Tag: royal ascot

Who initiated the Royal Procession at Ascot?

Ascot Racecourse, situated approximately six miles from Windsor Castle on land leased from the Crown Estate, has always enjoyed Royal connections. The racecourse was founded, in an area originally known as ‘East Cote’, by Queen Anne in 1711 and, although what would eventually become ‘Royal Ascot’ would develop, piecemeal, over the next few decades, the first recognisable, four-day Royal Meeting to place in 1768, during the reign of King George III.

However, it was King George IV who initiated the Royal Procession in 1825, five years after his accession to the throne, following the death of his father, in 1820. The tradition has continued ever since. Nowadays, a 2pm sharp on each of the five days, including Saturday, Her Majesty The Queen and other members of the Royal Family make their way in convertible carriages, known as Ascot Landaus, each drawn by four Windsor Grey horses, from the Royal Gates at the far end of the racecourse, along the Straight Mile, to the Parade Ring.

What is the Wokingham Stakes?

The Wokingham Stakes is a traditional, high-profile six-furlong handicap, officially rated ‘Class 2’, which is open to horses aged three years and upwards and officially rated 0-110. Named after the historic market town in Berkshire, seven miles west of Ascot, the Wokingham Stakes was inaugurated in 1813 and is currently scheduled as the penultimate race on the fifth and final day of Royal Ascot in June each year.

Indeed, the Wokingham Stakes is the oldest of the handicap races still run at the Royal Meeting and, with total prize money of £175,000, £108,937.50 of which goes to the winner, the race falls into the category of ‘Heritage Handicap’. In common with similar races, such as the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, the Great St. Wilfrid Stakes at Ripon and Ayr Gold Cup, the Wokingham Stakes tends to attract a high quality field; in 2019, the lowest rated horse in the field, Sir Maximilian, was rated 95. Nevertheless, with a safety limit of 30, the Wokingham Stakes is invariably a popular betting heat and has thrown up winners at 33/1 twice, 25/1 and 14/1 in the last ten renewals.

Which was the first Royal Ascot winner owned by Queen Elizabeth II?

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 but, just four days later, Her Majesty was at Epsom to see her now familiar purple, gold braid and scarlet colours carried into second place by Aureole in the ‘Coronation’ Derby. Less than two weeks later, on June 17, the Queen celebrated her first ever Royal Ascot winner, courtesy of Choir Boy, trained by Cecil Boyd-Rochfort and ridden by Doug Smith, in the Royal Hunt Cup.

Sent off at odds of 100/6, the Hyperion colt carried just 7st 8lb made the most of the weight concession from his nearest rival, Brunette, ridden by Gordon Richards, under 8st 5lb, to win in taking style. The four-year-old soon had the 21-strong field well strung out and passed the post two lengths ahead, much to the delight of the Queen, the accompanying members of the Royal Family, who included Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and racegoers alike. Hilltop, ridden by W.H. Carr, finished third, a further length away, under 8st 7lb.

Which horse was ‘stunned’ at Royal Ascot in 1988?

The history of British horse racing is awash with stories of horses that managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but – with the possible exception of Devon Loch in the Grand National in 1956 – perhaps none more bizarre than Ile De Chypre in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1988.

Bred and owned by Athos Christodoulou and trained by Guy Harwood at Pulborough, West Sussex, Ile De Chypre was, at the time, an unexposed three-year-old maiden who had, nonetheless, run with sufficient promise on his reappearance to be sent off second favourite for the competitive handicap. Ridden by stable jockey Greville Starkey, Ile De Chypre looked certain to justify market support when going clear in the closing stages, but inexplicably veered badly left in the last hundred yards or so, unseating Starkey as he did so.

The details of the incident were not revealed until a year later, when car dealer James Laming to Southwark Crown Court that he had fired an ultrasonic ‘stun gun’, disguised as a pair of binoculars, at Ile De Chypre. Accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering, Laming claimed that money with traces of cocaine found in his car was on-course winnings, but he was less than forthcoming regarding other details of his alleged coup.

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