Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot

1 of 2 | Trawlerman and jockey William Buick return from victory in Thursday's Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Photo by Megan Coggin, courtesy of Ascot
June 29 (UPI) -- Trainers Aidan O'Brien and John and Thady Gosden certainly enjoyed the first three days of the Royal Ascot meeting, as O'Brien saddled three star-bound 2-year-olds and the Gosdens sent out the winners of the three biggest races.
The Godolphin team also landed a few blows as the fashion-filled week passed its midpoint, handing out Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" tickets along the way. Here's a look, including a few other stops around the globe.
Around the world, around the clock
Royal Ascot
The Royal meeting got off to a surprising start as Docklands, a 15-1 chance, put his nose in front of the favorite, Rosallion, at the end of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Cairo, at odds of 100-1, finished third.
Docklands, an Australian-bred 5-year-old, was second in the 2024 Queen Anne, but was dispatched at 15-1 odds, as he was winless in 11 starts since bagging the Brittania Stakes at the 2023 Royal meeting. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf Nov. 1.
Things got better later, but the Queen Anne did not throw down an auspicious start for the big outfits as Rosallion represented Sheik Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, while Godolphin's Notable Speech finished fourth,
Juddmonte's Lead Artist was seventh and Coolmore's Diego Velazquez reported ninth. American hope Carl Spackler raced prominently but faded to get home sixth.
The Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds, slotted right in the middle of the first day's schedule, was bookmarked by many as not only the day's best race but the best of the meeting. The English, French and Irish Guineas winners faced off, representing Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte, respectively.
And the winner is: By a knockout, Field of Gold. The Irish Guineas winner, a Kingman colt, found a seam near the top of the Ascot straight, kicked away 2 furlongs out and won by 3 1/2 lengths over French Guineas winner Henri Matisse. Ruling Court, who defeated Field of Gold in the English Guineas, was third. That's Juddmonte, Coolmore and Godolphin 1-2-3.
Trainer John Gosden, now handling probably European racing's hottest commodity, said Field of Gold's scheduling hasn't totally gone to plan thanks to the trip to Ireland to atone for the loss at Newmarket and might call for a tap on the brakes.
American Affair, a homebred Washington, D.C., gelding from a small Scottish stable, upset the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, a 5-furlong dash, winning by a neck over Frost at Dawn. Believing, the favorite, finished 10th and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Starlust was fourth.
American Affair earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Gstaad looked like a potential superstar for the Irish Coolmore "lads" as the Starspangledbanner colt dominated the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Gstaad raced alone between the inside and outside groups in the big field and jetted away to win by 3 lengths, improving to 2-for-2 as the first in what turned out to be a trio of 2-year-old triumphs for the Irish juggernaut.
Wednesday
All Ombudsman needed in the final furlong of the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes was a place to go. After idling behind a very hot pace set by the Coolmore duo of Continuous, and Los Angeles, jockey William Buick found himself with a handful of horse and tiring rivals in a line in front of him.
He jinked right, then left, finally found a seam and the 4-year-old Night of Thunder colt did the rest, shooting off to win by 2 lengths. Anmaat and Sea the Fire were second and third.
Ombudsman earned another prestigious trophy for Gosden and a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.
Crimson Advocate rallied like a shot outside rivals to win a high-quality renewal of the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths from Cinderella's Dream. Fallen Angel took third, giving Wathnan Racing first and third around the Godolphin color-bearer.
Reinvented this year as a miler by trainer Gosden, she had finished second and first in preparation for the Duke of Cambridge.
True Love overwhelmed 22 other 2-year-old fillies in the opener, the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at 5 furlongs. The No Nay Never filly, a plus-sized O'Brien trainee, started from the stands-side gate, took her time winding up, found her rhythm and won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Extreme longshot Flowerhead edged Gulfstream Park-based Lennilu for third in a good effort by both. True Love became the second impressive 2-year-old score of the Royal meeting for Coolmore.
Carmers, the first-ever Royal Ascot runner for trainer Paddy Twomey, improved to 3-for-3 with a victory in the 1 3/4-mile Group 2 Queen's Vase for 3-year-olds. Further and Rahiebb were a tight second and third with pacesetter Shackleton also close in fourth.
