What did we learn at Royal Ascot?

28th June, 2011 - Posted by Elliot Slater - Comments Off

When any of the big meetings or one of the major Festivals is completed it is always a good idea to take a look back and see what we can learn from the sport that we have seen and what lessons can be learned for the future.

The first thought is how much longer can the meeting be afford not to utilise the entire weekend, that could be accomplished by moving the meeting back one day and starting on Wednesday with a Sunday finish. For far too long now we have been neglecting Sunday as a leisure day and the level of racing that pervades on that day is usually of moderate standard. By adjusting the meeting to a weekend finish it would also provide scope to deal with the rush of Group 1 action at the start of the meeting where any anticipation is quickly lost and the day let alone the meeting fails to build to a climax. It could lead to an increase in the amount of horseracing betting.

A different approach is also what Ballydoyle appear to be taking with their approach to the Breeders’ Cup, so far all they have endured at the annual USA jamboree is disappointment due to the meeting always being treated as an afterthought. Too much hard racing in Europe has taken place before the stables representatives get to the USA and therefore it is hard for them to give of their best. Now especially with horses like Hardwicke winner Await The Dawn they have ideal material to gear a campaign towards the Breeders’ Cup and Await The Dawn will be aimed at the Breeders’ Cup Classic – a race that his sire, Giant’s Causeway, narrowly lost out in. A fresh Await The Dawn may well be able to avenge that defeat on a surface that he should take to at Churchill Downs. Those looking for horse racing betting tips should bear this in mind.

Royal Ascot can often be a pivotal moment in a trainer’s career and this week Tom Dascombe arrived in the big-time, he had hinted at being able to crack this level before but the move to Cheshire from Lambourn proved traumatic initially. Now with the backing of Michael Owen and Andrew Black and finding his feet at Manor House Stables, he is starting to cement his position as one of the best young trainers around. He recorded his first two victories at Royal Ascot, and not with juveniles that he is generally associated with but with two improving three year olds. Brown Panther in particular is a horse that could take Dascombe to the very top.