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 24, 2023
Updated
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm)
And they’re off … Covey is prominent and takes an early lead … Holloway Boy is in midfield … Age of Kings takes it up … Holloway Boy finishes well … but Age Of Kings has a strong enough lead and gets home first.
Updated
Alex Hammond on Sky Sports Racing tells viewers there’s a new bronze being commissioned of Frankie Dettori. That current sculpture at Ascot is hideous … was there the day it was unveiled and stood next to racing writer and former Channel 4 presenter Alastair Down who said: “It looks like he’s had a dose of senna pods”.
Updated
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm) betting
Covey 3/1
The Antarctic 5/1
Olivia Maralda 5/1
Enfjaar 13/2
Holloway Boy 8/1
Quar Shamar 14/1
Mysterious Night 20/1
Zoology 22/1
Age Of Kings 28/1
Holguin 28/1
Streets Of Gold 33/1
Thunderbear 40/1
Flight Plan 40/1
Empty Metaphor 80/1
Alexander John 150/1
Updated
Jersey Stakes (3.05pm) preview
Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore are on the top two in the betting here and Frankie really needs to do the business on Covey to have a realistic chance of pipping his perennial rival to the top rider prize. There is plenty in his favour in the head-to-head: Covey arrives on a three-race winning streak and has just four races behind him in all, so is far less exposed than The Antarctic, who has won a couple of Group Threes in his 10 outings so far. Moore’s mount is also carrying a 3lb penalty as a result of his previous success at this level, though some might argue that he has been there and done it whereas Covey still has something to prove as he is stepping up to Pattern company from a handicap.
Since this is Royal Ascot, meanwhile, it is always worth delving a little deeper, and Enfjaar is an interesting option too. Roger Varian’s colt won one of the warmest maidens of the season at Newmarket in October, beating a field that included Military Order, this year’s Lingfield Derby Trial winner, and the second, third, fourth and fifth horses home were all winners next time up. He then bolted up by six lengths at Chelmsford on his three-year-old debut and he remains completely unexposed.
SELECTION: ENFJAAR
Updated
Those who go in the royal carriages have a slap-up lunch with the King and Queen first. Frankie would have had to desist!
😁 Arriving in style!@FrankieDettori comes home to Royal Ascot for the final time#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/cdw37lQIJ4
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
Updated
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Snellen 12-1
2 Pearls And Rubies 7-4 fav
3 Golden Mind 12/1
3 Oddyssey 125/1 (dead-heat for third)
Updated
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off … Dallas Star is well away … Snellen is handy … as is Nemonte … Pearls And Rubies is challenging … Snellen just managed to hold Pearls And Rubies … that was close and it’s a PHOTO FINISH! As expected Snellen gets the nod.
📷 It's a tight finish in the Chesham Stakes
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
But Snellen wins it by a head!#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | @gavincromwell1 pic.twitter.com/3Y3oIMAtVf
Updated
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) betting
Pearls And Rubies 7/4
Content 11/2
La Guarida 8/1
Lightning Leo 10/1
Matnookh 12/1
Snellen 12/1
Golden Mind 14/1
Sayedaty Sadaty 20/1
Carolina Reaper 20/1
Nemonte 22/1
Count Palatine 22/1
Warnie 40/1
Hot Fuss 50/1
Maymay 66/1
Dallas Star 80/1
Oddyssey 100/1
Queen's Hat Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 White 8-1
Chesham Stakes (2.30pm) preview
Aidan O’Brien has won this race four times in the last seven years and he has two of the first three in the betting in Pearls And Rubies and Content. The former made a winning debut at Navan 13 days ago, while Content was beaten on debut, but not by far, and would probably have won had he not found trouble in running in the closing stages. The simple fact that both have “APO’B” on their saddlecloths means that they need to be taken seriously, but their achievements to date are no different to those of several of their opponents, including Golden Mind, a half-brother to Perfect Power, who won here in both 2021 and 2022, and La Guarida, who was a comfortable winner at Goodwod last time, a race from which the second, third and fourth home all won next time up. Snellen, whose trainer, Gavin Cromwell, has enjoyed plenty of success over jumps at the Cheltenham Festival in recent seasons, is another interesting runner in a fascinating renewal.
