Review of Royal Ascot 2009
I have watched a lot of Royal Ascots, mainly from my armchair, but 2009′s meeting has to be the best I have ever seen. Attheraces coverage of the meeting was superb for the armchair viewer.
Day 1 saw the finish of the week with (pictured) Mastercraftsman and Delegator fight out a ding dong battle in the St.Jame’s Palace Stakes. Paco Boy was a deserved winner of the Queen Anne Stakes, Scenic Blast showed amazing speed in the King’s Stand Stakes and the Coventry Stakes produced another exciting two year old in Canford Cliffs who won by a wide margin.
Day 2 saw Vision D’etat come over from France and win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. There was a very warm favourite for the Royal Hunt in Forgotten Voice who duly obliged. He looks a bit more than a handicapper !
Day 3 belonged to Yeats who created history by winning a succesive fourth Gold Cup. An amazing feat by all connected with the horse. For once racing was on the front pages for all the right reasons. Yeats is a superb stayer and he was given a great ride by Johnny Murtagh. The roof of the Ascot stands was certainly raised again.
Day 4 saw Ghanaati break the course record when winning the Coronation Stakes. This was an emotional victory for the Hills family as trainer Barry Hills recovers from a life threatening illness. Ghanaati is a super filly on the fast ground. The emotions were also high for Henry Cecil who saddled his 71st Royal Ascot winner when Father Time won the King Edward V11 Stakes.
Day 5 saw the forgotten horse, Art Connoisseur, win the Golden Jubilee Stakes. He showed the terrific turn of foot he has, much the same as when he won the Coventry Stakes as a two year old. He was given a great ride by Tom Queally who came in for the ride as Jamie Spencer was suspended and Hayley Turner is on the injured list.
The day and the meeting finished with another incredible performance from Caracciola as he won the longest race of the meeting, the Queen Alexandra Stakes. At 12 years old Caracciola became the oldest horse to win at Royal Ascot.
Royal Ascot certainly endorsed itself as the greatest Flat race meeting in the World.
For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".