Carmers, a Wootton Bassett colt, started his career with victories at Ballinrobe and Vavan in Ireland, both at 1 5/8 miles.
Thursday
The midpoint of the meeting featured the Group 1 Gold Cup with Godolphin's Trawlerman defeating Coolmore's Illinois by 7 lengths. Trawlerman, second in last year's Gold Cup to the recently retired Kyprios, led throughout the 2 1/2 miles and responded eagerly when asked by jockey William Buick with 3 furlongs left.
The other Godolphin entry, 9-year-old Dubai Future, stayed on gamely to finish third.
"Trawlerman just goes off," trainer Gosden said. "I said to William, 'What did you do?' and he said, 'I threw the reins at him. He can judge pace better than me.' And off they went together."
Charles Darwin gave O'Brien, Coolmore and Moore yet another great 2-year-old performance in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. The No Nay Never colt accelerated smoothly through the last of 5 furlongs to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Godolphin's Wise Approach.
Sandal's Song, who qualified via the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park, got nearly to terms with the winner and ran on well to finish third.
It was the third straight win for Charles Darwin, all by big margins, and earned him a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
That was the first of three victories on the day for the group, also including the Group 2 Ribblesdale for 3-year-old fillies, won by 7-1 shot Garden of Eden, and the Group 3 Hampton Court for 3-year-olds, won by Trinity College by 3 1/2 lengths over another Godolphin runner, Tornado Alert.
South America
After handing out this week's "Win and You're In" bids at Royal Ascot, Breeders' Cup this weekend turns its attention back to South America.
Sunday's Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, grants the winner a pass to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.
The Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru, is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.
It's a quiet week in North America, with the $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown and the $300,000 Grade II Chicago Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs atop the schedule.

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I attended Britain's poshest sports events. This is what I learned

The train from central London to Ascot is a hotbed of sharp suits, stunning designer dresses and brow sweat. It's 26C (79 Fahrenheit), summer has finally arrived in England, and, for the immaculately dressed people heading for a day at the races in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, that's perfect timing. Advertisement For a start, it gives the above-average ratio of people who have decided to wear sunglasses on the train an excuse to keep them on, despite the carriage being in the shade and, well, inside. Without meaning to stereotype, there are a lot of people who really, really love themselves on this train. To be blunt, it's a high tosser ratio. Much higher than usual. Normally, a train full of people heading to a sporting event, a football match, for example, would involve at least some discussion about the day ahead. Two blokes in this carriage are discussing the relocation of Abercrombie & Fitch. There is some chat about the impending race day. Some women are talking about their tickets being 'in with the plebs' and are discussing tactics about how to blag their way into the Royal Enclosure. One of their number regales an anecdote about last year's event and how their friend was excited to win £80 ($107) on a race. 'Oh, that was cute,' one of the group scoffs. 'We won £900 last year and £2,000 the year before.' These are by no means gambling experts, given that they then describe how their cat helped pick their chosen horses. But hey, if you've got the cash, flaunt it. And that will happen a lot today. This is Royal Ascot, slap bang in the middle of the high-society British sporting summer, which encompasses a jewel-encrusted series of events scattered around west London and surrounding areas. Tennis at Queen's Club, polo at Hurlingham, more racing at Epsom, cricket at Lord's, rowing at the Henley Regatta… all early summer events within a 40-mile radius stretching west of the UK's capital city, where the on-field action often feels secondary to the social buzz that surrounds them. So, who exactly attends these events? And do they actually care about the sport? The Athletic donned its finest attire to find out. At Ascot, the five-day race card is open to all (there is a £35 ticket option), but it also welcomes royalty, Andrew Lloyd Webber and lots of well-spoken blokes in top hats. 'Look at her, she's got nothing on her shoulders,' one irate woman points and speaks in angry, hushed tones to her friend. 