- Ascot Thursday Races Horse Racing
- Ascot England Horse Race
- Ascot Races Saturday 20th June
- Ascot Thursday Races 2020
Thursday, 18th February 2021 Cyrname leads the way in Ascot Chase field. Thursday, 18th February 2021 Regal Encore primed for 'his Gold Cup' at Ascot. Wednesday, 17th February 2021 Ascot or Newbury poser for Dashel Drasher. Wednesday, 17th February 2021. Royal Ascot: The Groundwork - Thursday Short-cut the form study! Kevin Blake has done the hard work for you and presents his cheat-sheet for three races on Thursday. Thursday 18 June 2020; Royal Ascot - Tips And Analysis - The Groundwork; Share this.
Stradivarius is set to face seven rivals when he bids for a third successive victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
Royal Ascot Thursday
Stradivarius will face seven rivals when he seeks to become only the third three-time winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
15:35 Ascot 18 Jun 2020. Group 1 British Champions Series Class 1 4YO plus Winner £148,000 - 8 ran. On the Thursday at Royal Ascot the one Group 1 on the card is the highly anticipated Gold Cup. The Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) is open exclusively to two-year-old horses (juveniles), and is a sprint race run over a distance of 5 furlongs. This is the shortest permitted distance for Flat horses under UK rules. You can check out all the runners and riders on the At The Races racecard which has everything you need to know including latest form, tips, statistics and breeding information plus latest odds and betting from a selection of leading bookmakers.
The outstanding stayer has ruled supreme for the past two years in what is always one of the great races of the summer and, if successful, will join exalted company as only Sagaro (1975, 1976 & 1977) and Yeats (2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009) have won the race, first run in 1807, more than twice.
Stradivarius has already won 11 races that fall under the QIPCO British Champions Series umbrella and is odds-on to increase that tally after an encouraging return at Newmarket this month when he was third to Ghaiyyath in the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup over a mile-and-a-half.
Frankie Dettori said: 'It was like running Mo Farah against Usain Bolt, it wasn't fair! He's been a two-mile plus horse for the last three years and, dropping in trip, I thought it was a good effort. It goes without saying that he's the horse I'm most looking forward to riding at the meeting. He's 2-1 on, won two Gold Cups, he's one of the yard favourites, and he's one of my favourites.'
Charlie Appleby is responsible for two of Stradivarius's opponents in Moonlight Spirit and Cross Counter but recognises the task at hand. He said: 'Stradivarius is the ultimate professional and I thought he ran a lovely race in the Coronation Cup. We've all got him to beat but, as we all know, it's all about who turns up with their A Game on the day.'
Cross Counter did not finish far behind Stradivarius in the Gold Cup or Qatar Goodwood Cup last year and is officially rated only 4lb inferior to him but, intriguingly, Appleby's stable jockey, William Buick, has opted to ride Moonlight Spirit, an unexposed four-year-old who has been gelded since last year.
Moonlight Spirit finished a staying-on fourth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot last year before signing off his campaign by finishing runner-up to Technician in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay over 1m7f at Paris Longchamp. The Martyn Meade-trained winner, who he will meet again, franked the form by subsequently landing the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak.
Appleby said: 'He's got a progressive profile and William will ride him on the back of that. He's not exactly a young pretender but he's open hopefully to more improvement. He's by Dubawi and you don't need me to tell you what they [his progeny] do as they get older.
'He got touched off on his last start by Technician, who went on to win a Group 1, and he was always shaping like a Cup horse last year. My hunch is that he will get the trip, although at this level only time will tell. Obviously, we are pitching him in at the deep end but I feel that if you take Stradivarius out then it's wide open.'
Cross Counter became the first British-trained winner of the Melbourne Cup in 2018 and was not beaten far when defending his crown last year. Appleby was satisfied with his latest run, when fifth in a richly endowed handicap in Saudi Arabia.
Appleby said: 'He went off favourite but I was pleased with that that run as he was fresh, carrying top weight and up in the van in a race where they went a decent gallop. He just got a bit tired.
'I was confident he was always going to come forwards and [Dubai] World Cup night [which got cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic] was our target. We've eased back and built him up again since then, much as we've done with Barney Roy [who runs in the Prince of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday]. We are back on level weights and hoping his run style will be more relaxed.'
