Royal Ascot Review

Royal Ascot Review for the 2024 renewal: What is the latest news from Ascot? Here is some useful and interesting updates regarding foreign contenders, sustainability (currently a hot subject) and what to look out for in the world of fashion.

Ascot Racecourse

The Royal Ascot meeting for 2024 is just around the corner, kicking off on Tuesday, June 18th and running through Saturday, June 22nd. Here's a quick rundown of the latest news:

International Contenders

Royal Ascot is attracting horses from all over the world this year, with entries from countries like Australia, France, Japan, the US, and more.

Despite the fact Ascot has raised the total prize money for the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting to £10m the rewards still fall short of prize money on offer in countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Japan, United States.

Because of this there is less incentive for international contenders to travel to the UK, although there is a certain prestige in winning one of the Royal Ascot races.

Trainer Wesley Ward is back at Royal Ascot with his talented crew, hoping to hear the sweet sounds of victory after a two-year hiatus! This year, he's packing heat with three speedy fillies and a promising colt, all two-year-olds.

First up is Ultima Grace, a filly who left the competition in the dust at Keeneland. With Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the saddle, she'll be vying for glory in the Queen Mary Stakes on Wednesday.

Saturday Flirt, another filly with a nose for the winner's circle, sets her sights on the Breeders' Cup qualifier, the Norfolk Stakes, on Thursday. This Mendelssohn daughter dominated her turf debut, and Ward's hoping for a repeat performance.

Rounding out the filly trio is Burning Pine. This speedy runner sets her sights on the prestigious Albany Stakes on Friday, with another Hall of Famer, Joel Rosario, in the saddle.

Don't forget Honorary American, the lone colt in the group. This Irish-bred youngster finished strong in his debut and earned his ticket to Ascot with an impressive workout. Look for him in the Windsor Castle Stakes on Wednesday.

It's all set for a whirlwind week at Royal Ascot with Ward's crew! Can they bring home the bounty? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure – it's going to be an exciting race to watch!

Top contenders in 2024 also include:

Chain Of Lightning (Australia), was considered for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs, a race her co-trainer Peter Moody won in 2012 with outstanding racemare Black Caviar (a horse I was privileged to witness winning at Ascot in 2012)

Black Caviar competing at Royal Ascot 2012

But after a lacklustre performance in her last race she is now aimed on Saturday, 13 July 2024 - 4:35 at the Newmarket (July) My Pension Expert July Cup Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series
Big Rock (France) Tuesday, 18 June 2024 - 2:30 (Early closer) at Ascot Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (1m) 12/1
Facteur Cheval (France),Tuesday, 18 June 2024 - 2:30 (Early closer) at Ascot Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (1m) 5/1
French trainer Jerome Reynier is also looking forward to running Darlinghurst in the St James's Palace Stakes (Royal Ascot, June 18). Darlinghurst is a 6-1 outsider but has good recent form. 6-4 Notable Speech. 9-4 Rosallion, 7-2 Henry Longfellow, 6 Darlinghurst, 8 Haatem, River Tiber, 16 Alyanaabi, 20 bar
Crimson Advocate (US), Tuesday, 18 June 2024 - 3:45 (Early closer) at Ascot King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (5f) 16/1
North Bridge (Japan) Wednesday, 19 June 2024 - 3:45 (Early closer) at Ascot Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (1m2f) 20/1

Sustainability Efforts

Ascot Racecourse has been awarded EcoSmart accreditation for its commitment to sustainability efforts, the first racecourse globally to achieve this distinction, for its comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability. Here are some key highlights of their efforts:

Renewable Energy: Ascot utilizes 100% renewable gas and has installed solar energy technology to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Waste Management: They have a zero-waste-to-landfill policy, minimizing environmental impact.
Sustainable Sourcing: Ascot prioritizes sourcing from local and ethical suppliers, promoting responsible practices throughout the supply chain.
Biodiversity Initiatives: They have implemented projects like beehives, wildflower meadows, and nesting encouragement programs to support biodiversity.
Energy Efficiency: A new Building Management System significantly reduced lighting energy consumption by 70%.
Carbon Offsetting: Ascot participates in carbon offsetting programs to compensate for unavoidable emissions.
Sustainable Infrastructure: They are constructing a second enclosure with lower emissions and installing electric car charging stations.

