Equinties - Royal Ascot day 3

Gm Equinauts

Yes, yes we are…

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

ROYAL IRONY

There was something quite ironic about the last race of Royal Ascot yesterday. Eve Johnson Houghton won the Windsor Castle a mere week after her big rant on Racing TV about the qualification criteria changing.

What’s even better is this year’s winner, HAVANA HURRICANE, would have qualified thanks to HAVANA GOLD, his sire.

To reiterate, we still think we agree with Eve but this was fairly amusing.

Anyway, back to the HURRICANE. Lord he’s come along way in such a short space of time since we gambled him on debut!

He was very good in the Windsor Castle yesterday, and his success gives a handsome nod to MAXIMIZED, Charlie Appleby’s July Stakes hopeful that beat him in the Woodcote Stakes. Eyes will be firmly on him next month.

What else did we learn from yesterday’s racing at the Royal Meeting?

In the opener, Aidan O’Brien shared his love for TRUE LOVE, the Queen Mary winner, and it was her sheer size that caught us out.

To absolutely rip out of the gates with early speed and have a finishing kick like that was impressive. It’ll be six furlongs next, potentially in the Prix Morny or Phoenix Stakes, though we guess it’ll depend on where GSTAAD ends up.

CARMERS earned quotes for the St Leger, quotes of 12/1 in fact, after his gritty success in the Queen’s Vase. Nothing can be taken away from his performance, though the form of the race may be a small element of concern. As soon as he turned for home, the writing was on the wall. That’s the sign of a nice horse.

The Duke Of Cambridge, as it looked pre-race, was a bit naff. The contest set up for the late-closers, and CINDERELLA’S DREAM had every chance to win, but she was done by a speedier filly (former Queen Mary winner) who saved plenty of energy at the rear of the field. Even John Gosden was a bit surprised that she beat the market principles, and one of those market leaders was his own, RUNNING LION!

In hindsight we can see why now CRIMSON ADVOCATE was the winner - she’s pure US bred so skipped off the concrete ground. FALLEN ANGEL’s run can be upgraded and she’d prefer cut in the ground.

The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes is the final contest to note, and the Blogger was right, it was a bit of a weird race.

That’s because the front of the field went waaaay too quick and we imagine Ryan Moore was beating himself up over it last night. CONTINUOUS ran the first five furlongs like the Epsom Dash, and LOS ANGELES kept quite close to him throughout, so by the time he turned for home, those in front blew up.

It’s fair to say that Aidan O’Brien wasn’t the most pleased man in the world immediately after:

OMBUDSMAN, and also ANMAAT, capitalised well, though it was the former who came home first. It was a great ride, and he is clearly a talented horse. Nothing can be taken away from him - he looked very good.

ANMAAT was a touch on the unlucky side again, but Owen Burrows is convinced that his Gold Cup will be in October. The Champion Stakes will be his main aim.

So that was Royal Ascot 2025 Day 2. Roll on day 3!

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