Sir Henry Cecil with superstar Frankel
ROYAL ASCOT, unquestionably the greatest flat meeting in the world kicks off later today with three Group Ones and for the first time ever a Kentucky Derby winner is gracing the hallowed turf of the royal Berkshire track.
Animal Kingdom is a red hot favourite in the traditional curtain raiser, the Queen Anne Stakes, a Group One over a mile for four-year-olds and upwards. Not only does this five-times winner of over £5 million in prize money have a Kentucky Derby in his portfolio but also a Dubai World Cup. No wonder, he’s even money to add another £200,000 to his purse!
Richard Hughes has stated in his column that he doesn’t feel it’s the greatest Queen Anne and that if Animal Kingdom does get beaten, it will be down to the straight mile rather than the opposition. “Hughsie” is not only a superb horseman and current Champion Jockey but also an intelligent and perceptive jockey, so who am I to argue?
I’m not sure I’d want to back him at evens but in terms of making Royal Ascot a truly international meeting, for the neutral racegoer, let’s hope Animal Kingdom is still ruling his world.
Racing lost a giant of the turf in Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil last week and many, many better scribes than yours truly have written some wonderful words about a training genius and one of British racing’s true gentlemen.
So, his 4yo Tiger Cliff would be a most appropriate and poetic winner of the marathon Ascot Stakes. It is no secret that Sir Henry had mapped out this race for the son of Tiger Hill some time ago. Stamina over this 2m4f trip is in doubt but the 75-times winning trainer at Royal Ascot didn’t get it wrong too many times over the years, so what a wonderful but reflective scene it would be in The Winner’s Enclosure if Lady Cecil greeted another Royal Ascot “Henry” winner.
If you’re going to the Royal Meeting this week or just watching on Channel 4, enjoy some of the world’s greatest thoroughbreds, the quintessential English atmosphere, the high fashion and to put it in seven words, “The greatest flat meeting in the world.”
Posted by Simon Double – Tuesday 18 June 2013
