Royal Ascot: Dermot Weld admits unlikely passage campaigned

Royal Ascot gold cup hero rite, Dermot Weld has admits it is unlikely the passenger will be campaigned over hurdles this season. At the Cheltenham Festival, Rite Of Passage six years old has won two of his three outings end timber

Dermot Weld trainer said, "He's here at Rosewell House and is in great form. He was a bit stiff and sore after he won the Gold Cup so we gave him time out and he came back nicely. We were going to go for the Melbourne Cup but then we decided we'd give him a bit more time and we've yet to decide whether we go hurdling with him this winter. It would appear less likely and obviously we'd like to have a crack at winning another Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.'

Melbourne Cup won the Profound Beauty in 2008 but in this year replacement failed to figure for which has been retired from racing.

At the races Weld told, "She's been retired honourably to stud and she's been a wonderful mare to train. She's been so consistent. A mile and a half to a mile and six (furlongs) was her trip, which is why we thought she would be a suitable Melbourne Cup horse. If she can breed horses with the courage that she had and they have her will to win, there's going to be some very good horses from her".

Ascot hoping Long Walk Hurdle 2010 goes to plan

After last year’s loss of two attractive cards Ascot racecourse will be hoping that this year’s Long Walk Hurdle goes ahead as planned .

The Long Walk Hurdle is the highlight of Ascot’s most valuable day of Jumps racing, with the £100,000 Grade One also supported by the £150,000 ‘Ladbroke.’

In 2009, the meeting was cancelled after poor weather hit the nation and the Long Walk Hurdle was moved to Newbury and the Ladbroke Hurdle was cancelled for the first time in its twenty year history.

This year’s race will take place on the 18th December and Ascot will be hoping that the race goes ahead as planned.

Royal Ascot Named For Top Awards

Beautiful South’s Awards for Excellence has nominated Royal Ascot for the Tourist Event of the Year

The annual race event is among tourism businesses from across the region honoured in the Tourism South East run awards.

The award event took place on Oct 21,at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey.Royal Ascot received the gold award in its category at the awards

Royal Ascot: Japan Cup

Elite Racing Club, he set at their first runner in the Land of the Rising Sun, Dandino must line up for the Japan Cup.

The successful syndicate, with 12,500 members, the winners in Ireland and France as in Britain, but never ventured much further away.

Now looks forward to change their stylish three years old stallion, who has had an invitation for the group more than one mile and a half in Tokyo on November 28.

Trainer James Given is happy to give the Epsom and Royal Ascot winner a trip this year after his disappointing run in unsuitable ground in the St Leger at Doncaster last month.

"It's really exciting for everyone. James was very happy to give him another run this year because of course a long time between now and next season," said racing manager Matthew Budden Elite.

"This came as an option and James thought it might be worth a go.

"We have a few winners in Ireland and France, but nothing as far away as Japan.

"Dandino is a standard bearer for us and win at Royal Ascot on Derby day."

Royal Ascot for punters hits profits at William Hill

The World Cup William Hill hailed as one of the best for bookmakers in living memory, but lamented a bumper Royal Ascot for punters who had the added bonus of some fine weather, above.
Group revenues were 3pc higher than last year and the firm expects to report underlying half year profits of £135m, marginally up on last year’s £134.6m.
Chief executive Ralph Topping said the World Cup had been one of the best for bookmakers in 40 years.
He attributed this to the fact that Spain attracted fewer backers than expected after losing their first game. the bookmaker’s online division saw rapid growth, with net revenues up 24pc and operating profit 43pc higher than in the previous year.

But the group’s high street take was hit by a difficult Ascot for bookies, as a succession of favourites charged home.

