Across the pond

Diver52 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 5:07 am

It's been brutally hot in London the last few days. Hope it cools off for Ascot; those horses aren't used to exertion when it's 90F and humid.

peeptoad · Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:17 am

Not used to seeing Pletcher in a top hat. Human social customs are weird...

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:26 am

It's 90 degrees at Ascot...bad news for all those poor men encased in tuxes and top hats. Might be hard on some horses, as well.
Really bad news for most of the Wesley Ward horses...Frankie Dettori, who was to ride Lady Aurelia and a bunch of other WW runners, suffered some sort of injury a few days ago and will not ride at all at Ascot.

Johnnie V. picks up many of Frankie's rides. While IMO he's a fine rider, he is not as familiar with Ascot's racecourse and how to ride it.

peeptoad · Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:38 am

Ribchester won the opener as expected. My boss came in with a work issue right before the gates opened so I missed the race (the only one I was planning on watching during work hours, stark!)

. I know he's not a fan of that... ha ha.

Who was 2nd?

Tessablue · Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:52 am

peeptoad wrote:Ribchester won the opener as expected. My boss came in with a work issue right before the gates opened so I missed the race (the only one I was planning on watching during work hours, stark!) . I know he's not a fan of that... ha ha.

Who was 2nd?

Mutakayyef followed by Deauville, both Americans waaaaay back.

WaquoitNBroadBrush · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:25 am

Wesley Ward's entry in the 2yo race that followed popped and stopped. Hard to imagine the Americans blaming the weather, since it must feel an awful lot like Saratoga in August there, but the USA is off to a woeful start. Then again, the winner and second-place horse (especially) in that last race had a lot of heads being scratched.

barbaro111 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:46 am

Lady Aurelia---brilliant---made my day

barbaro111 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:46 am

Lady Aurelia---brilliant---made my day

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:47 am

OMG...Lady Aurelia just walloped that field!
She is amazing!

Tessablue · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:49 am

She looked like the winner right from the break. Fantastic effort!

Old Bones · Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:57 am

Lady Aurelia. Just amazing.

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:32 am

Quite an upset in the St. James's Palace as Barney Roy wins, with Lancaster Bomber 2nd, Thunder Snow 3rd. The heavy favorite, Churchill, never kicked in the stretch and finished 4th.
I wonder if a combination of the heat and the firm ground is going to lead to some horses just not running their best? Lancaster Bomber was one of the pacesetters, but held on for 2nd, when he might usually be swallowed up in the stretch.
Second win today for Godolphin, which must be a big morale booster for the Boys In Blue after all the sturm und drang of the past few weeks.

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:39 am

Speaking of Lady Aurelia...when is that new multi-million dollar spring in Australia? The Everest, IIRC?
Ward says she's at her best at five furlongs, and is looking forward to the BC Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Is The Everest also at five? I'd love to see her take on the be Aussie speedsters, likes the great grey, Chautauqua.

ETA: Just heard the guys on NBCSN say that Lady A is sticking around for the Nunthorpe at York. Maybe she'll be getting another Cartier Award at the end of the year.

peeptoad · Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:41 am

Rock! Lady Aurelia! Now I have to go find the replay somewhere...

MySaladDays · Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:47 am

Churchill just ran out, so didn't add an 8th consequetive win to his record (race 4, Royal Ascot today)

Barney Roy - Lancaster Bomber - Thunder Snow (!!!)

sorry, didn't see Anne's post earlier.

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:00 pm

Who is Anne?

BaroqueAgain1 · Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:47 pm

Declarationofpeace, the highly-touted, very expensive half to Honor Code just finished LAST in the 24-horse Windsor Castle.

Godolphin won their third on the card today with the victory by Sound and Silence.

WaquoitNBroadBrush · Tue Jun 20, 2017 1:55 pm

So how has the TV coverage been? I cut the cord years ago here and have been watching the GBI feed through an online betting service, so I'm getting hardly any color and pageantry -- no time for that, as they have Thirsk and Stratford to cover as well! Has the TV focus been on the racing?

carole · Tue Jun 20, 2017 2:24 pm

Lady Aurelia was the big standout for me today! Let's not forget she's barely a 3yo filly racing against seasoned, battle hardened colts, stallions and geldings! She just smashed them

It was a truly scintillating performance!

MTO · Tue Jun 20, 2017 3:16 pm

WaquoitNBroadBrush wrote:So how has the TV coverage been? I cut the cord years ago here and have been watching the GBI feed through an online betting service, so I'm getting hardly any color and pageantry -- no time for that, as they have Thirsk and Stratford to cover as well! Has the TV focus been on the racing?

I only watched TV coverage for a short time due to my work schedule. However, IMO, it is much improved compared to prior years when I watched it on TVG.

This year, the first year with NBC-SN TV coverage, they showed the royal procession all the way through and they showed the grounds/people a lot more. Prior years TVG would show 5 second clips of the Royal Procession and it was always lacking in that area . Can't blame TVG since their focus is racing.

But wow, I like to see the people and the pageantry at Royal Ascot as well as the horses, trainers and racing. It's much improved this year now that they show the social scene and the pageantry also. Apparently NBC's coverage is available on several mobile and online streaming apps. You might find one for free online if you search. I recall being able to watch live streaming coverage of the olympics last time online for free via NBC. Oh - now that I think back I believe I had to login via my satellite tv account information in order to see that online. So it was't really free.

However, maybe you can pay a 1 time fee to stream royal ascot?

Here's a bit of info from NBC about their Royal Ascot coverage.

http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2017/ ... uctions-2/