Royal Ascot | Horse Racing Free Tips

A Royal Line Thriving

Near the entrance to The Royal Studs at Sandringham is a magnificent bronze commemorating the Prince of Wales's homebred Persimmon (GB) (St Simon {GB}), whose racing record highlights the fact that things were done a little differently back in the 1890s. Very differently, in fact.

The Coventry S. winner of 1895 went on to win the Derby and the St Leger and, kept in training, he returned to Royal Ascot to win the Gold Cup, which had been his principal 4-year-old target.

Exactly a century later, the horse who was prophetically named to triumph at the meeting, Royal Applause (GB) (Waajib {Ire}), landed the Coventry S.–then a Group 3–on his second start and continued unbeaten through his juvenile season, adding victories in the G2 Gimcrack S. and G1 Middle Park S.

The Derby would certainly not have been on the mind of Royal Applause's trainer Barry Hills, who was correct in his publicly-aired doubts following the Middle Park that his colt would even see out the mile of the 2000 Guineas. A son of the 1988 Queen Anne S. winner Waajib, himself representing Try My Best's branch of Northern Dancer's male dynasty, Royal Applause has a thoroughly speedy bottom line which prevailed not just in his own genetic make-up but also in his precociously fast elder sister Lyric Fantasy (Ire) (Tate Gallery). Known as the 'Pocket Rocket', she became the first 2-year-old filly to win the G1 Nunthorpe S. in its then 70-year history in 1992.

With her own triumph at the Royal Meeting coming in a record-breaking romp in the Queen Mary S., Lyric Fantasy prompted the transfer of her dam Flying Melody (GB) (Auction Ring) to the broodmare band of Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud while carrying Royal Applause. If he'd been born these days, Royal Applause would have been an obvious candidate for the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Ascot but, having finished tenth in the 2000 Guineas, he was then sixth to Pivotal (GB) in the G2 King's Stand S. and managed just one win that season in a conditions race at Doncaster.

Happily, the imperious nature of his debut season was recaptured at four, with Royal Applause adding the Cammidge Trophy and G3 Duke of York S. to his winning record before landing the G3 Cork and Orrery S. back at Royal Ascot. The following year the race was upgraded to Group 2 status before becoming a Group 1 with a name change in 2002 to make the Golden Jubilee. Currently known as the Diamond Jubilee S., the race will presumably undergo a further rebranding to mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee next year.

Sent off as favourite for the G1 July Cup, Royal Applause couldn't match the finishing burst of 50/1 outsider Compton Place (GB), but he bounced out of his second place at Newmarket to land his second Group 1 success in the Haydock Sprint Cup, prevailing by a length and a quarter over Danetime (Ire).

One hundred years after Persimmon retired to stud, Royal Applause made his way to Sandringham, replacing the retiring Derby winner Shirley Heights (GB) on the royal roster. He lives there still in retirement, at the age of 28 but looking a decade younger, with his last two registered foals having been born in 2017. In 19 crops, he only hit the 100-mark five times, with his 110 foals of 2006 being his largest output. But nevertheless, Royal Applause is becoming an increasingly significant influence in a modern-day breeding world which values precocity over more Classic attributes, notwithstanding the fact that speed is a vital component of a top-class racehorse irrespective of the distance at which he competes.

The GI American Oaks and GI Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup winner Ticker Tape (GB) remains Royal Applause's sole winner at the top level. Battle Of Hastings and Whatsthescript also excelled in America, and they are two of his nine Group/Grade 2 winners, along with Acclamation (GB), his stand-out son from his first crop, who is doing most to keep the line not just alive but thriving.

Almost a quarter of the field for Tuesday's Coventry S. are male-line descendants of Royal Applause, the quartet being by his grandsons Dark Angel (Ire) and Mehmas (Ire), both by Acclamation. Another of the latter's sons, the late Harbour Watch (Ire), was responsible for an unusual double on Oaks day when Pyledriver (GB) won the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom and Baron Samedi (GB) claimed the GII Belmont Gold Cup in New York.