These initiatives showcase Ascot Racecourse's commitment to reducing their environmental footprint and achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, aligning with their "Racing to Zero" strategy.

Fashion Design Winner Announced

Felicitas Petersen, a 16-year-old student, won the Royal Ascot Fashion Design Competition for 2024.

The Royal Ascot Fashion Design Competition is an annual event held for young designers, aged 15 and above, enrolled in Berkshire schools and design colleges. It offers an exciting opportunity to break into the fashion industry.

Here are some key things to know about the competition:

Goal: Design an outfit suitable for the Queen Anne Enclosure at Royal Ascot.
Prizes:The winning design gets manufactured and worn to Royal Ascot by the designer.The winner gets to meet with industry professionals for further guidance.There's a cash prize for the winner's school's fashion/textile department.
Partners: The competition is run by Ascot Racecourse in collaboration with fashion brands like LK Bennett.

Royal Ascot Review 2017

What have we learned from Ascot? Is it still possible for the tipsters to get it right?

The UK’s top Flat meeting is now consigned to history for another year but will live long in the memory after another superb Royal Ascot.

The weather was red hot and the racing sizzled but what did we learn from the five-day Berkshire showpiece?

The undoubted highlight was a scintillating Gold Cup, with Big Orange and Order Of St George battling all the way to the line and proving that staying races can be every bit as exciting as the cavalry charges.

The duo may well go at it again in the Goodwood Cup later this summer and for those looking to bet on the Group One contest, FreeRacingTips will give you tips and all the information needed on the best sites and prices available.

It was a tough week for punters, with seven winners priced at 20-1 or bigger, and a few bookies were seen to be smiling, as they were at Cheltenham back in March, when they left the venue on Saturday.

Royal Ascot Review - Godolphin

Some horses that were tipped up failed to spark but Godolphin proved their class with six winners and made sure that Coolmore did not have it all their own way.

Ribchester and Barney Roy scored at Group One level to give the embattled organisation a shot in the arm and the usually reclusive Sheikh Mohammed even gave an interview.

Aidan O'Brien showed once again just why he is an Ascot legend by finishing as the leading trainer, while Ryan Moore was top jockey with a superb ride on Highland Reel to take the Prince Of Wales's Stakes one of the highlights of the meeting.

One good thing to emerge from Ascot is the fact that the battle between Coolmore and Godolphin is now back on and will be a fascinating narrative to the rest of the summer’s racing.

It is also now clear that Royal Ascot is no longer just the preserve of UK and Irish connections, with plenty of international raiders playing their part in proceedings.

Royal Ascot Fashion

Royal Ascot Review Summing Up:

American handler Wesley Ward proved he is the real deal, with Lady Aurelia taking the King's Stand Stakes under Puerto Rican-born John Velazquez, while Con Te Partiro triumphed in the Sandringham Handicap with Jamie Spencer on board.

Spencer is a jockey who divides opinion but there is no doubting his ability to win races that appear beyond his mounts, and that was the case as he produced the three-year- old filly at just the right time and at odds of 20-1 to send punters home happy.

The staying races always prove popular but there was a lot of interest in the sprints this time around, with Lady Aurelia and Caravaggio scoring in fine style much to the joy of the huge crowds, while The Tin Man’s slender victory over Tasleet in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes had punters craning their necks.

Royal Ascot is not just about the racing but is one of the top social events on the sporting calendar and it delivered in spades, with the unpredictable British weather coming up trumps for once.

The results were less predictable, proving that tipsters and bookies can get it wrong but they will have taken note and already be plotting a way to get back any money lost when the thoroughbreds do battle once more later in the summer.

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