Royal Ascot: royal ascot

Showing posts with label royal ascot. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Starspangledbanner hits York for British debut

AUSTRALIAN superstars are rarely seen on these shores before Royal Ascot, but the presence of Stars pangled banner adds an international flavour to the first day of York's Dante meeting on Wednesday as he makes his European debut in the Duke Of York Blue Square Stakes.

O'Brien said: "He's won over six furlongs and a mile and is a sound horse with a very good attitude.

"We haven't asked him to do a lot but he certainly isn't slow. In fact, he looks very quick and I've told Johnny [Murtagh] that he will need a neck brace and a parachute riding him."

The sponsors, who rate the import as a 4-1 chance, have two horses higher up their list for the race with last season's Darley July Cup runner-up Main Aim their 3-1 favourite and 2009 Gimcrack winner Showcasing at 7-2.

In the other first-day feature, the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, the Henry Cecil-trained Aviate heads the market as she bids to bolster her Investec Oaks chances.

A potential fly in the ointment comes in the shape of Ballydoyle's Cabaret, who was clipped into 16-1 (from 20) in Paddy Power's Oaks market on Tuesday.

Buy Royal Ascot tickets throughout the UK and Europe from premierevents.co.uk.Tickets for all Royal Ascot races are available at Premierevents,every Royal Ascot transaction is 100% guaranteed to be safe and secure.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Guest pleased with Serious run

Serious Attitude is to be aimed at the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot following a pleasing effort on her reappearance at Nottingham on Saturday.

The 2008 Cheveley Park Stakes winner had to settle for second place behind Prescription in her first race since the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August.

"She's going to Royal Ascot for the Golden Jubilee. She's fine and well and I was very happy with Saturday," said her trainer Rae Guest.

"When she wanted to get a run she couldn't, but she was only beaten half a length. It took her a stride or two to get into top gear and past the post she was in front.

"I know the winning post is where the race is over, but she finished her race well. She hadn't run for nine months, so it was a good run. We wanted to win, but it didn't quite go right, but she's 100% and that's the main thing."

Just a head behind Serious Attitude in third place at Nottingham was Tropical Treat, who is likely to travel to Scotland for her next race.

"She ran really well and was upsides the winner at halfway. We'll see how she comes out of the race but one race we might think about is the Land O'Burn Stakes at Ayr on June 19," said trainer Ralph Beckett.

"It's a five-furlong Listed race for fillies and is a possible target for her."

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Noble's Promise to Skip Preakness; Ascot Next

Chasing Dreams Racing’s Noble's Promise, fifth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will pass the May 15 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and will point instead for the one-mile St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot.

“The horse is fine, but I felt he needed more time,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “He came out of the Derby a touch dehydrated; on a scale of one to 10, he was probably a one or two. I’m just not convinced he wants to go that far. Up to a mile there isn’t a 3-year-old in

America

who can hang with him.

“Unfortunately, there are no 3-year-old mile grade I stakes in this country. The timing is good for the St. James’s Palace and he’s already nominated. We had to scramble to get him ready for the Derby anyway, and he did good. I could have run him in the Preakness if I wanted to, but I felt I was pressing the issue, and if the dehydration got worse it would set him back for several months.”

The St. James's Palace will be run June 15, the first day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. Last year's winner was Mastercraftsman and in 2008 the race was won by Henrythenavigator .

McPeek said, after the St. James’s Palace, they’re looking at the nine-furlong Haskell Invitational (gr. I).

“You know me, I’m a bit unconventional anyway,” McPeek said. “One of our motives is that with the weakening of the American dollar their purses are actually up for us. When you find a grade I, you hunt it down, and the partners are going to have an opportunity to meet The Queen, so it’s a once in a lifetime trip. And most important, the horse could very well win the race. He’s going to train right-handed on my course on my farm in Lexington. He’ll have a speed work, most likely at Keeneland on the synthetic or possibly Churchill, and then we can continue the repetition of him training right-handed and hitting his leads. And we’ll train him up a hill as well.”