'That's not for a royal occasion.' Advertisement Royal Ascot is about what you wear as much as it is about horses. The latter is more important to the majority of people in attendance. That and flashing your cash. 'I know more about finance than everyone here put together,' a bashful chap states to his weary companion, who replies with silence. He must be quite the finance guru, seeing as there are tens of thousands of people here, part of an overall five-day attendance that will top 250,000, making Royal Ascot one of Britain's best-attended sporting events. Before The Athletic can ask this incredible man for advice, there is a smattering of noise around the amphitheatre-esque oval ring. Ah, the national anthem has started. Hat off. Time to pay your respects, or even record it on your phone. Polite applause follows as the King and Queen are paraded for our entertainment in a horse-drawn carriage. 'Three cheers for the King,' an enthusiastic royalist bellows. This is all part of a tradition that dates back 200 years, beginning when George IV attended Ascot in 1825 with the Duke of Wellington. Queen Elizabeth II was British racing's greatest ambassador and a successful owner in her own right (she had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners). She also genuinely loved the sport, having regular catch-ups with her racing manager and only missing one Royal Ascot meeting (in June 2022, three months before she died). King Charles III does not have the same affinity for the sport, but he does his best, taking on his mother's stable of horses and waving dutifully at the Royal Ascot parade, which takes place every day before the first race. It is part of several traditions that racegoers still adhere to in 2025, such as the dress code. If you're sat in the Royal Enclosure, banned items include strapless or one-shoulder dresses, see-through fabric, midriffs, bow ties, cravats or neckerchiefs. Instead, women must wear a dress or skirt that falls just above the knee or longer, or a trouser suit of matching material or colour, and a hat or headpiece with a minimum diameter of four inches. Advertisement Men have to wear a morning suit which is black, grey or navy, a waistcoat and tie, a top hat, and black shoes with socks covering the ankle. The cheaper the seats, the more relaxed the dress code becomes, but absolutely none of the 250,000 attendees can wear trainers, shorts, denim or leggings. With all this pomp and ceremony, you'd hope the facilities match the occasion, and Royal Ascot does not disappoint. The main grandstand was rebuilt 20 years ago in a £220million ($297m) redevelopment, the biggest investment ever made in British horse racing. You can see where the money went; the huge, sprawling stand comes with great views, great bars, great eateries and great, well, everything. Massive escalators can take you to a higher vantage point (if you've bought the more expensive tickets), while outside there is a vast grassy area of more bars, more food and hundreds of seats and tables, covered or uncovered. People approach their days differently; in one of the private enclosures, three old boys in full old-school suits and top hats sit and peruse their racecards and newspapers, smoking cigars and barely saying a word. In the (cheaper) Windsor Enclosure, people queue for pizza slices and beers and dash to put their bets on for the next race. Wherever you are, it isn't cheap. A small glass of red wine? That'll be £8.50. Bottled beers are £7.20, a pint is as much as £7.80, and a single vodka and diet mixer is £9.30. Or just get a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rose for £130. American sports fans may consider these prices reasonably good value given what is routinely charged at U.S. venues, but for Brits, this is punchy. The Athletic accidentally wanders into luxury fashion shop LK Bennett, which sells dresses and bags. Could treat a friend to a gift, perhaps. Wonder how much that bag is. Oh, £299.99. That's OK, I'm all good thanks. Advertisement Meanwhile, a woman stubs out her cigarette in her own ashtray, a mini glass jam jar. The posh don't like littering, apparently. It's 5pm and, by a statue of famous horse Frankel, there is a make-up brush on the ground and half a portion of chips. Almost everywhere you look, women are hobbling. Some are already carrying their shoes in their hand and, if they get the train back, will be grateful to the young lads selling flip-flops for £5 near the station (just a 10-minute walk away). 