Acclamation and Dark Angel will of course both be well represented this week, and more notably so will last season's record-breaking freshman sire Mehmas, who has maintained his lead in the second-crop sires' table and has eight group entries at Royal Ascot. Dark Angel has a growing number of sons at stud, with freshman Birchwood (Ire) currently topping the list for 2-year-old winners in France. It's not hard to imagine that sons of Mehmas will soon follow.

Another of Acclamation's sons, the dual G1 King's Stand S. winner Equiano (Fr), has recently moved to the Irish National Stud but has played his own part in extending the success of this line at the Royal Meeting in particular through the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. winner The Tin Man (GB). Equiano is also the sire of GI Breeders' Cup Turf sprint winner Belvoir Bay (GB).

Birchwood is not the sole representative of Dark Angel's branch in France as Gutaifan (Ire) is now at that country's most reliable source of fast horses, Alain Chopard's Haras des Faunes. The July Cup winner Lethal Force (Ire) is another to have relocated and is now at Haras de Grandcamp, while his smart juvenile son and G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) is at Haras de Montfort et Preaux under Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe banner.

A reliable broodmare sire, Royal Applause also features in that category for the young stallions Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), Adaay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Cappella Sansevero (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), and for the G3 Winter Derby winner Forest Of Dean (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is set to run in Tuesday's Wolferton S.

As Royal Applause himself closes in on his third decade, he lives in splendour at Sandringham, alternating between the stallion box he has inhabited since 1998 and his sizeable paddock within the shelter of the walled garden.

His eyes are as bright as they have ever been, and if his slightly flat, unshod feet don't relish a momentarily rough surface, as soon as he's on the grass he walks with a swagger indicative of the supreme athlete that he once was. Best of all though is his temperament. There's not an ounce of sourness in the old stallion.

“He's never been the type of horse who has to have the same person look after him,” says David Somers, manager of The Royal Studs. “Everyone here loves him because he's so easy, he's an absolute gentleman.”

The esteemed old gentleman is no longer troubled by the hubbub of a race meeting or the covering shed in his quiet corner of Norfolk. His excitement these days is in working out which of his visitors has a packet of Polos in their pocket. But there will be plenty of royal applause ringing out at Ascot this week, and no doubt some of it will once again be for his descendants. Long may they run, and long may he reign.

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Royal Ascot To Feature Four Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Races Again In 2021

Great Britain will host the first four races of the 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series to be run in Europe this year when the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting opens at Ascot Racecourse on Tuesday, June 15.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races, whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of four races to start in the $2 million Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, $4 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, $1 million Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races will be held at Royal Ascot. A crowd of 12,000 spectators per day will be admitted under coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

Tuesday's 1-mile, $563,000 Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, features some of Europe's leading older milers headed by Palace Pier (GB).

Palace Pier, winner of the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at last year's royal meeting, could meet Order Of Australia (IRE) and Lope Y Fernandez (IRE), first and third in the 2020 G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, as well as former G1 Queen Anne winner, Lord Glitters (FR).

Palace Pier, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum and trained by father and son John and Thady Gosden, who will be operating as a training partnership for the first time at Royal Ascot, has won seven out of eight and recorded two comfortable victories in 2021, including in the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes last month.

“He is a lovely horse who has done everything right in his life,” said John Gosden. “He only missed the autumn of his 2-year-old career. He prepped in a Newcastle race last year and came out and won the St James's Palace Stakes. He did everything right last year until the end when he ran on very soft autumn ground (in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot). He hated that, lost a shoe and got left.

“He's come back well this year. We are back there. It will be different ground again but we are happy with him.

“He did handle that ground (good to soft) in the Lockinge and I've got to be clear that maybe a horse like Lope Y Fernandez did not. Back now on summer ground I think you will see a lot more horses come into play that maybe weren't happy on the ground.”

