In 1996, jockey Frankie Dettori rode seven winners in as many races at Royal Ascot. To
honour the achievement, there is a statue of Dettori in the race course. On Wednesday, Dettori showed up without identification and was refused entry. He had to resort to a ‘back door’ method to get into the race course. That is not the only difficulty Dettori is facing-he is without a winner after three days at Royal Ascot-which means his patron, the Godolphin establishment has not won a race yet. The prospects do not seem good.
Twelve horses answered the starter’s call in the Gold Cup-worth 136,000 pounds
(Rs.1.15 crores approx.) to the winner in a total purse of 220,000 pounds. Distinction, second in 2005 to Westerner at York, was the 5-2 choice. Reefscape, the winner of the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on Arc day in 2005, was next in demand. Sergeant Cecil, the wonder horse of the 2005 British flat season, had a big following. Yeats, the Coronation Cup winner at Epsom in 2005, was fancied by a select few. Tungsten Strike, a striking winner at Sandown Park recently, was taking on better but was given a chance based on current form.
Conventional racing wisdom was thrown to the winds and the form book was torn to shreds in the Gold Cup by Yeats who made a mockery of the contest. After the Coronation Cup, Yeats had raced disappointingly. He had not raced since November of last year. His total unreliability was in plain view if one took a cursory look at his performance lines. As the gates opened, Fallon had Yeats in front momentarily. Yeats was held up to be within five lengths of the leaders as the field settled down. Fallon is a master at saving ground and finding gaps at critical points. In the case of Yeats, his riding skill was not put into full use. Yeats was third as the pace-setting High Action and Tungsten Strike were disputing the lead turning for home and Fallon sent his mount three-wide. In a trice, Yeats was in the lead and the lead widened with every stride. With a furlong to run, the Aidan O’Brien-trained horse was home and dry. He won with his ears pricked. Reefscape and Distinction fought it out for minor placings with the former getting the runner-up berth in a photo. The others were swept away in a ‘Yeats mudslide.’
Yeats was 8-1 and 7-1 and Tom Segal, a tipping expert with the Racing Post, was the only one reaching out and picking the winner. Aidan O’Brien said, “We wanted Yeats to go in the Gold Cup last year but we had problems. We were patient. It is a big thrill to win a race like this.”
“I knew I was riding the best horse in the Gold Cup. His response was electric when I asked him to go. It was effortless. This is a superb training performance by Aidan,” Kieren Fallon averred.
The day had begun with Dutch Art proving the best in the five-furlong Norfolk Stakes for two year-olds. Hoh Mike, the
favourite with Jamie Spencer, overcame a spot of trouble to head the beaten brigade.
Mont Etoile, at fancy odds, was in the rear and found room on the inside to win the Ribblesdale Stakes, the second race. The 12-furlong race was worth 79,000 pounds to the winner,
who is part owned by the legendary Lester Piggott and trained by his
son-in-law William Haggas. Scottish Stage, with Fallon, went on a ground-saving trip, moved with less than a furlong to go, had the lead for a moment and knuckled under.
Thirty horses were in the fourth race, the Britannia Stakes over a straight mile. Twenty eight horses raced on the near side. Two of them were on the far side. It was a spectacle. Sir Gerard, heavily
favoured, won it with the help of a smart ride from Jamie Spencer.
The 10-furlong Hampton Court Stakes, the fifth race, went to Snoqualmie Boy. He was a longshot and John Egan was the winning jockey. Ivy Creek was wagered on heavily and a tipping expert said ,"Ivy Creek jumps off the page." Ivy Creek was a disappointment.
With two scratches, there were twenty seven horses in the sixth race, the Buckingham Palace Stakes. You could have asked whatever odds you wanted on Uhoomagoo who won the race going away.
Friday’s main race is the Coronation Stakes. It is over a mile. Speciosa, the winner of the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, is in the field. Nighttime, winner of the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, takes her chances.
