......... not to mention sired by non other than Bustino and produced Nashwan. And of course, the year Gordon Richards was knighted he deprived the Queen of what would have been her only Derby winner by beating Aureole into 2nd place (the closest she ever got to an Epsom Derby winner)
1. Dunfermline 2. Highclere 3. Aureole 4. Doutelle and Almeria 6. High Veldt 7. Pall Mall 8. Escorial 9. Height of Fashion 10. the rest a fair order. Have I missed any? perhaps Magna Carta, but only at 10.
I hate to admit it but I don't recall Escorial I know exactly where I was when Dunfermline beat Alleged. Devil's Dyke, Hove; with my then girl friend (if that's the right term)
Probably being a bit kind to Escorial, maybe Example should be there. Yes Canisbay did win the Eclipse but it was a total shock in a very poor race. My favourite was Highclere. I saw her 2nd run at Ascot when she beat Polygamy into 3rd. On a literal reading of form she came out as Polygamy's equal. When in the March I saw Polygamy was favourite for the 1000G and Highclere was 33-1 I backed her but instead of it being a single I backed her in a double with the 'couldn't be beaten' Appalachee. Highclere's best day was at Chantilly when she easily beat the French fillies in the Prix de Diane. The 2nd, Comtesse de Loir, went on to finish 3rd in the Arc. 12f was probably beyond her when she was 2nd to Dahlia in the KG. She was never the same filly again.
Looks like there could be 3 Royal runners next week. Hard to Resist may make her seasonal debut in the fillies mile handicap on Friday. Her dam Magnetic Charm was 2nd in the same race. Gilded Water runs in either the King George V Hcp or the Hampton Court Stks, both on Thursday. Crown Estate is another with a Thursday entry, his being in the Britannia Stks. If they can ride him so he only hits the front in the last 50yds he may be placed. Treasure is entered in the Ribblesdale but surely won't be declared. It remains to be seen if Desert Hero will run in the Hardwicke.
Desert Hero is declared at the 5 day stage for the Hardwicke. Gilded Water gets another entry in a 3yo handicap on Saturday: so I think we can take it that he'll run in one race this week. Treasure is entered in the same handicap but will surely only run if the going description has a SOFT in it. Disappointments follow disappointments, Serried.Ranks, who looked so promising last year, ran a lifeless race at York on Saturday while the maiden The King' General could only manage a 4th in a Doncaster maiden on Sunday.
Sans Desert Hero, last year's Royal Ascot was a bit disappointing for the King and the Royal Stud. There's only one word for this year's and that's disappointing. The 4 horses that ran cumulatively beat about 8 horses home. Treasure was a waste of entrance fee as she didn't let herself down on the firmish going. Desert Hero appears to have lost the plot. Why was Hard to Resist running first time out this season (in a tough handicap on going she didn't seem to appreciate last year)? Gilded Water looked as if he didn't stay. So who decided on these runners and why? The 3yos don't look very good at all. Rainbows Edge who won on her debut back in March is entered at Newcastle this week maybe she has something about her. It's up to the 2yos now to rescue what looks like a miserable racing year for the King..
