SATURDAY WEATHER UPDATE -- Mixed weather throughout this period with a minimal risk of rain but will be very cloudy throughout the day and a high of 21C.
GOING -- Good to Soft
DAY FIVE
Welcome to this our final day of this season's Royal Ascot festival meeting.
We go once again for Saturday, been a hectic week, I still remember this as the "family day" known as Ascot Heath meeting where everyone could come along and not have to dress up. That's all long gone now and it's just day five for everyone and features the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes off at 4:20. Let's focus on that and all the big races for Saturday;
2:30 -- CHESHAM STAKES (7f)
A listed race for 2yo and just the seventeen runners take the stage for Saturdays' opener. Aiden O'Brien sends over 4 of the 17 runners for the opener and in LOPE Y FERNANDEZ has the lively favourite nad pick of Ryan Moore, and in the likes of YEAR OF THE TIGER he also has a decent second string too.
MOHICAN HEIGHTS (D Simcock) and SUN POWER (R Hannon) represent the main home threat, along with my fancy HEAVEN FORFEND from Sir Michael Stoute. Was only runner up in a Newbury maiden event on only start but the master trainer will have plenty to work with and given that they come straight here is a sign for this son of the mighty Frankel.
2:30 Royal Ascot -- Chesham Stakes (7f)
RESULT
1st -- Pinatubo 3/1 (J Doyle)
2nd -- Lope Y Fernandez 5/4 f
3rd -- Highland Chief 14/1
3:05 JERSEY STAKES (7f)
A Group 3 flat race for three-year-old horses run over seven furlongs used to be run on Wednesday but they like to swap things around now and then to keep me on my toes. A field of 18 runners where HAPPY POWER can send us home happy this colt by Dark Angel has been winning on 'Soft' ground so the rain this week will certainly be in his favour. Frankie Dettori has already had winner for Mark Johnston and might be a nice each selection on MARIE'S DIAMOND.
It is interesting that Frankie is not riding the John Gosden trained ANGEL'S HIDEAWAY while the pick of Aiden O'Brien's three here would probably be SO PERFECT.
3:05 Royal Ascot -- Jersey Stakes (7f)
RESULT
1st -- Space Traveller 25/1 (D Tudhope)
2nd -- Space Blues 5/2 f
3rd -- Angel's Hideaway 14/1
3.40 HARDWICKE STAKES (1m 4f)
This is a Group 2 contest usually farmed by Sir Micheal Stoute and he runs MIRAGE DANCER here but will need to be top class to see off last years Epsom Derby winner MASAR in a very competitive renewal.
Both DEFOE (R Varian) and SOUTHERN FRANCE (A O'Brien) will have plenty of support but I think we should give LAH TI DAR [Non Runner] that she's a filly with plenty of talent and while Epsom might not have suited here this track should do fine.
3:40 Royal Ascot -- Hardwicke Stakes (1m 4f)
RESULT
1st -- Defoe 11/4 f (A Atzeni)
2nd -- Nagano Gold 25/1
3rd -- Mirage Dancer 6/1
4:20 DIAMOND JUBILEE STAKES 6f
Today's Group 1 and 18 declared for the sprint, the race worth about £340,000 to the winner eighteen in the line up though although looks a quality field with an international flavour. A field headed by BLUE POINT who if he lines up again will be looking to complete a rare Royal Ascot sprint double having collected the King Stand on Tuesday.
BOUND FOR NOWHERE represents the USA trainer Wesley Ward, Michael Pitman runs ENZO'S LAD for New Zealand and the French are here with Stephane Wattel running CITY LIGHT while the overseas contingent are completed by Singapour's LIM'S CRUISER for trainer Stephen Gray.
4:20 Royal Ascot -- Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f)
RESULT
1st -- Blue Point 6/4 f (James Doyle)
2nd -- Dream Of Dreams 12/1
3rd -- Kachy 33/1
5:00 -- WOKINGHAM STAKES HANDICAP 6f
It's just not Royal Ascot without a massive field handicap and today we've the Wokingham and 28 runners worth over £100,000 to the winner. With the market about 7/1 the field this will be impossible to predict and the size of the field means plenty of hard luck stories for sure ... good luck if you still in the placepot too.
HEY JONESY was 5th in last years Commonwealth Cup and has decent form on soft going so at 25/1 will certainly be of interested here. Top weight BACCHUS won this last year and a return to the noise and pomp might give him another chance drawn 21 top weights do fairly well in the top class handicaps, also interesting is WATCHABLE who has won his last two races and in great form.
5:00 Royal Ascot -- Wokingham Stakes (6f)
RESULT
1st -- Cape Byron 7/2 f (A Atzeni)
2nd -- Tis Marvellous 14/1
3rd -- Danzeno 7/1
4th -- Raucous 50/1
5:35 -- QUEEN ALEXANDRA STAKES 2m 6f
We conclude with the longest distance race on the Flat calendar, an event that is often targeted by the National Hunt trainers and although we are well represented with the likes of Gordon Elliott (PALLASATOR) and of course Willie Mullins (MAX DYNAMITE) from Ireland in a field of thirteen.
The home challange also has NH trainers involved with Paul Nicholls saddling BLACK CORTON too and Kim Bailey with YOUNEVERCALL.
Personally I will be on PALLASATOR who I also backed to win this last year and he is a beast, very strong, stays and will be hard to pass.
5:35 Royal Ascot -- Queen Alexandra Stakes (2m 6f)
RESULT
1st -- Cleonte 7/2 (S DeSousa)
2nd -- Pallasator 10/1
3rd -- Max Dynamite 10/3 f
That's all for Royal Ascot this year, been difficult as always, but we'll be back next year. For now it's goodbye and a quick return to the normal meetings starting with Pontefract tomorrow and then Kempton Park next Wednesday.
BYE BYE FOLKS, SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.
LUV QUEENIE AND PHIL
I'm 93 you know -- now get off my land !!
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