Equinties - Royal Ascot Review

Gm Equinauts

Most of Racing Twitter was glad to see the back of Royal Ascot.

I mean, the whole week was f@cking crazy, check this out:

Even me, who holds a strong appreciation for the sport without risk on, needed some time out from the whacky races to recalibrate, because the more I watched, the more I questioned wtf was going on.

A sentiment echoed by those even closer to the sport…

Jim Crowley literally hopped off RUN FOR OSCAR and decided he was so sick of racing that, after showering, he did not go to join the obligatory Royal Ascot car park parties, but instead headed straight for Hickstead International to escape it all… which is where I was and which is where I bumped into him at the bar.

A coincidence but not totally random, Royal Ascot did that.

He was gutted with his whole week, hard to see happen to such a nice bloke. When asked about AL ASIFAH, he said she didn’t stay. Then without prompt, he told me to back HUKUM for l’Arc. He loves him.

Now, let’s dive in.

MERCH

Merch store pending!

We received a test sample (the one I’ve been wearing all weekend) and we’re not quite happy with it. We want the merch to be perfect, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer max

BGP FANTASY LEAGUE COMP

We’ve been hyping up the TOTE’s new Fantasy game since we found it. Why? Simply because there is nothing else out there now which can help people cage the betting chimp while maintaining an emotional interest in the big races of the day.

People bet way too much and the Fantasy allows you to get limited risk on, fill your brain up with the dope it craves and still be in the mix for a big win.

If we hit 250 stables, top of the BGP private league get’s a new ‘GM’ cap.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

ROYAL ASCOT REVIEW

Well, Royal Ascot is over. It was a long week full of enjoyable moments, unbelievable moments and moments you’d rather forget.

The team at BGP have gone through the days to highlight some of the key performances in a short sharp review of last week:

TUESDAY

TRIPLE TIME got punters off to a car crash of a start. Well, for most anyway because others actually tipped him!

Having been progressive as a 3yo and marred by injury, TRIPLE TIME ran in a gag and pulled very hard early on, yet quickened away and will be off to the Sussex next. Can he follow it up?

With FRANKEL bagging her first winner, it wasn’t long for another legend of the game to get the W. Cue Aidan O’Brien. His unbeaten 2yo RIVER TIBER always did enough in the closing stages of the Coventry, holding on from the fast-finishing ARMY ETHOS.

Royal Ascot might well have been named Ballydoyle last week as it simply looked like a training ground for AOB and Ryan Moore. PADDINGTON hit the track and became a two-time Group 1 winner having won a handicap off 97 in March.

Backer’s would have had an easy ride from top to bottom and he looks a serious one for the future on the track and as a Coolmore stallion - the third, CHARYN, took a big step up from fourth at the Curragh and should be watched.

And in the finale, VAUBAN was decisive in the Copper Horse handicap on Tuesday.

He was well-backed, never in trouble, had to make all (a great trait), and looks Melbourne Cup-bound at 8/1.

WEDNESDAY

The newsletter preview for day 1 was well up… but not for long. Wednesday was carnage.

MOSTAHDAF, one of the outsiders of the field, beat a Derby winner, Champion Stakes winner, and Tattersalls Gold Cup winner in the Prince Of Wales’s - that boosted the form for EQUINOX who won on Sunday (some horse).

It was a memorable day for John & Thady Gosden on Thursday as GREGORY stepped up to Gr2 level and stuck on well to give Frankie Dettori his first win of the week.

He was well-backed and is well regarded - that was a good run with his little experience.

Want two horses who will go and win next time out? The pair of Joseph O’Brien horses, ADELAISE and YERWANTHERE, both had a horrendous trip through the Kensington Palace Handicap and will be good-class fillies soon.

THURSDAY

I’m not even going to mention LAND LEGEND, still not over it, so moving on to arguably the best performance of the day… it came in the Ribblesdale while everyone was worrying about why the ‘dead-cert’ AL ASIFAH was dead-stopping, WARM HEART powered up the far side rail to win for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

She quickened up well, stormed clear, and the horse she beat at Newbury, BLUESTOCKING, was staying on at the line having had a tough route through, suggesting that the form is strong.

Elsewhere on the day, our boy COLTRANE was beaten by the young COURAGE MON AMI for Lanfranco - can have no complaints, he came off the pace and won well. Interest to see him race again but he has the potential to be special.

FRIDAY

Two fillies stole the show on the penultimate day as TAHIYRA made it an Irish Guineas to Coronation Stakes double for Dermot Weld and Chris Hayes - not man race in the Newmarket Guineas (and nearly won it) before going to the equivalent at the Curragh and then Royal Ascot. That takes some doing.

And then moments later, COPPICE, a potential Guineas runner if not for injuries, fairly bolted up in the Sandringham for Frankie and Gosden. Eyes on her going forward.

SATURDAY

And then, wow, a crazy final day.

AGE OF KINGS, backed in from 66/1 to 22/1, stole the Jersey for Ballydoyle - he bumped heads with Blackbeard last season and O’Brien was full of praise after the race.

And then KHAADEM, ah the old boy KHAADEM, won the Jubilee Stakes at 80/1 while breating the world’s best sprinters. Simply unscriptable. He left people in tears. And not because they loved it, but because they had nothing left.

One of the performances from the final day to take away for the future was actually not a winner - it was RUN FOR OSCAR in the Queen Alexandra.

He was backed and had the worst route through up the near side - that’s the ride that caused big Jim to drown his sorrows with me!

RISK ON

16.50 MOULIN BOOJ

Take 9/4 after the owners who are on bigger. Not a big bet as can’t trust the trainer to do a proper job yet (new kid on the block), keep it half a stake.

18.05 GARDEN ROUTE

Full bet or use to lever up. This lad is in a race full of girls. Owned by Coolmore mafia, they’ve gone exotic with his breeding - out of a South African mare by bullet sire CAPTAIN AL (probably something to do with Kantor (who owns SA bank Investec)).

Odds-on everywhere, but still with so many in the race he should be too good. Needs fast so if it buckets down leave it but the forecast is clear and should be going off heavy odds on.