'Yeah, we're not doing good, I'm afraid,' a man down on his luck bemoans on the phone. However you're spending your day and however much you're spending (or losing), there is a sense of this being somewhere near the best of British. Yes, it's exclusive, but unless you're wearing fancy dress or shorts, everyone is welcome. The glorious sunshine helps, but the enormous Union flags that adorn the front of the main grandstand reflect the grand occasion. See the Union flag at most other locations in the United Kingdom and it'll mean something very different indeed, but here Britishness is celebrated. Royal Ascot may be the most prestigious race day on the calendar, but the most iconic race is surely the Derby. Yes, not the Epsom Derby, it's just the Derby. Britain's richest flat horse race was first held in 1780, almost 100 years before the first Kentucky Derby. It runs in the first week of June and, like Ascot, attracts the highest of society. As The Athletic wanders around the Queen Elizabeth II Stand, the glances made are like towards excrement on a shoe. No top hat, you see. And everyone else is wearing one. Here they're drinking Blanc de Blancs (Champagne) or Pimm's. In the owners' and trainers' viewing area, the atmosphere is quiet. Normally, you'd expect some rambunctious cheers as the winning horse crosses the line; here, there is barely a noise. It's just the day job. Advertisement 'Well done, old chap,' one man remarks to his friend in an accent that makes King Charles sound like a commoner. Epsom offers a stark contrast between the rich and the not-so-rich. On one side of the dividing line, there are expensive suits and Champagne, a few metres away, there are, yes, plenty of young lads in suits, but also baseball caps, hoodies and see-through ponchos. There is a section of exclusivity, for sure (Queen Elizabeth II was a regular on Derby day) and Epsom certainly caters for the Royal Ascot crowd, but you wonder if it wishes to exclusively do so in the future given how prices have gone up for your average racegoer. It's £76.50 for a Derby day ticket in the main Grandstand near the finishing line (£165 for the Queen Elizabeth II stand). Even for the day before, Ladies Day, it's £72, which is up from £50 just a few years ago. There are cheaper alternatives, such as £35 for the Tattenham Corner, but that is situated far from the finish line and there is no access to the parade ring. Pints, surprisingly, are more expensive at Epsom than at Ascot; a Pravha or Madri will set you back £7.99, as will a Guinness. It's not cheap and the crowds have visibly dwindled in recent years. The Racing Post reported that this year's Derby crowd was 22,312, down from 38,044 in 2019, the year before the pandemic. Even the hill opposite, which is free to attend, is noticeably quieter, although the horrific, endless rain will have something to do with that. If Epsom is maybe unclear as to its target audience, those in attendance still make the most of the day despite the weather. And unlike in the posh bit, winning bets are celebrated like a last-minute football goal. 'GET IN THERE,' one chap punches the air, cigarette in hand, before sprinting off to collect his winnings. Another has been slightly less lucky in that he's won, too, but has discarded his betting slip. He and his friends start the demeaning task of rummaging through discarded pieces of paper on the soggy, concrete floor, pushing past umbrellas and apologising through grimaces. It's safe to say he isn't wearing a top hat. There are umbrellas at Queen's Club, too, but only to shelter from the unyielding, scorching heat. Queen's, sponsor-titled as the HSBC Championships, is the premier warm-up for Wimbledon at the start of the tennis grass-court season. Its main court, the newly minted Andy Murray Arena, hosts almost 9,000 spectators. For comparison, Wimbledon's Centre Court hosts just shy of 15,000. Queen's this year hosted a women's singles event for the first time since 1973, with the competition having moved to Eastbourne in the intervening decades. Both it and the men's event are 500-level, two rungs below a Grand Slam such as Wimbledon. It boasts a stellar line-up: 10 of the world's top 20 women, including Madison Keys and Zheng Qinwen, and in the men's draw, Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper and Taylor Fritz. While Wimbledon is far more well-known and prestigious, Queen's takes its place on the summer social calendar of 'to be seen' west London events. Advertisement Wimbledon is posh, too, sure, but it boasts many more tourists than Queen's, which has an air of exclusivity with its endless swathes of beige trousers and pink shirts. Like the All England Club, it's also a private members' club for the rest of the year. Good luck getting in, with membership applications closed since 2019. If they ever reopen, the annual fee is just over £2,000, but anyone who makes it as a member also has to purchase a £15,000 share in the club. During the tournament, Neal's Yard Dairy knows its audience. Positioned just outside Barons Court underground station, one of its staff is stood outside selling picnic boxes with four classic British cheeses for £15. Or a sparkling apple juice for £3.50. A man in vanilla trousers and a blue shirt marches down the street, having bought a Panama hat. Unbeknownst to him, the label is bouncing off the back. There's