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That was Ascot 2019

3 minute read

It started off with rain and then gradually the sun appeared, the ground quickened and it finished with a record-breaking win.

The closing day provided many excitements, not the least of which was Blue Point book-ending the G1 races.  The double of the Kings Stand and the Diamond Jubilee was last done by Choisir in 2003, but at that time the Kings Stand was G2, not G1. 

Godolphin Appleby-Doyle had started the day off well with Pinatubo winning the Listed Chesham Stakes in record time.  They didn't have quite the same degree of luck in the Jersey Stakes G3 as Space Traveller, a 25/1 shot, gave Daniel Tudhope his fourth winner and Richard Fahey his first of the week on Space Traveller and Space Blues had to settle for second by a head. 

The Hardwick was the first of a double for Roger Varian and Andrea Atzeni when Defoe got the result.  Second went to the Czech runner Nagano Gold, with jockey Christophe Soumillon claiming they would have won had it not been that Masar, who keeled over at the start, crashed into him and also bumped him later in the straight.  Nagano Gold is heading for the Arc and may have a lead up race prior, probably in Germany.  Mirage Dance was a pleasing third.

As mentioned the Diamond Jubilee was a sensational result but two lengths further on the second Dream of Dreams had passed him.  Fortunately for Blue Point and posterity the post came in time.  Kachy was third.  Of the foreign raiders Lim's Cruiser was 8th.

In the Wokingham some of the bookies were paying out on the first 7 in the 28 horse field, so the race went to favourite Cape Byron, the double for Varian and Atzeni.  Following were Tis Marvellous (thank you pin), Danzeno, Raucous, Summerghand, Gunmetal and Perfection.

The last was a great result for the King Power Racing group when their Cleonte won for Andrew Balding and Silvestre de Souza.  The connections carried a photo of the late Khun Vichai Srivaddhano with them during the presentation, a very moving moment.


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