Noble’s Promise, a $10,000 yearling purchase, captured the grade I Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland last fall and has placed in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I), CashCall Futurity (gr. I), and Rebel Stakes (gr. II).

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Kite Wood set for York return as stepping stone for Royal Ascot

Last year's St Leger runner up Kite Wood was back in action on the Newmarket gallops on Monday morning and is set for a return to action in the Group Two Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup at York on Friday week.

Godolphin's senior star was reunited with Frankie Dettori in a serious spin on racecourse side with stablemate Peligroso and is to use the Knavesmire contest as a stepping stone to the Ascot Gold Cup, for which he is a general 8-1 chance with most bookmakers.

A winner of a brace of Group 3 contests in 2009, Kite Wood was partnered by Dettori when chasing home stablemate Mastery in the St Leger at Doncaster last September.

The son of Galileo, who was bought out of the Michael Jarvis stable at the end of his two-year-old career, had his season brought to an abrupt end after that effort when he had an operation to clean out some chips in his knees.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: 'Kite Wood went well but he needs another piece of work to tell us how forward he his.'He's entered in the Yorkshire Cup and at Royal Ascot.'

Monday, February 8, 2010

All the Queen's horses

How much does the Queen actually know about her runners? Rather a lot, says her racing manager John Warren.

The Queen's arrival in her carriage is always a highlight at Royal Ascot as she heads the daily procession down the course to the Royal Enclosure.

Known for her love of racing she has enjoyed 20 winners at Royal Ascot, most recently with Free Agent in 2008.But while the majority of us are more interested in what our monarch is going to be wearing each day, she has her mind on much more serious issues.

"Certainly going into a race, I think like any racehorse owner there is anxiety," says the Queen's racing manager and Royal bloodstock advisor John Warren, "but in the Queen's fashion that might manifest itself in perhaps her being a little bit more quiet.

"She's thinking about the competition and all the factors and taking it all very much on board. She's been going to Ascot races for 60-something years and I don't think she's ever missed a meeting."

The Queen first attended Royal Ascot still a princess when she was 19 in 1945. Her first victory was with Choir Boy in the Royal Hunt Cup in 1952.John Warren is based at Highclere Stud near Newbury and manages her horses, which are with four different trainers. But while he liaises with the trainers as to which horse suits which type of race, he says the Queen herself is also heavily involved in all aspects of her runners.

"The Queen owns 20 brood mares and I sit with the Queen and we work out which stallion suits which mare. From that point we organise the mares to be covered."The Queen takes a very close interest in all aspects of the breeding process, so she will not only decide on the matings, she will decide their rearing policies and how they're reared.

"There's a stud manager in Norfolk that actually oversees the rearing of the horses on a daily basis, the Queen is informed on a regular basis for her feedback because she really wants to know and understand what's going on."

When the foal becomes a year old John and the Queen also jointly decide on which trainer they go to.Before racing day the Queen follows the form of all the other runners to know what the competition is, and John says that she "knows all the characters involved in the racing industry".

The Queen also knows the Ascot track "inside out".

"Interestingly on the way to the races as you know the Queen goes in the carriage. And as a consequence she has a very good idea of what the going is like according to the noise that the wheels on the carriage make and the noise that the horses that pull the carriage make," says John.

"She's your consummate professional racing owner/ breeder and thoroughly enjoys every moment of it."

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Royal Ascot Racing Club

The Royal Ascot Racing Club (RARC) gives its members a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the world’s finest racing at the world’s most famous racecourse, in unparalleled style and comfort. RARC is unique providing as it does the very best on track facilities at Ascot in a prime location with superb catering.

The Waiting List

On receipt of your application form your name will be added to the list. Should a current member leave us, The Club Committee will invite potential applicants to join. All waiting list candidates are under no commitment to join and no payment is required until your application to become a member is approved.

