ROYAL ASCOT 2020 [Behind Closed Doors]. DAY ONE TUESDAY 16th JUNE

Tuesday Weather update -- High Temp of 21C Starting dry. Plenty of cloud around too, especially during the morning, and a chance of some wind and showers later.
Going -- Good.

Day One - Tuesday, June 16
This years Royal Ascot meeting will be very different of course, no crowds, no fashion, no Royals either, just high quality races being shown behind closed doors. This will be the first Royal Ascot meeting that Her Majesty The Queen will have missed in her 68 year reign. 

The schedule for the week has been reordered from the usual fayre but we will have seven races to enjoy. The prize money has also been reduced but the important Group Races are maintained and we will also have an earlier than usual starting time of 1:15 with a handicap over 7f getting us off the mark. We will have two Group One contests today the Queen Anne Stakes [1:50] over 1m for older horses, and the King's Stand [3:35] which is a 5f sprint.

1.15pm The Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap)
7f  [£35,000  24 runners]
The opening race for the 2020 meeting is a big tricky handicap with no sign of reduced fields here as 24 starters line up (plus 3 reserves available) Sure to be plenty of Frankie Dettori followers and he certainly had a great time last year, his ride DAARIK is lightly raced but won last week at Newcastle so should be fit enough to run well from a high draw with other speedy types [Documenting, Jacks Point, Cliffs of Capri] giving him a decent tow into the race. HEY JONESY would be an apt winner for my pal Mark, and often runs well here including last years Wokingham Handicap while low drawn GIFTED MASTER would also attract some interest in an open race.

Result:
1st Motakhayyel 14/1  [Jim Crowley]
2nd Jack's Point 66/1
3rd Mutamaasik 7/1
4th Cliffs Of Capri 20/1

1.50pm The Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)
1m   [£250,000  16 runners]
The first Group 1 of the meeting and we've got Accidental Agent turning up for the third year in this, won it in 2018 but refused to race in 2019 so some reservations again today. Elsewhere in this big field you have to take notice of Aiden O'Brien's CIRCUS MAXIMUS [WON 4/1] a winner here last year then fourth in the Breeders Cup mile will be hard to beat. While in receipt of a weight allowance are BILLESDON BROOK (Richard Hannon) a big price winner of the 1000 Guineas two years ago but is capable of popping up again at a decent price while support for TEREBELLUM (John Godsen) with Frankie on board should be noted and must be in with a big shout today.

Result:
1st -    Circus Maximus 4/1  [R L Moore]
2nd -   Terebellum  5/1
3rd -    Marie's Diamond 40/1

2.25pm The Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) 3yo's
1m 4f   [£110,000  12 runners]
A Group 2 contest for 3yo fillies over the Derby trip, where FRANKLY DARLING [Won 11/8f] is going to be hard to stop having won her prep race well enough and this daughter of Frankel should be spot on to take this before going onto bigger things. A P O'Brien has two fillies here with ENNISTYMON / PASSION both with chances, but a big price about HOLD FAST, the yard must like this one as quickly stepped up in trip and class from a maiden win and one to watch in the betting market currently showing 20/1.

Result:
1st -    Frankly Darling 11/8f [L Dettori]
2nd -   Ennistymon 11/1
3rd -    Passion 13/2

3.00pm The King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)
1m 4f  [£110,000  6 runners]
Small field now just the six go to post while Aiden O'Brien has a strong hand with two including favourite MOGUL (also runs Arthur's Kingdom) they could be surprised by the unbeaten 'Australia' colt MOHICAN HEIGHTS trained by David Simcock. A lot might depend on the early pace which with a small field such as this cannot be guaranteed.

Result:
1st -    Pyledriver  18/1 [M Dwyer]
2nd -   Arthur's Kingdom 9/2

3.35pm The King's Stand Stakes (Group 1)
5f  [£250,000  11 runners]
The second Group 1 of the opening day and the sprinters come to the fore, no Blue Point in the field is disappointing so it's the chance for last year's Nunthorpe winner BATTAASH to take a big prize and looks likely to be a short price here today with a rating of 126 putting him some way ahead of these. Best of the rest appears to be GLASS SLIPPERS (K Ryan) and EQUILATERAL (C Hills) while a big price each way shot for me is the filly KURIOUS winner of a Group 3 and lightly raced so could have some improvement.

Result:
1st -     Battaash  5/6f  [Jim Crowley]
2nd -    Equilateral 9/1
3rd -     Liberty Beach 4/1

BLUE POINT WINNER OF THE KING'S STAND LAST YEAR

4.10pm The Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
1m  [£100,000  11 runners]
Haven't seen much of Sir Michael Stoute's runners so far but now he saddles two in this Group 2 affair, JUBILOSO the choice of Ryan Moore along with QUEEN POWER (S De Sousa) both seem equally attractive in the betting markets and the trainers runners usually improve for age and experience over this trip and further. Frankie is on the French filly WASMYA instead of his usual place on board John Gosden's runners, but NAZEEF is owned by Sheikh Hamdan and Jim Crowley rides. I'll have a little each way play on the French filly.

Result:
1st -    Nazeef 10/3  [Jim Crowley]
2nd -   Agincourt 28/1
3rd -    Queen Power 3/1

4.40pm The Ascot Stakes (Handicap)
2m 4f  [£35,000  20 runners]
Our finale on day one of this unique Royal Ascot meeting and it's the stayers turn now with a field of twenty to try their luck out over the Gold Cup trip. Top weight is VERDANA BLUE who is very good over hurdles and respected with Ryan Moore in the saddle but too short a price for me and surely should be found out by something slightly better handicapped today. COEUR DE LION [Won 16/1] was 5th in this contest last year and could go well again at a price for trainer Alan King especially if there's more rain by Tuesday, while MOON KING is also one to note having been successful multiple times last season over staying trips, although this extra 4f will test most of them for stamina. Support for Mark Johnston's SUMMER MOON is always worth noting as this trainer excels with his stayers and was 3rd in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket.

Result:
1st -    Coeur de Lion 16/1  [Thore Hammer Hansen]
2nd -   Verdana Blue 4/1
3rd -    Summer Moon 11/2
4th -    Smart Champion 22/1

Results for the first day will be updated in the evening and we will have details for each of the following days of Royal Ascot posted up as early as possible. Hope you enjoy the week.