Royal Ascot highlights
Horse of the week Alpha Centauri
Until Friday the meeting had lacked a standout horse, particularly as Cracksman had failed to live up to his billing as the world’s best and a few of the talking horses proved to be no more than that.
The Coronation Stakes has lost a bit of its sexiness in recent years but pitting the winners of the Irish, English and French Guineas against each other provided a great renewal. Jessica Harrington’s big, strong filly Alpha Centauri sprinted home to win by six lengths, shattering the track record. She could easily go on to prove herself the season’s Champion miler.
Person of the week Frankie Dettori
Come on, me! The question in the press room, after the jockey dominated the first and third day, was: “What will we do when Frankie retires?” He has always been a confidence jockey and when he rides one winner another is likely to follow – it was never better demonstrated by his Magnificent Seven in 1997.
His skill on a horse is matched by his ebullient character off it and he is certainly great value. Of course, it is a good job there are not 50 others like him in the weighing room but he is the public face of the sport and whether it is a flying dismount or speaking to Chris Evans on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, he is the consummate showman. Hopefully he is good for a few more years yet.
Story of the week Accidental Agent
Bang. The first race on Tuesday, the Queen Anne was won by 33-1 shot Accidental Agent. It was multi-layered; a rags-to-riches classic with a bit of Second World War derring-do thrown in and a third generation trainer, Eve Johnson Houghton, breaking her Group One duck.
In the 1980s Lord Leverhulme, for whom Eve’s father Fulke trained, told him to sell Sirnelta, a mare the trainer had bought for him. Annoyed at being told to get rid of her, Johnson Houghton bought her from the owner, for his wife Gaie to breed from.
Accidental Agent, the first foal of the sixth generation, was bought back for 8,000 guineas at the sale because no one wanted him and named after Gaie’s father
John Goldsmith’s autobiography about his work for the Special Operations Executive and escape from the
Gestapo. Apart from the fun and emotion, the colt’s career earnings stand at
£600,000.
Race of the week The Gold Cup
There are shorter, faster races but no other has the pedigree or prestige of the Gold Cup and it consistently produces a good story or thrilling finish. This year there was a tremendous three-way tussle over the last quarter mile between Stradivarius, the young pretender Vazirabad, who has to be produced late, and Torcedor. It was John Gosden’s Stradivarius who saw it out best, winning by three-quarters of a length to give owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen a winner 25 years after Assessor finished second in the race for him.
Quotes of the week
“You’re kidding, I don’t even buy green bananas these days.” David Elsworth, 78, after winning the Duke of Edinburgh, on being told that even at his age there is time for more Ascot winners.
“He’s a dear horse – he’s not very big. He’s got those lovely little white legs and face – he looks like a mini Trigger. You can see Wyatt Earp riding into town on him.” John Gosden on Gold Cup winner Stradivarius
“I like Flat racing – it’s over quicker.”
Jessica Harrington, after Alpha Centauri gave her a first Royal Ascot winner to go with Cheltenham’s Holy Trinity of Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase.
“That’s my sixth Gold Cup, my 60th Royal Ascot winner in total and I’m 47. Don’t get the numbers mixed up.” Frankie Dettori