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).

Royal Ascot keen to woo Shocking

Royal Ascot arrangers are targeting Melbourne Cup winner Shocking for the Hardwicke Stakes in June.
Ascot talent scout Nick Smith watched Shocking's Cup triumph and also suggested trainer Mark Kavanagh look at entering the stallion in the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July.
"Shocking is such a progressive type that we are recommending to Mark Kavanagh that he should look at the Hardwicke and then consider the King George," Smith told Britain's The Daily Telegraph.
"This horse is not your (Ascot Gold) Cups type and should be effective over a mile and a half in Britain."
Before Tuesday's Cup, Smith had approached Shocking's owner, Laurence Eales, about bringing Whobegotyou to Ascot for the Queen Anne.
"Whobegotyou is a brilliant weight-for-age horse in Australia and ideal for the Queen Anne," Smith said.
"We know he gets a mile and a quarter here, but a stiff mile at Ascot, you could argue, would be even better for him.
"After the success of Haradasun, as well as the sprinters in the King's Stand and Golden Jubilee, we are finding that Aussie owners and trainers are much more attuned to what Ascot has to offer."
Haradasun won in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.

PLONKER OR DEL BOY?

Last week it was Canford Cliffs nether the microscope.. this time Delegator aims to justify his big money price tag ...
Money can't buy you love or a winner when it comes to fancy priced deals in racing.
Last week, Canford Cliffs a half share in whom cost a bundel prior to Royal Ascot, put his report on the line and fell unhappily short.
Today Delegator, already winner of the Craven Stakes and runner up in both the 2,000 Guineas and the St James's Palace wagers at Royal Ascot is out to prove that the millions Sheikh Mohammed paid out to have him conveyanced from Brian Meehan to Godolphin has not been money dissipationed
He's odds on favourite, so punters will hope the Sheikh's got his sums right.

Chester’s totescoop6 Handicap Surour on a roll

Suruor is aerial to rack up his fourth victory since joining David Simcock in Chester’s totescoop6 Handicap (3.30).
Not many horses improve upon walking out of Mark Johnston’s stable but Suruor is such a excellent bird.
Apart from a 17th placing in Royal Ascot’s Britannia Stakes, the castrated son of Intikhab has made the first two in five races, including accomplishment at Warwick, Newmarket and Goodwood.
After taking the silver at Ascot last month, Suruor was back in the winner’s addition on the Sussex downs 19 days later and can defy a 3lb rise.
Johnston can also make the scoresheet courtesy of SABOTAGE in the totepool Chester Handicap (2.55).
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The Halling bay completeled behind this afternoon’s rivals Munsef and Mystery Star over a mile and a half at Ascot’s King George fixture.
Unable to get aggressive over the same trip at Royal Ascot, Sabotage then took third behind Polly’s Mark at Ascot a fortnight ago.
Johnston returns Sabotage to a mile and six today he was beaten a nose over the trip at York four outings ago and it should see the chosing get a second course win.
Despite having to carry top weight, INVINCIBLE LAD gets the vote in the opening toteplacepot Handicap (2.25).
Eric Alston’s five year old ran a cracker when third to Blue Jack over the minimum tour at Glorious Goodwood last month, and should find this a less taxing allocation.

Nunthorpe to Radio tuned

Kingsgate Native landed the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes as a juvenile in 2007 and Radiohead bids to rerun the feat in Friday's Group 1 heat at York.

Brian Meehan's colt did extremely well to overcome trouble in running and land the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and one thing in favour of the juvenile the only two year old in the field is the huge weight for age agreement which he receives.

Meehan told www.brianmeehanatmanton.com: "Radiohead produced a high-class effort at Royal Ascot and we think this race will play to his strengths again. There should be enough of pace early on, the five furlongs is ideal and the ground should suit."

He added: "The fact that he gets all the allowances is a further encouragement to his chance and his work in his build up to this race advice he is in excellent form."

Jeremy Noseda accept he is taking a bit of a punt with Mythical Border, not seen since finishing down the field in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Before that, though, she had shown plenty of ability when third in the Flying Childers.

