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Shame that the big sprint double won’t be attempted again in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes run at Royal Ascot on Saturday?

Blue Point emulated Choisir in taking the double just last year. There is a big prize now for the 2020 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1207m) at Royal Ascot on Saturday?

2020 DIAMOND JUBILEE STAKES - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The Diamond Jubilee Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for sprinters at Royal Ascot conducted by the Ascot Racecourse.

The Diamond Jubilee Stakes is run over the straight six furlongs. It was first run in 1868 and was won by Laneret.

Royal Ascot's most prestigious sprint was given a new name and elevated to Group One status to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002. The contest was formerly run as the Cork and Orrery Stakes and also the All Aged Stakes.

With the addition of the Commonwealth Cup, it was restricted to four year olds and up.

Danehill won the 1989 Cork and Orrery Stakes before he became a giant of the breeding game down under.

The 2005 running took place at York.

Lester Piggott won it on ten occasions while Vincent O'Brien scored five wins as a trainer.

Then in 2012 it was changed again to the Diamond Jubilee to commemorate her 60th year as the Monarch.

In 2012 we hoped to see more history made with Australia's mighty champion Black Caviar going for win number 22 from 22 starts against some of Europe's best sprinters.

Instead we got some of the worst moments for anyone with a heart condition that you could witness. While publicly all was good in the Moody camp, it may not have been absolutely hunky dory behind the scenes with the mare. Just even in the birdcage and mounting yard you could sense Black Caviar was not her usual self.

While OK in preliminaries for Luke Nolen, all appeared well enough after jumping which was half the issue down. She was with the leaders at halfway and then near the stands rail she tried to pull away. The response was not quite as hoped for and Luke realized this wasn't going to be a doddle.

With a length up his sleeve and feeling she'd given all at the 100m, he began to ease. The margin whittled quickly so he had to click her up despite the rise in ground. That length became a head and only for her tenacity and steely determination did she bob on the line. Bet his heart skipped a beat too.

The relief was palpable be it in the Ascot yard, within the stands where thousands of Aussies had migrated and around the world where back home late night parties had stayed up after midnight to witness the close call.

History will show the trip was even more enduring with problems in Quarantine but a long spell did her the world of good and she won three more times before retiring undefeated.

It had been a grey's week in 2013 a Lethal Force continued it. He went straight to the front nearer the Grandstand rail and despite being niggled along some way out, his seven furlong strength came out. He was able to overturn the result from York with Society Rock who maintained his wonderful record in this race.

2014 saw Slade Power scored a dominant win albeit ducking off the track and causing some interference. He was the best of the UK & Irish sprinters at the time and confirmed it with the July Cup win.

The Americans won in 2015 with Undrafted as he fought off the Australian Brazen Beau in a real international finish.

The 2016 running saw Twilight Son a running with only nine entries. They were stretched across the track and he got the front in time to hold off the late challenge from Gold Fun from Hong Kong. Sitting on the speed, The Tin Man was just too strong for the sprinters in the 2017 renewal.

In another win for Australian horses (again trained in Ireland), Merchant Navy held on by a nose in a blanket finish after being impeded up the running in the 2018 edition.

Then in 2019, Blue Point became the first horse since Choisir to do the Royal Ascot double when he fell in by a head for Godolphin.

The Diamond Jubilee Stakes was reduced to £250,000 in 2020 due to coronavirus.

Notable winners of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes include Blue Point (2019), Merchant Navy (2018), Slade Power (2014), Black Caviar (2012), Starspangledbanner (2010), Kingsgate Native (2008), Cape Of Good Hope (2005), Choisir (2003), Royal Applause (1997), Danehill (1989), Committed (1984), Right Boy (1958), The Bug (1947), Hamlet (1923/1924), Hornet's Beauty (1913/1914), Lowlander (1875/1876) and Prince Charlie (1872/1873/1874).

The 2019 Diamond Jubilee Stakes was won by Blue Point from Dream Of Dreams and Kachy.