IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
If yesterday was Ladies' Day, today was Family Day. But first, let's talk about the King Edward stakes. There was some interesting betting to observe in this one. Our blog tip, Nathaniel, was just above 5/2 in the morning and throughout the day went in to just above 2-1. When the horses arrived in the paddock, Nathaniel was on his toes and sweating visibly between his legs. When the TV commentators noted this, bettors got nervous, and suddenly Nathaniel was 3-1. Trainer John Gosden came on TV and explained that sweating is a trait of this family, and the public bought that, the horse looked happy going out on to the track, and Nathaniel’s price dropped again.
It just goes to show how much the public likes to bet what they just saw happen.
As for the race itself, Nathaniel won in visually impressive fashion, looking like a candidate to be the best soft ground 12F 3-year old in the UK today. Interestingly, Gosden mentioned the third English classic, the St. Leger (1 ¾ miles) as the likely target. Personally, I’d like to see what Nathaniel could do pointed for the Arc, as I think he’d rate a puncher’s chance even with a talented group of older horses in training this year.
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Our other video tip was also a winner, Immortal Verse. She reared just after the break, but her jockey, Gerald Mosse, kept her together and got her to switch right off when she got some cover. The pace looked fast as anticipated, and as we speculated, that was just the thing to help her closing kick (Sorry, Dale Romans). She came from last and showed a devastating turn of foot to fly home an easy winner in the end.
Trainer Robert Collet was over the moon about his filly after the race, and disputed claims that she was temperamental, based on her poor run in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, “My filly is easy. I announce that this filly is the best filly I have trained. “
He put down her trouble at Newmarket to a problem with her head equipment, the blustery day, and the starter!
He continued, “In the French Guineas things didn’t go to plan so you have to forget that and you have to be really stubborn to come back and prove that this is a Group 1 filly.”
Prove that he did. Here’s what winning jockey Gerald Mosse had to say, “I believe the pace was good enough for the ground but not that fast. But she was a bit keen so I decided to drop her behind to make sure she was going to be totally relaxed going up the hill. When I took my time to wait to pull her out, actually she reacted quicker than I was expecting, she was coming a bit too quick and I hit the front a bit too fast. I had the race in hand since the 500 (2.5 furlongs from the line).”
In a little fact that will no doubt be used to impugn the quality of the English 3-year old filly crop, it was another French filly in second, the well-backed Nova Hawk. Nova Hawk was trained by Robert Collet’s son, Rod. It would be the first of two all-family exactas (UK people, read “forecasts”) on the day.
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The other All In The Family result happened just one race later, when Princess Haya’s Beachfire gave John Gosden and William Buick their second winner on the day in the Wolferton Handicap. Hot favorite Green Destiny had big trouble early, getting shut off and shuffled back, and while he had room to make a run in the stretch, I think it’s safe to say the trouble cost him dearly.
Back in second was another one of our blog tips, Lost in the Moment, owned by Princess Haya’s husband, Sheikh Mohammed. The couple were all smiles in the winner’s enclosure after the race and I have to say I found this a bit surprising. Susan, if you ever beat me in a race at Royal Ascot, I’m going to be SEETHING.
But my favorite story of the day from Ascot was this:
THE *REAL* ROYAL RUMBLE
And here’s a video for the road, because we haven't done one of those yet this meet:
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