no official dress code at Queen's, but most people dress exactly the same anyway, particularly the men. Light trousers, light shirt, Panama hat. Done. Everyone tends to drink the same, too; Pimm's, at £34 a jug or £12 a glass. It's also incredibly well positioned, just a five-minute walk from Barons Court on the London Underground and sat almost invisibly among rows of terraces and marbled houses and apartments. A posh version of Everton's (now former) football ground Goodison Park, basically. Temporary stands are erected on the two main courts; the Andy Murray Arena and Court 1, while the middle of the venue plays host to a maze of makeshift concourse areas and corridors that link all the courts together. A marvel of organisation. The contrasts between the two biggest courts are vivid; on centre court, where Brit Dan Evans is putting on a stirring, crowd-pleasing performance, they keep as quiet as possible during play. Even back on row N, where The Athletic is positioned, they're whispering, despite being nowhere near the court. Advertisement Over on Court 1, where Portugal's best player, Nuno Borges, blows a one-set lead against veteran Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, the noise never ceases. For a start, the cheers from the nearby Andy Murray Arena are loud and booming, but so too is the exclusive balcony area hanging just to the side of the court, where people are sipping their wine or their Pimm's and chatting loudly (the judge on court 1 has to shush them at one point). Where professional sport means a social occasion. A woman eats salmon with a plastic spoon while Batista Agut glares at someone who decides to get up and walk out during a point. Borges' serve is later delayed for the same reason. 'Why don't we just play on?' he angrily queries. 'People are just f****** moving on the sides anyway, we might as well just play.' No one seems too concerned by the outburst. One man's primary issue is balancing his tray of sushi on his knees while he squirts soy sauce over the top. Pie and a pint, this ain't. Despite the quantities of alcohol being quaffed (they don't drink here, they quaff) and the boiling weather, it's a civilised day to the end. The gender split being balanced as much towards women than men undoubtedly helps on that front. All of which, coupled with the incredible access fans can have to players (Borges and Batista Agut simply walk through the crowd alone at the end of their match, out to the corridors where anyone can stand and ask for their autograph or a selfie) makes Queen's a great day out. And a pretty posh one at that. It's not as posh as The Hurlingham Club, though, which surely takes the crown (a pretty expensive crown, too) as Britain's most exclusive early summer soiree. This is polo's blue riband event, based near Putney Bridge and Fulham Football Club. Known as Chesterton's Party in the Park, this is far more about hob-nobbing than it is about polo. For context, the only thing holding up traffic near the venue on a sunny Sunday morning is a delivery van from Waitrose, the British middle classes' go-to supermarket. A man walking past has a jumper tied around his shoulders in a non-ironic manner. And every second person looks like Benedict Cumberbatch. Advertisement The three-day tournament climaxes on Sunday with six teams from Dubai, the U.S. and London among those doing battle. 'This is adrenaline-fuelled, high-class international top-quality polo,' the announcer says to a crowd of a few hundred sat in a temporary stand. The rest of the venue is littered with benches featuring people drinking, yep, Pimm's, or wine, watching blokes dressed as knights on horses attempt to lance a ring of flames onto their spear as a warm-up act before the main event. If you go to watch football, cricket or rugby, you'll probably find burger vans, bars and merchandise stalls. At Hurlingham, there's a Hello Fresh stand. Or a Champagne tent. Or a shop for hand-rolled Cuban cigars. You can also book dog-and-family professional photography, or buy lots of expensive clothes. As for food, burgers are out, teriyaki rice bowls, calamari and Moroccan street food wraps are in. And if you want a pint of British bitter on draught, forget it. The only thing on tap is, you guessed it, Pimm's. If you're not wearing a cream blazer, you probably shouldn't be here. As for the sport, well, as we're told, it's 70 per cent about the horse and 30 per cent about the rider. If you've never seen polo, the horses basically chase a ball around a large field while their riders stoop down and try to hit it through goalposts with a large mallet. But no one is really watching that; Hurlingham is about drinking and being seen, or just catching up with friends. And there are a lot of kids around, who are all allowed onto the pitch at half-time to stamp out the divots. A family-friendly day of posh food, posh drink and not much polo. And an overriding smell of privilege and horses**t. (Top photos: Benjamin Cremel, Dan Kitwood, Marco Endelli, Dan Istitene, John Walton – all Getty Images; design: Kelsea Petersen)

