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“The World’s greatest horse racing festival”
Royal Ascot is thus described – presumably by Admin – on the folder of that name here on this very forum.
But is it, though?
I’m certainly a fan – even extended to Saturday (once the Heath meeting) and padded out with additional Pattern contests and Handicaps I’m still getting used to years after their advent – and it’s surely the best Flat fixture in Britain.
No Classics, but plenty of Group 1 quality across all age groups, has to have the edge on York in August (great though that is) and definitely has a lot more quality across the five days than Glorious Goodwood.
But for me the best meetings, though shorter, on the planet are Arc weekend and the Breeders’ Cup.
And how do Jumping fans feel about the assertion?
Royal Ascot better than the Cheltenham Festival?
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Have to say I love this meeting. Not sure it’s the best but on a par with Cheltenham IMHO.
Have only ever been the year when it was staged at York ( went the Tue when Sharmadal won the St James Palace) but must say that there is a buzz about June in general – arguably the best sporting month of the year ( Derby, Royal Ascot, Lord’s Test Match, start of Wimbledon, US Open Golf, start of World Cup/ Euro Championships when they are on). The horses have come in their full summer bloom, the season is still relatively young and exciting with lots of unknown questions to be answered. I also feel that the extra races at the Royal meeting have not had the detrimental affect as the extra contests have had on Cheltenham – though they were dam crafty when they initially said that Golden Jubilee Saturday was just going to be a one off, when most suspected otherwise.
It is still my favourite Flat meeting. I enjoy betting at it and most of the racing is top class. I am not sure the races introduced in 2020 needed to be retained but they do not detract too much from the meeting.
I do miss the Ascot heath meeting on the Saturday, which I did attend a few times. However, it is difficult to argue with Ascot’s decision to make the Saturday Royal as well.
Goodwood is a better location, especially on a summer afternoon. But the 5 days there are too much. It is even padded out by maidens and fairly low grade handicaps.
I enjoy Arc day on the Sunday but I am not that bothered about the Saturday. I have never really taken that much interest in the Breeders Cup but I did enjoy the fixture at Keeneland last year, especially the Saturday.
Royal Ascot faces far more competition than it did in its heyday. My concern about the meeting is how it will manage without the loss of its prime asset – the Queen. I know some people here will disagree but I do think her absence is a blow to the meeting. Her son is clearly not particularly interested.
For flat racing I consider it the best. I have always got a weeks holiday booked for Cheltenham and never considered swapping it for Ascot. This year change of job role and more holiday I am having the Ascot week as well. Aside from the cross country race and the odd other both are generally top quality racing, nothing beats either in my opinion.
The more I know the less I understand.
“Not remotely as good as Cheltenham,look at the non existent build up to it”
Tbh, I regard the lack of any nauseating media “Road To Royal Ascot” a positive plus – but I get your drift.
Nice though Ascot is, I, like CAS, regard Goodwood as by far the better venue (when it’s sunny) but they don’t half pad Glorious Goodwood out with some moderate racing.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"It’s not a better spectacle than Cheltenham
But I’d argue the flat season as a whole is a much better spectacle than the jumps season
The flat season flows better, seems to be a big race in its own right most weekends whether it be in England, Ireland or France
The jumps season is now completely dominated by the unwieldy behemoth of Cheltenham. Its all that gets talked about months in advance. The king george winner crosses the line and the first thing mentioned is the gold cup very little said about the actual race. Same with the tingle creek and champion chase.
I love Cheltenham and spend a huge amount of time and effort on ante post bets but the Cheltenham centric nature of the season is too much.
Whereas on the flat its non stop racing celebrated for the races they are: guineas weekend, Irish guineas weekend, derby/oaks, Royal ascot, glorious goodwood, York, champions day
Plus the July Cup, king george, Arc weekend and the breeders cup to finish it off
NH season has three phases:
– planning for Cheltenham year 1
– Cheltenham year 1
– planning for Cheltenham year 2Repeat ad infinitum.
