By US Racing Team
An early visit to Windsor Castle with the King and Queen, five races at Ascot Racecourse, and then an emotional farewell to Royal Ascot.
“I’m too tired to cry,’’ jockey Frankie Dettori told ITV on Saturday at the end of the final Royal Ascot meet of his illustrious career. The popular rider plans to retire at the end of the year.
While he went 0-for-5 on the final day of the Royal Meet, he closes his Royal Ascot career with 81 victories, highlighted by nine wins in the Gold Cup (G1) including Thursday’s edition aboard Courage Mon Ami.
Dettori said he was invited to lunch with King Charles II and Queen Camilla, but “I didn’t eat. I was there.” He said he then watched the Royal Procession to open Saturday’s races “and then I rode five consecutive races.”
It was a busy day indeed for one of the greatest riders in the world.
“It’ll take a while to sink in, but it’s been a great 35 years and I’ve had a great time,’’ he said.
More upsets on the final day at Royal Ascot
Day 5 produced one more wave of upsets, punctuated by 80-1 longshot Khaadem edging Sacred by a neck in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1).
Ridden by Jamie Spencer, the 7-year-old gelding surged to the finish just ahead of Sacred, with King’s Stand Stakes (G1) runner-up Highfield Princess third in her second race in four days.
“The horse is very, very fast. He’s got his quirks, but most good sprinters do, and he’s just taken time to come to himself,’’ winning trainer Charlie Hills said. “It’s been a great team effort and really is the icing on the cake. We’ve been trying to win this for a while and had some good chances over the years and to win it is fantastic.”
Spencer also brought home a 50-1 winner on June 22 aboard Witch Hunter in the Buckingham Palace.
In other races Saturday:
Chesham Stakes
Snellen, at 12-1, topped 7-4 favorite Pearls and Rubies by a head in a field of 16 2-year-olds.
Jersey Stakes (G3)
Another big exacta payout in this one, with 22-1 Age of Kings and 22-1 Zoology running 1-2 in a field of 25 3-year-olds. The margin of victory was one length, with 28-1 shot Streets of Gold finishing third. The exacta returned £1272.2 ($1,617.48) and the trifecta paid £14844.6 ($18,873.42).
Hardwicke Stakes (G2)
Pyledriver kept his victory despite veering right across Changingoftheguard and West Wind Blows near the end. A stewards’ inquiry took place, but no changes were made – West Wind Blows finished second, 1 ¾ lengths behind Pyledriver.
Winning jockey P.J. McDonald said: “When he hits the front, he always runs around. I thought when I came on the outside with him, he’d be OK but as soon as I gave him a dig, he went one way and then the other.
“It just goes to show you how much ability he has. He’s not concentrating on running in a straight line. I think he’s a very comfortable winner, nobody can take this away from him.”
And …
The Workingham Stakes delivered another longshot winner in 22-1 Saint Lawrence; the Golden Gate Stakes saw 20-1 shot Burdett Road top 9-2 co-favorite Lion of War and Local Dynasty; and the closing Queen Alexandra – surprise, surprise! – saw 2-1 favorite Dawn Rising pull out a half-length victory over The Grand Visir.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