Royal Ascot date Mawatheeq to miss

At Royal Ascot Mawatheeq will now not feature on Saturday as trainer Marcus Tregoning confirmed that he does not feel he is ready after injury. The five year old has endured a frustrating year following an injury which forced him out of the Dubai World Cup before he was well off the pace in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot his only appearance of 2010. Tregoning then withdrew Mawatheeq from the Coral Eclipse at Sandown when he failed to enter the stalls and it was then decided that he should not feature in the summer showpiece at Ascot next weekend."We were going to work him somewhere this weekend but we decided against it and that means he will miss the King George," said Tregoning."We've just decided to give him a bit more time as we don't feel he's going to be ready for Ascot."We haven't decided where we're going with him yet but we just feel he wants a bit more time after the injury problem he had in the spring."Meanwhile jockey Olivier Peslier was reportedly delighted after partnering Harbinger in a piece of work at Newmarket on Saturday.Harry Herbert, racing manager for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: "He worked extremely well and he quickened clear and Peslier was all smiles afterwards. He was very excited about the horse."There's a week to go so hopefully he'll come out of the work all right and he'll be going into the race in tip-top form. He's definitely improving, I think, which is the exciting thing so let battle commence."

Royal Ascot: Rainfall can follow up to win in Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket

At Winbledon Had Royal Ascot been a match, the score would have been 6-0, 6-1, 6-0 to the punters. Bookmakers emerged from that meeting claiming that it had been their worst in living memory, so prescient was the market from one day to the next, and the July meeting at Newmarket, which opens today, is the best opportunity since for backers to inflict some more sustained punishment.
With money racegoers too this fixture is a special favourite, as the thatch of the July course is much more welcoming than the glass and concrete of the Rowley Mile grandstand. For all the mood of anticipation, though, it is worth recalling that last year's meeting opened with victory for a 66-1 opportunity, and that the bookies seldom have two bad festivals in a row. Many punters will place their faith in Aidan O'Brien in the Falmouth Stakes, and with his stable now racking up Group One winners with something like its normal frequency, his Lillie Langtry seems sure to start favourite for this intriguing meeting of the generations.
Older horses have taken half of the six renewals of this race since it was promoted to Group One status in 2004, though there is nothing of the calibre of Goldikova, last year's winner, in this field. Strawberrydaiquiri looks to be their main hope this time, but a narrow defeat of Spacious in at Royal Ascot still gives her something to find.
Lillie Langtry and Special Duty both have obvious chances, but their odds reflect that, and it must be a concern that the latter has twice required the stewards' intervention to achieve the status of a dual Classic winner. The price is what matters most in any race, and when looking for a filly whose chance may have been underestimated, it is Rainfall (3.10) that makes most appeal. She was fast-tracked to victory in a Group Two at the Royal meeting just six weeks after winning a maiden at Thirsk, and will not require much further progress to advance beyond her peers.
Richard Hughes suggested before Ascot that "we can't have all the best two-year-olds in the (Richard Hannon) yard", but Hannon may have rather more of them than his jockey realized, and Memory (2.35), the Albany Stakes winner, will be difficult to beat in the Cherry Hinton. The handicaps look treacherous, but Strictly Dancing (1.30) and the progressive Kelly's Eye (2.00) may both have a pound or two in hand of their ratings.