Lord Glitters, now age 8, finished fourth in the Lockinge in his first start since returning from a successful trip to Dubai. Trainer David O'Meara said: “He ran fine in the Lockinge. There were a few younger horses ahead of him and Palace Pier looked unbeatable, but Lord Glitters likes the straight track at Ascot so hopefully he runs his race again. He is better at Ascot than at Newbury.”

Wednesday's feature, the $991,000 Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, will be contested by another single figure, yet high-class field.

Last year's first and second Lord North (IRE) and Addeybb (IRE) have been engaged but Addeybb is unlikely to run unless there is significant rain, which is not forecast.

The race could mark the return of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Mrs. John Magnier's 4-year-old filly Love (IRE), who in a short but unbeaten 3-year-old campaign won the Group 1 1,000 Guineas, Group 1 Oaks at Epsom, and the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, as well as Mrs. A. M. Swinburn's Audarya (FR), winner of the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland in November.

Last year's first and second Lord North (IRE) and Addeybb (IRE) have been engaged but Addeybb is unlikely to run unless there is significant rain, which is not forecast.

HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing's Lord North ended the year finishing fourth in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, and returned to the winner's circle with victory in the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March this year.

“He's a great character, he's in good form,” said John Gosden. “He's back on quicker ground. I think it's a fascinating race. Love has been waiting for this type of ground. She was exceptional last year but she raced with her own sex.”

A decision on Audarya's participation was expected over the weekend with trainer James Fanshawe saying: “She goes on all ground. I wouldn't want it rock-hard but hopefully on the second day of Ascot it won't be.”

The 11-time Royal Ascot winner Wesley Ward will be seeking a third victory in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, a “Win and You're In” for the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, in which Golden Pal was beaten a neck before going on to capture the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland last year.

Ward is set to be represented by Kentucky-breds, Lucci, with John Velazquez named to ride, and Nakatomi, who will be ridden by Britain's champion jockey Oisin Murphy, in the US$113,000 contest at 5 furlongs.

“At home, we have been working Lucci and Nakatomi together,” said Ward. “Nakatomi was coming out on top, but then they had a workout in Newmarket on the Limekilns and Lucci turned the tables. He just bounced straight through to the front and would not give up the lead.”

The David Ward homebred Starman (GB) has won four of five and is favorite to secure his first victory at the highest level in the 6-furlong $991,000 Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Starman, a bay son of Dutch Art (GB), won York's Group 2 Duke of York Stakes last month, in which he beat Nahaarr (IRE) by a neck.

“He is a massively exciting horse,” said his trainer Ed Walker. “He is a big imposing horse with that presence, a real head-turner in the string. He's obviously very good as well. Everything has gone well since York.

“Nahaarr got pretty close to us at York and Dream Of Dreams (IRE) is a G1 winner. I kind of feel that they both are probably at their best with a bit of dig in the ground so I think if it's good, fast summer ground it will play into our favor slightly.”

The race will also mark the return of Bearstone Stud Ltd.'s Glass Slippers (GB), who will be having her first start since winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last year. Fifth in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes (G1) last year, she will be running over 6 furlongs for the first time since August 2019.

“She showed towards the end of the year she was seeing out the 5-furlong trip well,” said Adam Ryan, son and assistant of trainer Kevin who won last year's Group 1 Diamond Jubilee with Hello Youmzain.

“She has done everything there is over 5 furlongs with her Group 1 wins, so it's worth a try at 6 as it could open up plenty of other options.”

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Levey Looks For First Royal Victory

Sean Levey has already set several notable benchmarks in British racing–being the first black jockey to ride in the Derby in 2016 when fifth on Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) and, two years later, the first black jockey to win a British Classic when steering Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) to victory in the G1 1000 Guineas-and next week Levey hopes to earn a belated first Royal Ascot victory.

