Social Discourse, Monday 24th June – The Right Royal Round-Up
It was the most Royal of weeks, but anyone who was there knows that doesn’t come even close to covering the full glory of flat racing’s finest five days. Everything from Danny Tudhope’s brilliantly timed push to the line on Lord Glitters, to King Power finally getting their oh so deserved winner at the end of the week was captivating, writes William Kedjanyi. Some of the memories might be as fresh as a tall glass of Pimm’s but that just means that they are worth reliving even more.
Here are my favourites, and yours…
- The Champagne Moments
Here are a number of your favourite moments over the past week, beginning with a right thriller:
That Turgenev moment was one for the ages, whether or not you were involved financially.
— Simon Rowlands (@RowleyfileRRR) June 23, 2019
Must've been a few punters about to tell their boss what & where to stick it for a few seconds too. Steve Palmer has a word for it.
An emotional rollercoaster in the space of arguably fewer than 100 yards. 6 seconds from yurs to nooooo & vica versa
— Jon (@CreamOnTop) June 23, 2019
Nagano Gold showing his class
— Martin #PEYOPM (@quevega) June 23, 2019
Festival finishing with king power winning at their last opportunity and having the photo of Vichai ‘the boss’ in the winners circle
— Rich (@EmitomYaBeauty) June 23, 2019
Frankie walking through the hedge and winding up spencer and heffernan in the dressing room
— Tom (@TomL_Racing) June 23, 2019
Circus Maximus winning the St James's, just think that was absolute genius to bring him back in trip like that then win the race when no one was even considering him for it
— Adam Heath (@adamheath) June 23, 2019
Stradivarius win, great atmosphere in the village for that
— Lucas (@Lucas_Coppin) June 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/ItisNotCricket/status/1142842403243601921
Loved Blue Point winning for a second time
— Rachel Wilson (@RachelEMwilson) June 23, 2019
Moments…all the stable lasses and lads that @itvracing focused on. Really nice touch, especially making sure that they got a name check. Some of those shots of tension then pure joy were a delight. Top marks to tv director and presenters
— Paul TheRock Romain (@Paul_Romain) June 23, 2019
Blue Point – Kings Stand.
— Ed (@Mr___Ed) June 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/zaarito/status/1142811068982550528
Personal Highlights: The swagger with which James Doyle appeared alongside Kachy on Blue Point, before he set about winning the Diamond Jubilee.
- The On-Track Stars
And your best performances too, which was not an area we lacked in this week:
The big beasts of the tipping world were on fire. Rowlands continuing an unbelievable flat season with a daily flow of big priced winners, Hugh Taylor in form, even Andy Holding booting in almost every 2yo winner!
— John Priddey (@gloriavictis) June 23, 2019
Blue Point 2 wins with little counter play that if you re-ran the races he would not win.
I was going to praise Godolphin for trying but they pulled Inns at Court and for pecuniary reasons shall demure.
— Jon (@CreamOnTop) June 23, 2019
Top 3
Sangarius
Japan
Arizona
All 3 had problems and won— Michael (@TenSovsComCup) June 23, 2019
@claimsfive tipping five winners the day after Frankie rode four. I can assure you it is very difficult to tip five RA winners on the same day.
— Patrick Weaver (@WeaverRacing) June 23, 2019
Japan. Skies the limit
— Matt Clarkson (@MattClarkson3) June 23, 2019
Away from Blue Point who was superb. I thought Move Swiftly was excellent. Long lay off. Travelled like a dream. Going places.
— Smido (@Smido11) June 23, 2019
Frankie on Crystal Ocean, rode Ryan to sleep, did what he least expected IMO
— Mike Coultard (@Scargill55) June 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/CherryAnalysts/status/1142869871593697280
Sky Bet not taking multiples on Dettori
— Jack W Fenwick (@Jack_W_Fenwick) June 23, 2019
The delay in “Bet With Ascot” paying out. Beyond piss boilingly good.
— Pat (@itsPatrickDeane) June 23, 2019
- The Eyecatchers
Plenty managed to catch the eyes of racegoers who could see through a throng of hats:
I'm going to say Mighty Spirit in the Queen Mary, she ran an absolute monster race.
— Jay (@TracksideJay) June 23, 2019
Raffle Prize wins the opening race of the day at @Ascot in the Queen Mary Stakes
Great start for @FrankieDettori and Mark Johnston#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/buyffQ7ibk
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 19, 2019
Roseman flys at the end of his race.
United front gets stopped when starting his run in the Chesham
Capri- Finally Some sparkle didn’t stay— Michael (@TenSovsComCup) June 23, 2019
Nagano Gold. Flew home off a slow pace after missing the break in the Hardwicke.
— Peter Kingston (@KingstonPeter85) June 23, 2019
Probably quite an obvious one but I think Turgenev could have a good rest of season. Think he's better than handicaps
— Adam Heath (@adamheath) June 23, 2019
Biometric beats Turgenev to win the Britannia Stakes#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/qG33tuFCDl
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2019
Emten, Liberty Beach, Romanised, Fannaar/Numerian, Duke of Hazzard and Perfection were mine.