SELECTION: LA GUARIDA
Updated
Animal Rising have forsaken Royal Ascot this week but some protestors have arrived.
Updated
No cost-of-living crisis in No 1 Car Park at Royal Ascot …
🥂 "We've been here since 10.30AM"
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
The party is already in full swing at @Ascot #ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot | @chamberlinsport pic.twitter.com/lnU4EM6eCq
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) betting
7/2 Yellow
4/1 Pink/Peach
5/1 Blue/Navy
6/1 Green
7/1 Red
8/1 White/Cream
8/1 Purple
10/1 Orange
Ladbrokes betting (Others on request)
Queen's Hat Stakes (2pm) preview
Our good friends at BestofBets.com have kept a close eye on this, the traditional first betting heat of the day, and state: “This year is the first time Queen Camilla has headed up the hat betting - a market that has been cherished by racegoers for as long as we can remember.
“However, the uptake in the hat betting this year has been disappointing and it remains to be seen if this will even be a market next year. Some people have suggested to swap Camilla for Kate in order to reinvent this market; and you can see why. Kate tends to wear more colourful and vibrant colours, as we saw yesterday, whereas Camilla is better known for her toned-down colour palate. As for today, Ladbrokes have yellow as the current favourite, followed by pink/peach.”
Thanks to John for helming the live blog this morning. Hello and welcome to the final day of Royal Ascot which has been a success with racegoers (it’s always the biggest crowd of the meeting) and punters since its inception in 2002.
The most interesting news this day so far is that Frankie Dettori will arrive for his final day at Royal Ascot in the grandest possible fashion as part of the royal procession. Dame Judi Dench got a great reception yesterday from her draw in carriage four and it’s guaranteed that the jockey will get the biggest cheer.
The Italian has recovered from a disappointing first day when he went winless and picked up a nine-day suspension - which he is appealing - to enjoy some spectacular successes, including the Gold Cup aboard Courage Mon Ami. Dettori and his wife, Catherine, are in carriage four with Jamie Snowdenand his wife, Lucy.
His mounts on Saturday include Covey, who is favourite for the Jersey Stakes, Free Wind a short price in the Hardwicke, Kinross, a fancied runner in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and Knockbrex the market leader in the Golden Gates Handicap. He is also on board Mums Tipple in the Wokingham.
Ok, and with that, I shall pass over to TP for the day five action. Good luck out there.
Updated
Today’s non runners:
14:30 Quatre Bras
16:20 Hukum
17:35 Like A Tiger, First Sight
18:10 Goshen
Shame about Goshen, the horse who broke so many hearts at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival in the Triumph Hurdle. He was trading at 16/1 but ground seems a little too firm for one who may have a season over the sticks next year.
Updated
Great to see Chris Hayes, the veteran and one of the most underrated jockeys in Ireland, land his first Royal Ascot win on Mr Weld’s horse. CD Hayes was always a master at getting unfancied horses on the podium.
TAHIYRA 🐎 wins The Coronation Stakes under Chris Hayes 🏇🏻for Dermot Weld at Royal Ascot 🏆🇬🇧
— HBA Media (@_HBAMedia) June 23, 2023
🚨HBA MEDIA “ONES TO WATCH” WINNER🚨@Ascot #royalascot #england #coronationstakes #tahiyra @chrishayes24 #dermotweld #thoroughbred #horseracing pic.twitter.com/EZQY4cEhgH
An old favourite rides in the 4.20 Hardwicke Stakes, good old Pyledriver, who has Ascot form.
Frankie's first ride is aboard a royal carriage
Royal Ascot Carriage List – Saturday, 24th June
1st Carriage
The King
The Queen
The Earl of Caledon
The Countess of Caledon
2nd Carriage
The Lord Frederick Windsor
The Lady Frederick Windsor
Princess Zahra Aga Khan
Lady Weatherby
3rd Carriage
The Lady Gabriella Kingston
Mr. Thomas Kingston
Mr. Andrew Balding
Mrs. Andrew Balding
4th Carriage
Mr. Lanfranco Dettori
Mrs. Lanfranco Dettori
Mr. Jamie Snowden
Mrs. Jamie Snowden
Here’s Frankie’s final Royal Ascot rides.