The Clubrooms

The Clubrooms are elegant and sophisticated but also delightfully comfortable and relaxing. They are based on level 2 of the new stand, just west of the finishing line and directly over the horsewalk. In addition to expansive seating areas the rooms have, on both the north and south sides extremely well appointed bars, private Tote betting facilities and of course, televisions. There is also an extensive viewing area, which is just along from the Royal Box. Catering is provided at each meeting by the fabulous “Rhubarb” - coffee and tea, delicious canapés, a light lunch including a cheese board and traditional afternoon tea together with complimentary soft drinks, wines and house champagne and house spirits. During the Royal Meeting RARC members can still enjoy canapés and afternoon tea in the clubrooms but also have use of a restaurant where they can book a table for lunch for any number of guests (subject to availability) at an additional cost and enjoy hospitality second to none.

Racehorses and Yard Visits

In 2005 the great Motivator won the Epsom Vodafone Derby and we are thrilled to continue to have Highclere Thoroughbred Racing looking after the horses that run in the Club’s colours (white with dark blue armlets and a dark blue cap), with The Hon. Harry Herbert as our Racing Manager. There are 6 horses in training with the likes of Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Hannon and members are kept fully up to date on the horses progress. Each year there are a number of stable visits arranged throughout the year. Members and guests can watch the horses undertake a piece of work on the gallops and talk with grooms and trainer afterwards. Champagne and canapés are supplied too! A fun dinner in the Jockey Club rooms in Newmarket and then up early to see the horses work on Warren Hill. Every October we gather Highclere Castle when members can view new bloodstock at our annual yearling parade. Finally all winnings are divided between all the Club members.

Badges

Each member receives two metal badges (one individually named badge, for use only by the member, and one guest badge which is transferable). These allow entry into the Clubrooms for racing throughout the year, with the exception of the Royal Meeting when arrangements are slightly different. During the Royal Meeting, the member receives a complimentary Royal Enclosure five-day badge but additional badges need to be purchased to accompany the metal guest badge. During the course of the year, members also have the opportunity to invite four extra guests to enjoy the benefits of the Clubroom using "cardboard" badges. These badges are allocated via a booking system at a cost of £195 including VAT each (no cardboard badges are available during Royal Ascot, King George Day, Festival Saturday or the RARC Annual meeting day).

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Face of Ascot 2010

Callie Moore, a nanny who is based in London, is the Face of Ascot 2010.

She beat Heather Naylor and Susie Sparkes to take the final of the award, which was unveiled live on the BBC on the final day of Royal Ascot, Saturday 20th June. All three women had been racegoers at the meeting earlier in the week when they were picked out by scouts impressed by their beauty, style and personality. The judges for this year’s competition were Jeff Banks, former presenter of The Clothes Show, Trudie Le Marie, fashion editor of the Sunday Express, James Sherwood, BBC’s fashion expert, and Karen Diamond, director of Models 1.

Stunned by her success, Callie, (23) said: “It is amazing. I am completely in shock.”

Jeff Banks, who was one of the judges, commented on the final trio, “They represented three different images and that made it very hard to split them. Callie has a rather old-fashioned appeal. She looks like a model in the style of Margaux Hemingway.”

One of Callie’s first roles was to present the trophy to the winner of Royal Ascot’s final race, the Queen Alexandra Stakes. Over the next 12 months she will be an ambassador of the racecourse, will take part in fashion shoots and build a portfolio of images starting with a professional shoot at the Models 1 agency studios. In turn, these images will be used in marketing material for the rest of the year and she will front the campaign for the 2011 competition.

Callie is the second Face of Ascot winner following Julie Falconer from San Francisco who was the Face of 2009. The event has subsequently been enhanced by a new partnership with fashion retailer Karen Millen.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Royal Ascot: Types of Tickets

There are two types of tickets available to buy for Royal Ascot – Grandstand Admission and Silver Ring.

Grandstand Admission includes the following:

Access to seating on the Grandstand from where you can watch the races
Further viewing areas at ground level and lawn level
Opportunity to watch the Royal Procession
Access to the Parade Ring and Pre-Parade Ring
An assortment of places where you can eat, drink and place bets.

