In the end, though, the ultra consistent four-year-old mare Prompt Response (Beneteau) came home a comfortable and deserved winner by a length and a quarter after a gem of a ride by Blake Shinn, defeating the fast-finishing Shillelagh (Savabeel) with Super Cash (Written Tycoon) just a half-head further back in third place in a time... Read More

There is a general consensus that the current crop of milers, both amongst the three-year-olds and older horses, is an ordinary one and while Alpha Centauri produced an admirable performance when winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) at the Curragh last month, she elevated her form into a different bracket with a six-length... Read More

The David Hayes-trained Redkirk Warrior may well improve the six winners from 34 (not the 35 listed in the media guide) runners Royal Ascot strike rate of Australian-trained horses which is the best of any country outside the UK and Europe. But what of the strike rate of Merchant Navy’s handler Aidan O’Brien who has... Read More

That seems a big call with Toulouse only breaking through for his first win in four starts at Rosehill on Saturday, but On The Watch feels he has demonstrated sufficient quality to suggest that he has sound prospects of reaching a much higher level in the new season, especially over longer distances. Having his first... Read More

Having just his second start, Seas No Limit finished strongly over the final 250 metres to score by three quarters of a length on a surface he did not particularly enjoy, according to his rider Linda Meech. The three-year-old gelding sat back of midfield, one off the fence for most of the journey and appeared... Read More

Day one was grand even if I got dudded on the punt and the two-stop train ride from Virginia Water was something of a nightmare. Too clever me, by ‘alf, as it turns out. I was staying too close to Ascot; too close to get on the packed trains and when I finally did it... Read More