It is easy to be a smart arse after the fact having ‘no bet’ the Ascot card because of the stupid betting. Two great results for the layers in the two Group 1 races. Excuses about the ground for Shadow Of Light do not really wash with me – he was not winning even if it had been good ground. The bookies will be looking to lay Appleby horses on the last day as he probably could not win a walk-over this week. Even connections of Zarigana now admit that she is a bit of a bottler. Okay, so she did not really like the ground, but the other filly wanted it more in the last fifty yards. Falakeyah was never going to be winning and they will have to go back to the drawing board with her. If you were picking one in that race just on the paddock view, you would have gone with Chantilly Lace as she looked a picture. You cannot stop that Mullins geezer. There are no obstacles for his horses to jump, he gets a ride in a Royal carriage and then goes home with one of the shiny pots and a load of money...
I think I heard correctly that Appleby hasn't had a RA winner for 3 years now... Saeed must be laughing loud...
I really did find ITV's coverage, following the Hardwicke win for Rebel's Romance, most strange as they continually seemed to shout that Appleby was the greatest ever and that form is only temporary, class is permanent, the best will always rise to the top, etc, etc, etc. Charlie Appleby may indeed have trained a winner at Royal Ascot with the ultra tough, and hugely admirable 7YO but the fact remains that since Naval Crown won the 2022 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes his meeting record is 1/38!!!
