Royal Ascot to go ahead at 1/2.

Nothing is value in these markets. Only a fool would bet them.

A lot of fools going about in that case. Nearly 2 million matched on the 1st of June market.

May as well flip a coin imo

I agree but it is still possible for racing to go ahead on the 1st but subsequently see things go wrong causing problems for Ascot.

My thinking is it wont go ahead on the first making Ascot a better bet with four weeks to go.

Queenie is a million to go surely? So how can it really be Royal Ascot ?

Harry's going.

Iam firmly on the side of both happening. With all reasonable expectations how things will progress can see no reason for a commencement on the 1st then closely followed by R. A.

Good luck all concerned.

If racing goes ahead on the 1st of June surely this bet should be a 1.1 chance? (considering the variables)

Could get a start stop like Paris

stewarty b 19 May 20 17:45 
My thinking is it wont go ahead on the first making Ascot a better bet with four weeks to go.

so,the bha have had permission from government to plan to return on june 1st..preparations and now in progress...infections falling/deaths falling...whats going to stop it happening iyo?

Unlike yourself steve I don't have a clairvoyant. It's a pure guessing game at the moment. That said I hope your bet comes up....it will relieve the boredom even if my stakes are 50 a day to start.

hows it a guessing game?

ffs steve I know you're not dense but there could be an upsurge any day. Only the government can decide.


btw miss stew thank's you for putting us on to updates shutdown. Both our laptops are running at approx. 90% instead of Pallokaville beforehand.

steve, wakey waykey. Sleeping is for wimps.

a nah

Major revisions to this year's Royal Ascot have been unveiled including the introduction of six extra races, changes to the running order, consolation contests for prestigious handicaps and earlier start times throughout the week.

Last month Ascot announced its intention to run the royal meeting in its regular position in the calendar, this year scheduled for June 16-20, but with no spectators permitted to attend due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 7f Buckingham Palace Handicap, scrapped from the programme when the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup was created in 2015, returns and will be the opening race this year instead of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.

Additionally, there will be consolation races for the Royal Hunt Cup and Wokingham and three new races for this year only — the 1m6f Copper Horse Handicap for four-year-olds and up, the 1m2f Golden Gates Handicap for three-year-olds and the 5f Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap for three-year-olds. All new race names have been approved by the Queen.

Ascot has also shuffled the order for the King Edward VII Stakes and Ribblesdale Stakes, pushing them to the first day of the meeting to provide the maximum amount of time before the Investec Derby and Oaks on July 4.

The St James's Palace Stakes has moved in the opposite direction to be on the final day of the meeting, along with the Coronation Stakes, to increase the time between these races and the Qipco 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on June 6-7.

The Queen Mary Stakes, Norfolk Stakes and Coventry Stakes have been moved to the end of the royal meeting to give the two-year-old runners extra time between their debuts and the meeting.

All 36 races are set to be shown on Sky Sports Racing with ITV broadcasting the action on its main channel from race two during the week and from race three on Saturday.

Racing will begin at 1.15pm from Tuesday to Friday and 12.40pm on Saturday, with the final race at 4.40pm. Prize-money figures, which are expected to be lower than usual, will be announced in due course.

If Royal Ascot is your thing  and you have a bank specifically for this then lump it on yes to be on. Goes ahead you have a bigger bank, if not, you got nowt to bet there anyway. Was the same sort of  thing for Cheltenham which is more my cup of tea.

6 extra races and what a surprise they are all handicaps.

Yet again bookmakers delighted.

No surprise there.

if you specifically have a bank for royal ascot it surely isn't for this years event.  a royal ascot like no other, study the formbook all night and yours turns up looking like its been eating popcorn & watching netflix for the last month ...

thats it, bet these races will be there to stay, and  what this, from itv race 2 , and race 3 from the saturday.