At Royal Ascot Starspangledbanner triumphs

Royal Ascot, Co-favourite Starspangledbanner won the Golden Jubilee Stakes on the final day of racing at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
In an international field, Australia's Starspangledbanner dominated the race, coming in ahead of Society Rock, followed by Kinsale King.
In two days it was the third winner for trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Johnny Murtagh, after Lillie Langtry won the Coronation Stakes and Mikhail Glinka took the Queen's Vase on Friday.
“It is incredible that he was able to win over a mile in Australia and he came over with a massive reputation, we were very lucky to get him,” O'Brien said. “He's the fastest we've had, no doubt. We've never had one go that fast furlong by furlong.”
In the family Ascot success runs for Starspangledbanner, an offspring of 2003 Golden Jubilee winner Choisir.
“He's very similar to his sire Choisir, big and strong,” Murtagh said. “Everything just worked perfect. He jumped well, travelled actually well, a good strong gallop all the way.”
Murtagh won again later in the Wokingham Stakes on the five year old Laddies Poker Two.
Murtagh narrowly missed out on the week's top jockey award, which went to Ryan Moore. Moore rode Bergo, trained by his father Gary, to victory in the closing Queen Alexandra Stakes. Aajel was second and Swingkeel third.
“It doesn't mean a lot to me personally, but I am delighted to ride a winner for my dad,” said Moore of his Queen Alexandra Stakes win. “This is the biggest week in racing and it is very competitive and hard to win.”
He also rode the Michael Stoute trained Harbinger to victory in the Hardwicke Stakes where Duncan and Barshiba were second and third.
In a busy day for Moore, the rider managed to finish second on Imposing in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, behind Cill Rialaig. Imposing recovered from a poor start to push the Hugh Morrison trained horse all the way to the line. Martyr finished third.
Moore had a quiet start to the week, with disappointing runs on Rip Van Winkle, Steinbeck and Fencing Master, and Richard Hughes and Frankie Dettori appeared better placed to take the top jockey award for much of Royal Ascot.
But with Murtagh also having a successful closing day and competing in the final race on Deutschland, the award wasn't decided until Bergo crossed the line first. Deutschland finished 11th.
In the day's other race, Zaidan took the Chesham Stakes, three lengths ahead of Sonning Rose, followed by Casper's Touch.

At Royal Ascot David Hayes has high hopes for Nicconi

David Hayes has high hopes for Nicconi at Royal Ascot is well schooled in the ways of British racing. At the time he may not have realised, but his father, the late Colin Hayes, had instilled in his son from an early age a deep respect for the patient training methods of Vincent O’Brien, Noel Murless and Dick Hern.
To Europe David Hayes senior was a frequent visitor in the 1960s. Each year, when returning home to South Australia, he would try to introduce ideas he had picked up on his travels. One huge influence had been the variety of gallops he had seen at Newmarket, in particular Warren Hill.
So, when it came time for Colin Hayes to build and develop Lindsay Park, his own private training centre and stud farm at Angaston, 72 miles out of Adelaide, the British experience was put into practice. Forty years ago, Hayes was seen as a revolutionary in setting up away from the mainstream metropolitan tracks. He proved to be years ahead of his time.
David Hayes, 47, has built on those foundations, establishing himself in his own right internationally, having sent out the winners of the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup (twice), Cox Plate (three), Golden Slipper, Japan Cup, Hong Kong Derby, and having twice been champion trainer in Hong Kong during a 10-year stint in the former British colony.
He brings to the first day of Royal Ascot a well-credentialled sprinter, Nicconi, who attempts to follow great Australian sprinters Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast by winning the five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes, almost four and a half months after tasting victory in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
Just why the Lightning, which is another "straight five", should have had such a bearing on what has taken place at the Royal Meeting on the other side of the world, actually defies logic. Arguably, there are other races just as noteworthy Down Under, but it has definitely been the most accurate pointer to Ascot triumph.
“I think it is the timing of the racing, and where it fits into the racing calendar,” Hayes explains. “It comes at the end of January, just when some of the classy [middle-distance] types are coming back to campaign – you can have Derby winners resuming after a spell – and even a top sprinter has to have a certain amount of class to win it.”
Hayes reckons Nicconi is every bit as good as the aforementioned sprinters, but qualifies that statement by adding “on his day.” The five-year-old has a tendency to throw in the occasional “shocker”, hence the move to fit a visor for the first time in Tuesday’s race.
“I think it will make a difference. It should make him just that bit sharper on the big day. We tried him in the visor in an exhibition gallop [an unnofficial trial between races] at Caulfield [Melbourne] before he left to come over, and his sectional times were exceptional. If he can produce that again, he’ll just about win it. We’re quietly confident,” he adds.
The booking of Frankie Dettori is in keeping with Hayes’s policy of looking for a local when travelling horses abroad. His thinking is that once the jockey in question has become accustomed to his mount – during morning exercise – the rest will come easy. He recognises that no favours are given visiting jockeys, yet a certain respect prevails when riders are competing against each other on a daily basis.
“Also, I’m a big Frankie fan. I’ve known him a long time and he’s a good friend. And, nobody knows Ascot better than Dettori,” he adds.
Kingsgate Native, recent winner of the Temple Stakes at Haydock Park, and winner of the Golden Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting two years ago, looks the big danger to the Australian challenge, which is strengthened by the addition of speedster Gold Trail. For David Hayes, it is another chance to bask in the international spotlight.