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Cercene's Coronation Stakes win ends long wait for Joseph Murphy

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Francis-Henri Graffard, Zarigana's trainer, suggested afterwards that he might 'need to buy a pair of blinkers', but the will to win that Cercene showed when it mattered is a vital part of a true Group One winner's makeup. Related: Royal Ascot 2025: Cercene claims major Coronation Stakes shock on day four – live Cercene went off at a big price, but she had finished a four-length third behind Lake Victoria – a warm ante-post favourite for this race until injury intervened – in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in late May. She settled well in fourth for Gary Carroll, her jockey, as Falakeyah, the second-favourite, cut out the running, and as Falakeyah faded in the straight, Carroll was perfectly positioned both to strike for home and then take advantage as Zarigana's momentum faltered. 'Decent horses are very hard to come by and I've been lucky enough to find one with a huge heart,' Carroll said. 'If I was ever to ride a Group One winner, I'm delighted it was for Joe Murphy. He's been supporting me since I was a 7lb claimer, a long, long time. Advertisement 'The French horse [Zarigana] came and she actually got headed, but she's very tough, she stuck her head out and really went to the line for me.' It was very much a day for smaller family operations as earlier in the afternoon, Harry Eustace's Time For Sandals, another outsider at 25-1, had taken the Group One Commonwealth Cup, and since Eustace also won the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday, the yard now has two more Group Ones at this year's meeting than Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle. 'The most concerning part was her draw [in stall one],' Eustace said. 'When Karl Burke's filly [Venetian Sun in the opening Albany Stakes] came out of one, everyone just stuck there [and] we had plenty of pace. 'It's the first time she's had a fast horse to follow. We were… I don't want to say very confident, but we just felt we hadn't seen the best from her for one reason or another. We were always confident in a race like this, where there would be fast horses taking her along, that's really what she needed.' Advertisement James Eustace, Harry's father, trained at the family's Park Lodge Stables for 30 years before passing on the licence in 2020, and his other son, David, has enjoyed a successful training career in Australia and Hong Kong, highlighted by a Melbourne Cup success with Gold Trip in 2022. 'If we did anything, we instilled a work ethic in them,' Eustace said, 'hopefully by example rather than by a long tom, but we were so lucky from day one that they loved the whole thing. 'We tried to make Harry go to university, he went to Edinburgh for two years, enjoyed himself immensely and then dropped out and went to Australia to work in racing, and hasn't looked back.' Venetian Sun will be aimed towards next year's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket after her decisive win in the opening Albany Stakes. Advertisement 'I think she's a very special filly,' Karl Burke, Venetian Sun's trainer, said. 'The work she's done at home, I haven't had a two-year-old filly work like that. Just the last couple of months, six weeks, she's kicking all the Group horses out of the way at home.' Venetian Sun was backed from 12-1 to 7-1 before her win – 'given the confidence Karl gave us, we had to have a decent bet,' Tony Bloom, Venetian Sun's co-owner, said afterwards – and is a 25-1 shot for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May 2026. The fourth day concluded with Aidan O'Brien and the John & Thady Gosden stables tied on five winners each ahead of tomorrow's seven-race card. The race for the jockeys' award is also just about in play, as Oisin Murphy's win on Adrestia in the last was his fourth of the meeting, two behind Ryan Moore's tally of six. 