25th June 2015
Hi ,
The front running Aprvado at 3/1 (max bet) was a nice way to finish off Sunday lunch running away with the lucky last at Pontefract for Michael Dods. The late call for Zamperini at Wolverhampton on Monday was a blessing with Mick Murphy's 3yo making all, the son of Fast Company was able to dominate on this occasion and land the gamble, the13/8 we had taken earlier looked value at the two furlong pole. Air Squadron given a good ride from Pat Dobbs won for us at Sailsbury in the 1m6f handicap on Wednesday and looks better the farther he goes. The E/W bet Villoresi ran a blinder for us in the Cumberland Plate finishing a flying fourth at 10/1 in a very hot handicap and Lightning Spear was a very good winner for us at 3/1 (MAX BET) in the £13,000 handicap toping a great day for us.
Guy Henderson, who became Ascot's Chief Executive in January reflected this week over his first Royal Ascot meeting.
He said: "Royal Ascot has given us a week of tremendous racing, bookended by performances of real quality from Solow, one of three wins for France, and Gleneagles on Tuesday, and a fabulous victory for Wesley Ward and the USA in today's Diamond Jubilee Stakes with Undrafted. We shouldn't forget Australian star Brazen Beau's gallant second there either."
"The Gold Cup remains central and integral to Royal Ascot and it was a wonderful effort from the Ed Dunlop-trained Trip To Paris in our oldest and most famous race."
"We have seen some terrific equine and human performances and milestones - Ryan Moore broke the modern day top jockey record with nine wins, Frankie notched up his 50th Royal Ascot winner earlier in the week and went on to ride two more, and Aidan O'Brien once again proved the master trainer of Royal Ascot with five wins. Richard Hannon, Charlie Hills, Mark Johnston and John Gosden also had good weeks with two wins apiece."
"There were a record number of overseas' successes this week - 13 as against a previous best of 11 in 2012 - emphasising the appeal of Royal Ascot to those from far and wide."
"Attendances were up, racegoers have enjoyed themselves and the restaurants have been full for most of the week."
"Our TV pictures went around the world to nearly 150 countries, including Australia's Channel 7, and we had reached a record 4 million people on Twitter and 8 million on facebook on the week."
King of Ascot Frankie Dettori rounded the week off with Undrafted taking the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the Saturday at 14/1 for Wesley Ward in front of a monster 71,276 strong-crowd.
Australia's top sprinter Takeover Target died last week at the grand old age of 15 he had 21 wins to his credit and won over £2.5 million in win and place prize money, RIP the Target.
Mark Johnston's Buratino got the juvenile honours for me at Royal Ascot last week earning a Racing Post rating of 113 after his Coventry win, and the way he swept past his rivals at the furlong pole he could be anything.
The evens with with Betfair about Golden Horn winning the Coral Eclipse at Sandown next month looks sure to be snapped up, the Derby hero is odds on with the big three bookmakers and looks a shoe in with a clear run.
The Epsom Derby runner up Jack Hobbs looks a good thing to land the Irish Derby on Saturday at the Curragh.
At Newcastle on Saturday the John Smith's Northumberland Plate (Handicap) is there big race of the season and Seamour at around 8/1 is fancied to give connections a big run in the valuable stayers race north of the border.
Yours in sport
Back Next Thursday.
Kevan Minter - The Colonel.
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