That's all for day one ...
Well, the Royal Ascot race planners come in for plenty of stick (rightly) for starting the meeting with three Group One races so quickly on day one but it made for compelling viewing this afternoon. Nature Strip bolted home in the King’s Stand sprint and Coroebus landed the odds, if a little fortunately, in the St James’s Palace Stakes but it was Baaeed in the opener who still stole the show.
The winner came into the meeting with everything to lose given the comparisons made with Frankel after his success in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, a race that horse won in such imperious style as a four-year-old. Baaeed didn’t win in the style of Frankel this afternoon (it could take another century before we see the equivalent of that hose) but those who crabbed the horse for a two-length defeat of Real World might be mistaken in being a little underwhelmed. The runner-up is a genuine Group One horse and I would back Baaeed against the three-year-old Coroebus any day of the week if they clash in the Sussex Stakes.
When Baaeed steps up to ten furlongs in the Juddmonte Stakes at York in August that is a race to travel some way to see. Bring it on ... and tomorrow when we get to see the impressive Bay Bridge again in the St James’s Palace Stakes. Hope you enjoyed the day and see you again on Wednesday.
Copper Horse Handicap Stakes (6.10pm) result
1 Get Shirty (D Tudhope) 16-1
2 Cleveland (R L Moore) 2-1 Fav
3 Okita Soushi (D P McDonogh) 11-2
4 Alright Sunshine (Billy Garritty) 40-1
16 ran
Non Runner: 7
