There are many facets to Royal Ascot’s appeal. For some it is glamour, style and opulence. For some it is the betting opportunities afforded by large fields, for others an opportunity to pay tribute to a revered monarch and to share her obvious pleasure in its equine stars. What I love is the sheer intensity of the competition. The immeasurable kudos afforded to owners, trainers and jockeys of being able to say you have had a Royal Ascot winner ensures the fiercest effort from all concerned: there is no such thing as an easy victory at Royal Ascot.
Few this year will forget the spectacle of Frankie Dettori and the current champion jockey Oisin Murphy battling eyeball to eyeball through the last two furlongs of the Commonwealth Cup sprint on their mounts Campanelle and Dragon Symbol. As they flashed past the post a mere head apart, Dragon Symbol was in front but he had pushed Campanelle across the track and bumped him so the stewards reversed the order and gave the prize to Campanelle.
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