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What a day of racing at Royal Ascot today, absolutely gutted I couldn’t make it, but the excitement is building nicely in front of the TV all the same.
Simon Clare makes a very good case for running the Queen Anne and the St James Palace at 5pm and 5.35pm in his Guardian blog today. Completely agree, the build up to Zenyatta by the American networks on the day of the Breeders Cup really added to the occasion. The UK authorities should give serious consideration to doing the same.
I like it the way it is. I like the main races early on in the card then you can just ignore the lesser races if you like. Nothing worse than having to sit through races you’re not really interested in and having a seemingly endless wait for the action you crave. It doesn’t build up excitement for me it irritates me.
The St James’s Place Stakes used to be the last race on the opening day – I can remember being present to see Kris beat Young Generation in 1979 and that was definitely the case then.
It changed soon after that, because by the mid 80’s the Ascot Srakes had become the last race on Tuesday and remained so until the recent rejig when the fifth day was added.
I don’t know why things changed around 1980, but it would be no surprise if the Great God of television was the reason.
The Queen Anne has always been first race, but of course until quite recently, it wasn’t a Group 1 anyway and didn’t attract the quality of horse it does now.
AP
I like it the way it is. I like the main races early on in the card then you can just ignore the lesser races if you like. Nothing worse than having to sit through races you’re not really interested in and having a seemingly endless wait for the action you crave. It doesn’t build up excitement for me it irritates me.
A true racing fan here!
I concur with Ian to a certain extent although I still enjoy the later races and is why I would be against a later National, it’s bad enough having to wait till 2.00 for racing to start in the first place. Similarly when I part owned horses I always preferred their races to be early on the card.
In any event whatever racing does no significant extra money ever seems to filter through to prize money.I was probably a bit over the top with my wording of my post but my point is there has been build up for weeks, then you get it all morning by the time racetime comes you just want to see the best of the action.
Isn’t part of the reason to run the best races on the best ground?
If it was raining, it would be right cut up come 5:30, especially with all those 20 horse fields.
The Americans don’t have to worry about that as they send out tractors to drag the dirt after every race and therefore can keep the best till last, and they also do cancel any early turf races in the event of rain to keep the grass good for any marquee grass races later on in the card.I’d go;
Windsor Castle
Coventry
King’s Stand
Queen Anne
St James’s Palace
Ascot StakesTwo exciting two-year olds races to wet that appetite, then the three Group 1s in succession, and wrap the card up with a competitive handicap to keep everyone interested
.I like the feature races just at or just past halfway on the card (races three/four of six or four/five of seven).
There just seems to be something more upbeat about an earlier afternoon slot.
I wouldn’t run the QA 1st up though. Opening with the Coventry then Kings Stand, followed BY QA and SJP for me.
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