Nayef Road finished third to Logician in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster in September and made a perfect start to this campaign when landing the Group 3 Betway Sagaro Stakes at Newcastle, when Prince Of Arran (third) and Withhold (seventh) finished behind him. The line-up is completed by Mekong, who finished fourth in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup on at Ascot in October last year.
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Ascot Thursday Races Horse Racing
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Play smarter on Thursday as we provide our expert analyst's tips for each race at Royal Ascot, including the (Group 1) Ascot Gold Cup.
13:15 Golden Gates Handicap - Ascot
Stacks of promising 3-y-os, with HYPOTHETICAL getting the vote. He caught the eye on his return in the Kempton Classic Trial, tanking through the race for the most part and not given a hard time once his chance had gone. He's likely better than a handicapper and can come out on top. Acquitted, Global Storm and Highland Chief are just 3 of the other likely contenders.
13:50 Wolferton Stakes (listed) - Ascot
FOX TAL was seen to good effect in the Champion Stakes here in October, but a fourth-placed finish in a Group 1 was another forward step and this lightly-raced 4-y-o holds leading claims. Regal Reality and Sir Dragonet are the other key form players, while Aloe Vera is the unknown quantity.
14:25 Jersey Stakes (Group 3) - Ascot
MOLATHAM had excuses in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on his final start and the form of his listed win at Doncaster prior to that reads very well. He remains a very smart prospect and is narrowly preferred to King Leonidas, who looked a pattern performer in the making on his comeback at Newmarket. Monarch of Egypt, Celestin and Final Song also need considering back down in class.
15:00 Chesham Stakes (listed) - Ascot
A wide-open renewal which could go the way of BATTLEGROUND who, although only fifth on debut, will have learned plenty and is set to take a marked step forward. Golden Flame promises to see this stiff 7f out strongly, so he's considered along with the comfortable Newbury scorer First Prophet.
15:35 Ascot Gold Cup (Group 1) - Ascot
It's hard to see past STRADIVARIUS as he bids to become only the third three-time winner of this race. His reappearance run at Newmarket over a much shorter trip suggests he retains all his ability and he can confirm last year's superiority over Cross Counter. Nayef Road could have more to come at this trip and may prove best of the rest.
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Stacks of promising 3-y-os, with HYPOTHETICAL getting the vote. He caught the eye on his return in the Kempton Classic Trial, tanking through the race for the most part and not given a hard time once his chance had gone. He's likely better than a handicapper and can come out on top. Acquitted, Global Storm and Highland Chief are just 3 of the other likely contenders.
13:50 Wolferton Stakes (listed) - Ascot
FOX TAL was seen to good effect in the Champion Stakes here in October, but a fourth-placed finish in a Group 1 was another forward step and this lightly-raced 4-y-o holds leading claims. Regal Reality and Sir Dragonet are the other key form players, while Aloe Vera is the unknown quantity.
14:25 Jersey Stakes (Group 3) - Ascot
MOLATHAM had excuses in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on his final start and the form of his listed win at Doncaster prior to that reads very well. He remains a very smart prospect and is narrowly preferred to King Leonidas, who looked a pattern performer in the making on his comeback at Newmarket. Monarch of Egypt, Celestin and Final Song also need considering back down in class.
15:00 Chesham Stakes (listed) - Ascot
A wide-open renewal which could go the way of BATTLEGROUND who, although only fifth on debut, will have learned plenty and is set to take a marked step forward. Golden Flame promises to see this stiff 7f out strongly, so he's considered along with the comfortable Newbury scorer First Prophet.
15:35 Ascot Gold Cup (Group 1) - Ascot
It's hard to see past STRADIVARIUS as he bids to become only the third three-time winner of this race. His reappearance run at Newmarket over a much shorter trip suggests he retains all his ability and he can confirm last year's superiority over Cross Counter. Nayef Road could have more to come at this trip and may prove best of the rest.
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16:10 Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) - Ascot
Usually one of the most competitive handicaps of the meeting but it's impossible to ignore the claims of FINEST SOUND, who looked destined for better things when spreadeagling his field at Haydock and is sure to take some stopping under a 5 lb penalty. Johan also lines up under a penalty on the back of an improved reappearance win so rates the chief danger with Verboten the pick of the remainder.
16:40 Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) - Ascot
AFRICAN DREAM improved despite meeting with defeat at Newbury earlier this month, pushing one close who had been placed at Group level as a juvenile. Handed a lenient opening mark on that evidence, John Gosden's filly is expected to make a bold bid. Soffika, Declared Interest and Waliyak are feared most.
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