Sees a rise in ticket sales Royal Ascot 2010

"I think we will have a slightly bigger crowd than last year," he said.
"In January we were slightly concerned as numbers were down on previous years but it has picked up.
"We are now sold out in the grandstand and silver ring for Saturday. While enclosures are sold out we still have space for people on the heath."
This will be Barnett's fourth Royal Ascot and he said that even though corporate sales were up on last years figures, they will not be as good as 2007 or 2008.
But he was still pleased overall with ticket sales for the event despite the competing attraction of the World Cup.
"The market is not going down anymore and it is maybe picking up slightly. Box occupancy is still pretty good and we have a lot of people coming for hospitality too which is great," he said.
Last year the Saturday of Royal Ascot drew record crowds of nearly 80,000. Barnett will be hoping to exceed that number this year.

Cape To Rio set for further step on journey to Ascot

Had the innovative agenda of Racing For Change animated the debate over its switch from Wednesday to Saturday in 1995, perhaps the Investec Derby would now have found its optimal niche at an evening meeting instead. As things stand, tonight's Blue Square card at Sandown remains the best of the year for thirsty Londoners on a summer night.

It would not be at all surprising should they see a winner competent to follow up at Royal Ascot next month. Given the depth of juvenile resources already established by Richard Hannon, for instance, Cape To Rio will be expected to extend his stable's fine record in the National Stakes.

And the Gold Cup at Ascot looks a guaranteed target for the winner of the Henry II Stakes. Opinion Poll strolled home by 10 lengths on his comeback at Nottingham, but the ground will be much quicker tonight and only the discouraging form of Saeed Bin Suroor's stable tempers interest in Darley Sun. Stand by, meanwhile, for dramatic improvement from Saptapadi now that he steps up in distance.

His connections provide a strong fancy for the Brigadier Gerard Stakes in Glass Harmonium, who is emulating many of their previous models by thriving with maturity.

His trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, yesterday confirmed his intention to persevere towards the Derby with Workforce after taking the colt for a gallop over the all-weather track at Lingfield. An arresting winner of his debut at Goodwood last autumn, Workforce looked green and awkward on the firm ground in the Dante Stakes and clearly remains entitled to major progress at Epsom.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Prince Khaled Abdulla, confirmed that his patron would probably be represented by both Workforce and Bullet Train, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial for Henry Cecil. "Workforce travelled very smoothly in between two lead horses, quickened up nicely to go between them, and went on with the other horse to finish nicely on the bridle," Grimthorpe said. "The whole idea was just to give him a bit more racecourse experience, really. He's only had two starts. I have to speak to the prince just to confirm he's happy [but] Sir Michael was very positive and I would say it would be all systems go."

Makfi ready for Royal Ascot rematch

2000 Guineas shocker Makfi is ready for a rematch with Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The highlight on Day One is firmly on the cards for the unbeaten French colt, who stunned punters with his 33-1 victory at Newmarket.

That form has worked out extremely well, with runner-up Dick Turpin occupying the same position in the France, and Canford Cliffs, third at HQ, storming home in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh.