The fact the racing media have thus far – never say never about anything with that lot – failed to make the entire Flat season about one, four-day, meeting is arguably the main advantage racing on the level has over the Jumps.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Cheltenham talk starts way before the King George. After Bravemansgame won the Charlie Hall there was Gold Cup talk, in October!!
The more I know the less I understand.
There are pros and cons to all the Festivals – Royal Ascot is a different beast because of the pagentry that comes along with it but I would say it has the perfect mix right across the board from class G1s at all distances all the way through to fiendishly difficult handicaps (at all distances) a plenty. It has the returning year in year out favourites in the sprint and mile races, a sprinkling of the older middle distance stars aiming at their first big seasonal targets and the classic 3yr old generations taking each other on in that next step up the ladder and a few potential star 2 yr olds with pointers to next year’s classics.
I think because of its diversity/history/heritage all being rolled into one week it does have a better claim to that top spot than any other as it isn’t the be all end all the the Cheltenham Festival is billed as in the media…..as a spectacle Royal Ascot certain sits at the top of the list.
You have to wonder whether the bloodstock industry is a factor in having multiple top level races spaced out throughout the season.
What really adds value as a stallion is multiple Group 1 wins. Better still if a horse can win at different distances.
Whereas with NH trainers will have one big target – usually Cheltenham. With everything else being essentially prep for that target.
It’s comparing apples to oranges since Japan, the US, and continental Europe don’t really have flat or jumps racing “festivals” in quite the same fashion that the UK, Ireland and Aus/NZ do. The US has big days of racing, a few big weekends, and some “boutique” meets like Keeneland or Kentucky Downs or formerly Saratoga (they keep extending and extending it) that are a few weeks but aren’t entirely top-level stakes action.
But that said in terms of sheer spectacle and public interest (saying nothing about the actual racing) I would say yes, with the Melbourne Spring Carnival a close second. For 99.9% of Americans horse racing begins and ends at the Kentucky Derby.
Archipenko, that seems to be an Anglo-Irish phenomenon. I don’t see French jumps trainers making the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteil or Grand Steeplechase de Paris their be-all-end-all. Japanese trainers hold both of their G1 jump races (held in April and December) in equal regard. Eclipse voters might give too much weight to Far Hills/American Grand National but American horsemen (along with a few savvy Irishmen) look to Nashville and Saratoga as their mid-season targets. The May Carnival at Warnambool might well be the Australian Cheltenham but only because jumps racing is now banned in most of the country.
“What really adds value as a stallion is multiple Group 1 wins. Better still if a horse can win at different distances.”
Archipenko,
While I would agree about the influence of the bloodstock industry and the multiple Group 1 wins, my impression (I could be wrong) is that what adds value in the modern breeding world is: precocity and speed.
– Winning a 2yo Group 1 at any distance up to a mile is massive.
– Being precocious enough to win a Guineas Classic at a mile is also huge.
– 1m2f is plenty far enough – better a miler than a 1m4f+ middle-distance horse.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Sadly everyone has overlooked Dublin Racing festival.
Superb racing over 2 days, reasonable entrance costs, you can get a seat, watch the racing in the grandstand without having a double barrelled surname /selling a kidney. Get a reasonable priced and nice tasting drink within 2 minutes of standing at the bar. The racing is superb and competitive. You can see the horses in the parade ring and watch the race easily. You can mingle and chat with the trainer’s and owners. Everyone is really friendly and there’s hardly anyone spending all their time shoving powder up their nose. The crowd genuinely appreciates the athletes on show -the way the crowd roared home Faugheen in the novice chase one year tells you this.
Oh and everyone wears socks because it’s February and they aren’t retards.
If you have a bit of luck you get to celebrate in a great location like Dublin without folks looking to cause trouble.
Having said all that my dad who has been obsessed with racing for 60 years does rate royal Ascot as the pinnacle so maybe he’s right. It has been around a wee while longer.
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