Frankie's last dance!
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) June 24, 2023
Five rides for Frankie Dettori on his final day at #RoyalAscot with plenty of good chances...
Ok, it wasn’t Royal Ascot. But Frankie Dettori has a statue to represent his seven-timer in 1996. He’ll back in September for the same meeting.
I’ve read Gary’s book; it’s a bleak old read when it gets to September 1996.
As Frankie steps aside, another fine rider is making his comeback from dark times.
The Timeform ‘p’ suggests Orazio is one to watch for the day.
⭐ @Timeform Star of the Day
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 24, 2023
Orazio, racing today off a mark of 102 and a big hope for William Buick in the Wokingham Stakes#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/RT4JmCnakH
Here’s Greg Wood’s in-depth betting analysis of the final day.
Ascot 3.40 Sprinters from Australia, Hong Kong and the United States add a fascinating twist to the final Group One of the meeting, but Highfield Princess is the top-rated runner in the field. Her appearance here is a little unexpected after her fine run into second in Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes, but John Quinn left her at Ascot to avoid another long journey to and from his yard in Yorkshire and is confident that a mare who has always thrived on racing will be ready to do herself justice.
Frankie Dettori makes his final bow at the Royal meeting today, and his horses have been backed off the boards. Can he follow up his happy Friday?
Updated
Full race schedule for Saturday:
Chesham Stakes - 2:30pm
(Guardian tip: La Guarida)
Jersey Stakes - 3:05pm
(Guardian tip: Enfjaar)
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes - 3:40pm
(Guardian tip: Highfield Princess)
Hardwicke Stakes - 4:20pm
(Guardian tip: Hukum)
Wokingham Stakes - 5pm
(Guardian tip: Apollo One (nap)
Golden Gate Stakes - 5:35pm
(Guardian tip: Lion Of War (nb)
Queen Alexandra Stakes - 6:10pm
(Guardian tip: Run For Oscar)
Going news from Royal Ascot on a very sunny day.
The going for day five of Royal Ascot, Saturday 24th June, is: Good to Firm
GoingStick readings at 8am:
Stands side: 7.9
Centre: 7.9
Far side: 7.8
Round: 7.0
Stalls:
Straight Course: centre
Round Course: inside
Watering:
Watered 5mm on the Straight Course and 4mm on the Round Course after racing on Friday.
Weather:
Dry overnight to 6.30am Saturday. Today is forecast to be dry and warm with temperatures getting up to 27c.
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from Royal Ascot, where Frankie Dettori will go into his final day at the meeting where he has now ridden a total of 81 winners with at least a chance of finishing the week as the top rider for the 8th time in his career.
Dettori has five rides on the Saturday card, four of which are likely to start at a single-figure price, and while number-crunching data analysis tends to suggest that even a top jockey is only a pound or two better than the average, that could easily be worth a couple of lengths at least in a sport where the difference between victory and defeat can be millimetres.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Ryan Moore remains a very hot favourite to take the riders’ prize, has a full book of seven rides on Saturday and will once again extend his lead to two winners if Pearls And Rubies, the market leader, takes the opening Chesham Stakes, one of the three contests in which Dettori does not have a ride.
But when Dettori gets on a roll, his mounts have an uncanny knack of suddenly producing career-best runs, with the confidence boost from one winner feeding into the next. He is, of course, going to give it everything he’s got, and it could make for an enthralling narrative on the final afternoon.
There was very little for Chris Stickels, the clerk of the course, to add to his daily update from yesterday after walking the course this morning. “The going today is good-to-firm and watered,” Stickels said. “The forecast is for a warm, sunny day, with temperatures up to about 28 degrees.”
Hopefully the near-capacity crowd that is expected for the final day will have brought their Factor 50, or enough of them will to share it around. Lobster pink is never the colour at Royal Ascot.
Seven picks that will attempt to at least repair some of the damage after the first four days are here. No matter how desperate the Ascot results have been up until Saturday, we’ll always have the Wokingham.
And you can, of course, follow all the action live here on the blog as the greatest Ascot jockey of modern times rides off into the sunset at the royal meeting.
Updated