Noseda told www.jeremynoseda.com: "William Buick will ride this filly. Admittedly it is an ambitious target for a filly having her first run of the season but we feel, looking at the available chance over five furlongs, that we have nothing to lose by letting her take her chance."

ideal distance to Useful Gleam to shine

Arabian Gleam can bounce back to form at his favourite distance to land the CGA Hungerford Stakes (3.10) at Newbury today.
The Jeremy Noseda trained five year old apparently hasn't been an easy horse to deal with, having been bound to 13 course starts.
But he's got more than his beautiful allowance of ability, having won Doncaster's Park Stakes like this afternoon's feature a Group 2 over seven furlongs for the past two years.
Making his return at the end of May, the selection ran a thoroughly commendable third to the improving Main Aim at Haydock, and was out of his depth when well beaten behind Paco Boy in the onemile Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month.
The step down in grade and trip should show him in a different light here.

After a staying on third behind Bronze Cannon in Ascot's Hardwicke Stakes, DANSANT is worth his place in the line up for the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2.35).
Six times a winner at Listed level for Ger Butler, the Dansili five year old approach an carried mile and five furlongs for the first time.
But he was strong at the finish over a mile and a half on the Royal heath, and can chime at Group 3 level for the first time.
The Listed Usk Valley Stud Stakes (2.05) can go to AZMEEL, who impressed with a entry victory at Sandown at the end of last month.
The CGA Ladies Day Handicap (3.45) looks trappy, but SWIFT GIFT is taken to get back in the winner's enclosure after a disappointment in Ascot's Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Leger trail on Time

Henry Cecil is pleased with the progress his Ladbrokes St Leger heartening Father Time has been making since his commanding display at Royal Ascot.
The Dansili colt powered away with the King Edward VII hazard in June and will have his definite race before the Classic in the Great Voltigeur at York next week.
Cecil told his website, www.henrycecil.com: "The plan since Ascot has been the St Leger. We gave him a short break after Ascot and conclude that the Voltigeur was the consummate race to see where we're at with him."
He added: "He seems to be advancement nicely both mentally and physically and is very happy in himself."
Father Time is a 6-1 all of a sudden with the patron for the final Classic of the season, although Cecil could have a possible dark horse for the race in 19-length Newmarket winner Manifest.
"He won really nicely, but he has had only two races so I do not want to take on older horses," added Cecil.
"I haven't yet authorited out the St Leger, but we'll have to see what Father Time does as he runs for the same connections (Prince Khalid Abdullah)."

Recessions Effects

Recession hit the races at Royal Ascot yesterday with even royalty getting their outfits off the peg.Frugal Princess Beatrice led the way in a Kate Moss for Topshop jacket, priced at a modest £90, with a pair of £65 two-tone shoes from Office.Unfortunately, when you reduce yourself to the level of mere mortals, embarrassments can occur - and another racegoer was seen wearing an identical Philip Treacy hat.

Dozens of women sporting coveted Royal Enclosure badges had also taken their inspiration from the High Street on the first day of the colourful annual Berkshire meet.But if the price tags were at rock bottom, some ladies still made an effort to display high fashion.Adding a little glamour to the occasion were a smattering of stars including Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden who wore a skin-tight red dress by Italian label Fendi with what appeared to be a rather bizarre pair of high heeled, peep-toed trainers.

'I go by the name,' she said. 'If I get lucky then I get lucky. If I don't I've still had a good time.'I love the social occasion more than anything else. I like a glass of champagne and looking at all the lovely hats and seeing the men in their top hats and tails.'Describing her outfit she added cheekily: 'My underwear is by Marks & Spencer before you ask.'The popular television presenter clashed horribly with opera singer Katherine Jenkins who sported an eye-wateringly hot pink body-con dress with an oversized hat and Christian Louboutin heels.

Moss Bros Official Partner of Royal Ascot

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Royal Ascot - The Event of the Year at Ascot Racecourse

The most social of the UK’s very social flat racing events when the Queen comes to watch that generally takes place in the mid of june between 15 to 25 dates at Ascot REce Couse in Berkshire, near windsor. Ascot Racings are taking place nearly three hundred years ago. The racecourse was established by Queen Anne in 1711. The Gold Cup, a famous flat race for four-year-olds celebrates its 202th running in 2009. Royal Ascot horse race is the main event of Ladies’ Day, the Thursday of the Royal Ascot racing meet, when fashion and Ascot hats come out in force.

Royal Ascot 2009 Tickets:

Royal Ascot 2009 Tickets - 4 year old thoroughbreds
Royal Ascot 2009 Tickets - flat racing in the uk
Royal Ascot 2009 Tickets - Ladies day at Ascot
Royal Ascot 2009 Tickets - The Queen’s Horses

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