The 33-year-old Swaziland-born rider, who will partner the likes of Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) for Richard Hannon at the Royal meeting, said, “My form at Ascot alone is very good–but when it comes to Royal Ascot, not so much. I wouldn't say I've been unfortunate. I've been placed many a time, mostly in handicaps and what have you. I'm disappointed it hasn't happened yet, so I would just like the box ticked now. It's a bit of a monkey on my back, that one.”

Levey certainly has the right foundation to take his career to the next level. His family left Africa when Levey was a teenager and, after touching down briefly in Croydon in South London, relocated to Ireland to allow his father, Mick Levey, to work for Aidan O'Brien. The younger Levey took up working at Ballydoyle on the weekends, and after a season of pony racing signed on as an apprentice to O'Brien.

“I won a few listed races and group races for Aidan and had the opportunity to ride, I think, in every Classic in Ireland. I rode in the Arc for him and a few other Group 1s, including the German Guineas, and I won the Irish Cambridgeshire on a horse called Poet. It was a privileged apprenticeship. There's no doubt he gave me a lot of opportunities, and I'll be forever grateful.”

After six years with O'Brien, Levey relocated to Britain in 2011 to take the next step in his career.

“I'd had massive opportunities as an apprentice and was wanting momentum over here. I was chasing my dream,” he said.

Levey admitted that as a younger rider, “thinking about the colour of my skin wasn't at the forefront of my mind,” and he said he thinks it is a lack of information rather than systemic racism in racing that has deterred more people of colour from entering the sport.

“What I am seeing, and should be seeing, is a lot more black and Asian people coming into racing,” he said. “In Ireland there was only me; in England there is me and Royston [Ffrench] and Silvestre de Sousa, obviously. Now the next crop of apprentices are coming in, and I do see a lot more. If what we have done is give others the confidence, I think that is ultimately what everyone is looking for. [We want] to reach out to those urban areas where people don't get the opportunities and show that the sport is open to anybody who would like to come into it. Rather than dwelling on 'racing needs to change because it's racist', I personally don't feel that that's the case, but I do feel like more information needs to be put out there for people to know that they are more than welcome through those doors.”

In the meantime, Levey is looking forward to partnering, among others, Snow Lantern in the G1 Coronation S. and Happy Romance in the G1 Commonwealth Cup next week.

Of Snow Lantern, a 'TDN Rising Star' who could only manage third in the Listed Michael Seely Memorial S. at York on May 14, Levey said, “She's in good order and all set to go. It was a slightly disappointing run at York–things didn't really go our way. She was keener than you'd like on that occasion and as a result, she didn't quite run as well as we thought she would. She seems to be doing the right things at home and hasn't put a foot wrong since. I'd like to think that if she runs her race nice and settles then she'll have a big chance.”

Happy Romance backed up a busy and fruitful 2-year-old campaign with a win in the Listed Chelmer Fillies' S. at Chelmsford on Apr. 29, and looks to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the Listed Carnarvon S. on May 15.

“Happy Romance is one that does all the talking on the track,” Levey said. “She's very straightforward, an absolute pleasure to ride and has plenty of ability to boot. I think Ascot is her track–she ran really well in the Queen Mary last year. She's shown she wants better ground, and a stiff track will suit her style of running. She's more an off-the-bridle kind of sprinter, rather than an 'all guns blazing' kind of sprinter. Against her own age group, I would give her a good chance.”

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Empress Josephine Supplemented To Coronation

G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been supplemented to Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. The Coolmore partners' full-sister to seven-time Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) is among 15 fillies remaining in the mile event; those also include her favoured stablemate, the G1 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), and last year's champion 2-year-old filly Pretty Gorgeous (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Empress Josephine is a daughter of Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who won the Coronation herself for the Coolmore partners in 2010 en route to taking the G1 Matron S. later that season. Empress Josephine did not race at two but has been busy this spring, having run four times beginning with a debut victory on Mar. 28.

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