Silver Ring Tickets include the following:

Viewing areas from which to watch the races and the Royal Procession
Over 2,000 seats available from which to watch the racing
Eating, drinking and betting opportunities
Big screen TV’s
Entertainment every day in the form of live music.

The Races

Out of a total of 30 races, Royal Ascot features 16 Group races across the five days, and each day features at least one Group One race. Group One races are held in the highest regard and include ‘Classics’ and other races of major international importance. As already mentioned, there’s the Ascot Gold Cup, plus other Group One races include the King’s Stand Stakes, St. James’s Palace Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Coronation Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Other famous races include the Queen’s Vase and the Royal Hunt Cup, and the winners of these, along with the Gold Cup, have their trophies presented by the Queen. Interestingly these three trophies are actually re-made each year so that the winners get to keep them, unlike with the other races where the winners have to give the trophies back after a year.

Ascot Racecourse

Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races, the same number as Newmarket. The course is closely associated with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle, and owned by the Crown Estate.

Ascot today stages twenty-five days of racing over the course of the year, comprising sixteen Flat meetings held in the months of May and October. The Royal Meeting, held in June, remains a major draw, the highlight being the Ascot Gold Cup. The most prestigious race is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes run over the course in July.

History

Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne. The first race, "Her Majesty's Plate," with a purse of 100 guineas, was held on 11 August 1711. Seven horses competed, each carrying a weight of 12 stones (76 kg). This first race comprised three separate four-mile (6437 m) heats.

In 1813, Parliament passed an act to ensure that the grounds would remain a public racecourse. In 1913, Parliament passed an act creating the Ascot Authority, an entity that manages the racecourse to this day. From its creation until 1945, the only racing that took place at Ascot was the Royal Meeting, a four-day event. Since that date, more fixtures have been introduced to the grounds, notably the Steeplechase and hurdles in 1965.

Ascot racecourse closed for a period of twenty months on 26 September 2004, for a £185 million redevelopment funded by Allied Irish Bank and designed by Populous and Buro Happold. As owner of the Ascot estate, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth reopened the racecourse on Tuesday 20 June 2006.

However upon re-opening, the new grandstand has attracted widespread criticism for failing to provide sufficient raised viewing for patrons to watch the racing, and devoting too much space to money-spinning restaurants and corporate hospitality facilities.At the end of 2006 a £10 million programme of further alterations was announced to improve the viewing from lower levels of the grandstand using an innovative steel composite product ("SPS" Sandwich plate system) to reprofile the existing concrete terraces. However, the upper levels provide far less accommodation for the everyday racegoer than was present in the former stand.

In March 2009 it was confirmed that the main sponsors of Ascot, William Hill would be ceasing their sponsorship deal, citing that the decision by the BBC to reduce live race coverage as the main reason in its decision making process.In July 2009, Ascot Racecourse also hosted the third round of the UAE President's Cup.

Royal Ascot

The centrepiece of Ascot’s year, Royal Ascot is one of the world’s most famous race meetings, and dates back to 1711. The Queen attends the meeting, arriving each day in a horse-drawn carriage. It is a major event in the British social calendar, and press coverage of the attendees and what they are wearing often exceeds coverage of the actual racing. The Royal Enclosure has a strict dress code—male attendees must wear full morning dress including a top hat, whilst ladies must not show bare midriffs or shoulders and must wear hats. Outside the Royal Enclosure the dress code is less severe, but many people choose to wear formal dress anyway. To be admitted to the Royal Enclosure for the first time one must either be a guest of a member or be sponsored for membership by a member who has attended at least four times. This continues to maintain a socially exclusive character to the Enclosure. Over 300,000 people make the annual visit to Berkshire during Royal Ascot week, making this Europe’s best-attended race meeting. This leads to a split among racing fans, some of whom are glad to see racing in the spotlight, and getting more attention, while others do not like the meeting despite the quality of racing.

There are 16 Group races on offer, with at least one Group One event on each of the five days. The Ascot Gold Cup is on Ladies' Day on the Thursday. There is over £3,000,000 of prize money on offer.

Royal Ascot