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At his best, though, he is the equal of any of Saturday's runners and it is also a positive sign that João 'Magic Man' Moreira, who was in the saddle for his big run in December, has flown in to take the ride. Advertisement Royal Ascot 2.30: Aidan O'Brien is going for a sixth win in nine years with Moments Of Joy but she may struggle against the €2m Frankel colt Treanmor, who was sent off at 1-3 for his debut in May and powered four lengths clear with minimal encouragement. Redcar 1.10 Try Storm Cat 1.43 Jungle Monarch 2.14 Paco's Pride 2.49 Tiva 3.21 Azure Angel 4.05 Lima Sierra 4.45 Park Street Newmarket 2.03 Crowd Quake 2.38 Commander's Intent 3.10 Elarak 3.45 Circe 4.25 Red Flyer 5.05 Diamont Katie Royal Ascot 2.30 Treanmor 3.05 Rebel's Romance 3.40 Satono Reve (nb) 4.20 Remmooz 5.00 Purosangue (nap) 5.35 Ernst Blofeld 6.10 Sober Advertisement Ayr 4.10 Mo Of Cairo 4.50 Lion's House 5.25 Oneforthegutter 5.55 Enchanting 6.33 Superior Council 7.08 Pinjarra 7.38 Coeur Jaune 8.08 Woohoo Bangor-on-Dee 3.55 Barranco 4.35 Obsessedwithyou 5.15 Leading Force 5.50 Solent Gateway 6.25 Bellbird 7.00 Chillhi 7.30 Lord Cauvelliere Lingfield 5.45 Laser Focus 6.20 Skimming Along 6.53 Lovethiswayagain 7.23 Latynina 7.55 Blue Collar Lad 8.25 Banksman 8.55 Beelzebub Haydock 6.00 Burj Jabeel 6.40 Sugar Hill Babe 7.15 Gold Dawn 7.45 Duke's Command 8.15 Arkhalia Flynn 8.45 Pomme Pomme Royal Ascot 3.05: Rebel's Romance had enough class to win last month's Yorkshire Cup without being ideally suited by the step up in trip, and the return to 12 furlongs here will play to his many strengths. Advertisement Royal Ascot 4.20: The progressive Remmooz has shown enough in two wins this season to suggest he can improve past more exposed opponents. Royal Ascot 5.00: Oisin Murphy's mount Purosangue was less than two lengths behind likely favourite More Thunder at Newmarket last time without being given a hard time, is 8lb better off today and has been drawn well in 22. Royal Ascot 5.35: Ernst Blofeld does not have much to find to take a hand in the finish on the basis of his handicap debut at Newbury and cheekpieces could eke out the necessary improvement. Royal Ascot 6.10: Willie Mullins's Sober was a dual Group Two winner for André Fabre in 2023 and has several pounds in hand of his rivals.

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The Truth Behind Kate Middleton's Absence at Royal Ascot

Kate Middleton's name appeared on a list of people who would attend Royal Ascot before it was revealed that she would not attend the event PEOPLE understands that a wrong list was published before the correct one was issued The Princess of Wales was said to be disappointed not to attend, but those close to her say she is finding the balance of public outings following her cancer treatmentThere was a miscommunication behind the scenes when Kate Middleton pulled out of her anticipated return to Royal Ascot this week. On Wednesday, June 18, the Princess of Wales was expected to attend the annual horse racing event with Prince William, and she appeared on the list of people who would ride in the carriage procession when it was first released. However, about 20 minutes later, it was revealed that Princess Kate would not attend the event. PEOPLE understands that despite a change being made to the royals' attendance, an inaccurate carriage listing was mistakenly initially issued by Ascot. The amended version showed Prince William moved from the second carriage in the procession, where he would have been seated with his wife, to the first coach, riding with King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. In addition to many of the Prince and Princess of Wales' friends, also in attendance at Royal Ascot on Wednesday was Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, who joined the event with Alizée Thévenet, who is married to Kate's brother, James Middleton. Carole was seen chatting with Prince William and King Charles during the day at the races. The seemingly last-minute change in Kate's schedule sparked concern as she recovers from cancer. The Princess of Wales announced her diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment in March 2024, spending most of the year out of the public eye. However, she announced in January that she was in remission and has returned to public royal duties in the months since. Princess Kate was said to be disappointed not to be able to join Royal Ascot, but those close to her point out that she is still having to find the right balance as she works towards returning to public engagements following her cancer treatment. Queen Elizabeth's former spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson tells PEOPLE in this week's exclusive cover story how Kate is pacing herself carefully and doing what's best for her health and the well-being of her children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. "She's being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life,' Anderson said. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The royal mom of three made two outings with the royal family in the days leading up to her Royal Ascot absence. On Saturday, June 14, she appeared at Trooping the Colour with William and their children, taking part in the parade through London and the Buckingham Palace balcony appearance to mark the monarch's public birthday celebrations. Kate then stepped out at Windsor Castle on Monday, June 16, as Prince William and members of the royal family celebrated the annual Order of the Garter service. Read the original article on People