Makfi's trainer Mikel Delzangles said: "Canford Cliffs won very easily and I think the mile in Ireland suited him well. Makfi has not been doing too much, but he came back from Newmarket very well and we have kept his condition.

"He has only had three runs in his life, two of them this year. He is much harder, he knows he is a racehorse now and is going the right way."

Delzangles sent out Chineur to win the King's Stand the year (2005) the meeting was held at York.

Coral: 7-4 Canford Cliffs, 2 Makfi, 5 Dick Turpin, Steinbeck.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold believes a crack at the Coronation Stakes with Irish 1000 Guineas winner Bethrah could prove too tempting to resist.

The Dermot Weld-trained filly would need to be supplemented for the race won by Ghanaati in the Sheikh's colours last season.

Ed Dunlop's Snow Fairy will be supplemented for the Oaks at Epsom on June 4 at a cost of £20,000 - and will be ridden by champion Ryan Moore.

The daughter of Intikhab routed what looked to be a competitive field at Goodwood on her first start over 10 furlongs.

While Dunlop admits an extra two furlongs is another step into the unknown, connections decided to take the plunge.

Ladbrokes: 5 Rumoush, Aviate, 7 Timepiece, 10 Akdarena, Remember When, 12 Sajjhaa, 14 Ceilidh House, Gertrude Bell, Snow Fairy, 16 bar.

Tricky stuff today punters but I'm hoping for a big run from the Michael Jarvis-trained Yashrid (3.10) and Philip Robinson at Ripon.

Stepped up in trip now after three runs over a mile to earn a handicap mark, the son of Rahy could be running off a fairly lenient mark.

The form of Tim Easterby's Off Chance (3.40) looks rock solid and she can open her seasonal account under regular pilot Duran Fentiman.

Ascot could be next stop for Hernando.

Marco Botti has his sights set on some of Europe's top middle-distance events for Gitano Hernando after he finished an unlucky sixth in Saturday's Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

Sent off favourite for the world's richest race after an impressive warm-up success at Lingfield, the four-year-old went down by just over two lengths after suffering trouble in running, and trips to Royal Ascot and even a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe could now be on his agenda.
Fallon echoed the trainer's sentiments and felt Gitano Hernando did not get the run of the race in Dubai.

He told At The Races: "It was all happening in front of me. I was going half-speed all the way. I was trying to angle to get out but the same thing was happening to Frankie (Dettori on Mastery). I couldn't really move with the two horses in front of me dictating it at their own pace.

"I have always thought a lot of him and he's up there with the best. If there had been a gallop, or if I could have gone when I wanted, he would have opened up and that would have been good enough for me."

Royal Ascot looms for Corstens star

Exciting colt Starspangledbanner scored his second group 1 win in three starts when he prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield yesterday.

The Choisir three-year-old, prepared by Leon Corstens, won the group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10 before being spelled and was fourth to Nicconi as favourite when resuming in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on January 30.

Starspangledbanner will now get the chance to emulate his sire by winning at Royal Ascot in England.
Choisir won the group 2 King's Stand Stakes (1000m) and group 1 Golden Jubilee (1200m) at Ascot in 2003.

''It was fantastic, super,'' stable spokesman Troy Corstens said after Starspangledbanner took his record to six wins and two placings from 11 starts for prizemoney in excess of $1.29 million.
Danny Nikolic, who won his second Oakleigh Plate after scoring on Sports in 2000, gave Starspangledbanner the run of the race in third place to the turn and he finished determinedly to just win from dead-heaters Here De Angels and Arinos.
''He did a terrific job,'' Nikolic said.

''He's still not there fitness-wise. His heart and his will got him home. It was a terrific effort.''
Earlier, classy filly Set For Fame was likened to her three-time group 1-winning stablemate Typhoon Tracy after scoring a belated group win of her own. Trainer Peter Moody said Set For Fame was on track to take on the elite colts in next month's Australian Guineas after powering home to land the group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m).