— Thomas Pearson (@PearsonsPicks) June 23, 2019
Mitchum Swagger was traveling really well in the Hunt Cup when he got squeezed up. Ran on well late. Think he’s got a decent handicap in him this season.
— Eoin Ryan (@BetonRyaner) June 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/itvracing/status/1141451587761496064
Rayong and Pondus.
— Cathal Gahan (@CathalGahan) June 23, 2019
Al Raya – Slow away, ran a stormer considering she’s a maiden.
Dubai Station – Stayed on for 3rd on unfavoured far-side. Of serious interest when stepped up to 6f.
Severance – Bumped at start, which doesn’t help as he likes to get on with it. Some effort to finish 6th. (1/2)
— And They're Off (@ATORacing) June 23, 2019
LIBERTY BEACH ran a stormer from the disadvantaged draw in the Queen Mary, so did KYNREN in the Hunt Cup, ROYAL LYTHAM got blocked when making a run in the Coventry, ILLUSIONIST got smashed into when launching a run in Windsor Castle but still finished very well
— Tommy Buckley (@tbuckleythinks) June 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/Ascot/status/1141393405345435649?s=20
- Blue’s Point
In amongst all the performances, it might seem unfair to some that only one horse – and yes that horse isn’t Stradivarius – will get a special story all to themselves, but Blue Point’s brilliance in taking the week’s major sprints, and becoming the first to complete the King’s Stand/Diamond Jubilee double since Chosir in 2003, was the premium achievement of the week and two of its outstanding moments.
In the second leg, Charlie Appleby’s five-year-old sat in the slip-stream of the rocket Kachy – and what a thrill Kachy’s owner, David Lowe, must have had when he was bombing along – and looked as if he was going to rout the field when James Doyle cruised up alongside Richard Kingscote. He then kicked clear to the tune of two lengths before the progressive Dream of Dreams flew home, almost spoiling the party. He got to within a head, but not past the dual winner. Here’s a snapshot of how we all felt:
That’s an outstanding racehorse. Salute Blue Point!
— Maddy P (@mp_horseracing) June 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/TheRacingJosh/status/1142453068027650050
What a horse. Blue Point lands the Diamond Jubilee! #RoyalAscot
— Kitty Trice (@KittyTrice) June 22, 2019
Blue Point joins Choisir. Great perfomance
— Tim Carroll (@T_J_Carroll) June 22, 2019
Bravo Blue Point but what a lovely run by that stick of dynamite Kachy
— Bruce Millington (@brucemillington) June 22, 2019
He made the race the spectacle it was.
— Richard (@gamray) June 22, 2019
Under the word “dude” in the dictionary you will see Kachy’s name
— Will Bowler (@willbowler2k12) June 22, 2019
- Honours
Frankie Dettori’s four-timer will never be forgotten, especially by the brown-trousered bookmaker fraternity, though Ryan Moore’s booting home five winners has somewhat passed under the radar.
But Danny Tudhope had just ten rides, from which he conjured four winners, a second and two thirds at the Royal Meeting in a stunning display. He showed not only timing but also strength to win three of his four prizes by a neck on Lord Glitters (Queen Anne), Move Swiftly (Duke of Cambridge) and Space Traveller (Jersey).
I saw more of the ITV team than I wanted to – not a slight on them, but rather I feel I went home from the track too soon – but all were excellent, even if I will never be as much of a fashionista as Charlotte Hawkins. The production values were world class and the same can be said for NBC’s coverage, which yours truly had the honour of seeing up close!
The bar and racecourse staff were wonderful this week, despite the course being as packed as ever. The personal pop up shops were also an excellent touch.
Frankie Dettori, Aidan O’Brien, and John Gosden, three legends of Royal Ascot:
Total of 66 Royal Ascot winners since 1990 for Frankie Dettori, 81 for Sir Michael Stoute since 1977, 69 for Aidan O’Brien since 1997. We are very lucky to still be in the presence of such greatness; all three will go down as Royal Ascot legends.
— Jason Brautigam (@DizzyJB) June 20, 2019
Mary Ellet, for the Meme of the Week:
American trainers: we can’t possibly run a horse back in two weeks, that would be insane!
English trainers: hold my Pimm’s cup
— Mary (@MaryEllet) June 22, 2019
Ben Keith, for taking this finish in stride:
https://twitter.com/StarSports_Bet/status/1141362932036620290
Samantha Martin, for this fascinating stat:
Found it very interesting to look at the whip bans given this week so far-
-10 bans, 9 jockeys
– 39 days worth
– £3000 of fines
– awarded to 3x 1st, 3x 2nd, 2x 3rd, 1x 4th and 1x 5th places jockeys.— Samantha Martin (@sam_angelina22) June 21, 2019
It was a truly captivating Royal Ascot, as befits such a pivotal placeholder in the British sporting and social calendar. Luckily for us, there’s plenty more action to come this summer!
Until next week, WK signing off…
– WK
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