Royal Ascot set for 5-day carnival

ascot — The curtain rises at Royal Ascot on Tuesday with connections of the blue-blooded thoroughbreds hoping their prayers are answered.

Australian training legend Gai Waterhouse — known as the ‘Queen of Australian racing’ — says Royal Ascot stands apart from the rest of the great racing carnivals round the world including the race that so legend has it ‘brings a nation to a halt’, the Melbourne Cup.

There will be plenty on offer over the five days for the anticipated 300,000 spectators — beginning with the traditional Royal Procession with Queen Elizabeth II maintaining her extraordinary record of not missing a day since her coronation in 1953.

Celebrities aplenty, many of them presenting the trophies for the races which carry prizemoney of £7.3 million ($9.7million) and includes eight Group Ones, whilst fashionistas will have their hunger sated too.

“There is nothing like it in the world,” said Waterhouse, who won the 2013 Melbourne Cup.

“The way the show is put on is magnificent and they have the best drawcard in world in her Majesty. “They have looked after the traditions and the heritage and it pays off in every possible way.

Waterhouse, daughter of Aussie training great Tommy Smith but who had an unconventional way into racing having been an actress appearing in amongst other shows an episode of the BBC’s iconic series ‘Doctor Who’, has yet to win a race at the meeting.

“When you stand at the bottom of the straight you can’t see the stands,” she said.

“You don’t realise how incredibly severe the gradient is.

“It is so steep and we don’t have that in Australia and the USA where they are flat tracks.”

Whilst Waterhouse — who was speaking at a Royal Ascot evening organised by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and its creator Harry Herbert — is waiting for her first winner Michael Stoute needs one to become the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history. —

The way the show is put on is magnificent and they have the best drawcard in world in her Majesty Gai Waterhouse, Training legend