Full schedule:

Day One, Tuesday, June 16:

Trophy Buckingham Palace Handicap
Trophy G1 Queen Anne Stakes
Trophy G2 Ribblesdale Stakes
Trophy G2 King Edward VII Stakes
Trophy G1 King’s Stand Stakes
Trophy G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes
Trophy Ascot Stakes

Day Two, Wednesday, June 17:

Trophy Silver Royal Hunt Cup
Trophy G3 Hampton Court Stakes
Trophy King George V Handicap
Trophy G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes
Trophy Royal Hunt Cup Handicap
Trophy Listed Windsor Castle Stakes
Trophy Copper Horse Handicap

Day Three, Thursday, June 18:

Trophy Golden Gates Handicap
Trophy Listed Wolferton Stakes
Trophy G3 Jersey Stakes
Trophy Listed Chesham Stakes
Trophy G1 Gold Cup
Trophy Britannia Handicap
Trophy Sandringham Handicap

Day Four, Friday, June 19:

Trophy Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap
Trophy G3 Albany Stakes
Trophy G2 Norfolk Stakes
Trophy G2 Hardwicke Stakes
Trophy G1 Commonwealth Cup
Trophy G2 Queen’s Vase
Trophy Duke of Edinburgh Handicap

Day Five, Saturday, June 20:

Trophy Silver Wokingham Handicap
Trophy G2 Queen Mary Stakes
Trophy G1 Coronation Stakes
Trophy G2 Coventry Stakes
Trophy G1 St James’s Palace Stakes
Trophy G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes
Trophy Wokingham Handicap
Trophy Queen Alexandra Stakes

Those big 30 runner handicaps now 12 runners? hence the consolation races??

Brilliant programme the Saturday looks exceptional can’t wait fingers crossed now everything goes ahead..


Differentdrum just don’t bother having a bet on the six added races pretend there not there rather than letting it spoil the fixture for you.

Duffy I don’t think it will apply to royal ascot ,not sure but don’t think it was a stipulation for racing restarting,

It does look fantastic and unlike football, no crowds will make little difference to the experience.

hard for French to come over now 14 days q

Fashion

It doesn’t apply to haulage so possibly horse transportation,I would hope they find away.

Wesley Ward is still looking to send his horses over but won't be attending himself, he'll use UK staff that he knows from the past experiences and are ready to look after his team, seems to be sweet on the chances of Kimari in the Commonwealth Cup (second in the Queen Mary last year).

Anyone know if christophe soumillon will be in attendance?

RA to go ahead a shorter price than Newcastle now..

No thank you, no form to go on, no idea re fitness, glad it is on, but no punt, think this season a write off for me.

I think it depends on the Governments 'exceptions' as to whether  christophe soumillon will be in attendance, cant see him want to be in quarantine for two weeks.

Never really thought about that TT but haven't France and the UK came to some sort of agreement?

I think the UK changed its stance on France but said that there would be some exceptions to the quarantine without giving out any details, lets hope he gets there.

What about France exemption?
Asked why there's no longer a quarantine exemption for people coming to the UK from France, Priti Patel says there are "limited" ones, details of which will be published later.

no exception for france only haulage etc from there..cant think horses will fall into that category

What are the rules re private plane landing at small private airport or something similar. I would think any easy way could be found if needed for Mon.Soumillon and Co.

York Ebor and Glorious Goodwood dates unchanged, link for the new fixture list is on the BHA website, at least three meetings a day scheduled until the end of August.

If everything goes to plan tiger once we have the eclipse one day late there’s absolutely no reason why the big fixtures won’t run on the the dates they are meant to do,unless one course doesn’t want to race without a crowd.

Carlisle bell at haydock

Carlisle Bell at Haydock? That wont please the locals, any reason for that foxy?

I believe Carlisle are not going to race this year tiger.ibut as I have said before on here almost all negative rumours in racing turn out false,

If we get through that fixture list with hardly any problems then everyone involved deserves a big pat on the back.

No Chester saturdays just a Friday and a Sunday,clearly they don’t expect crowds back anytime soon.

Sorry 2 Sunday’s

Agreed, it will be quite a while before we can go racing again. I do normally attend the Carlisle Bell meeting, its a cracking day out, certainly wouldn't travel to Haydock thats for sure, not my favourite place.

I’m a member at haydock

Midweeks as fine

I should think some of those tbc will be the Scottish tracks if not they will have problems.

Yes, the Scottish and Welsh tracks tbc as their Governments might have different ideas about start dates I presume.

I would be good for racing long term if Chepstow only raced over jumps ,it provides good racing in the winter and could end up been able to race more by saving the ground,

The ascot races you posted are mouthwatering it will be like Christmas for me now over the weeks leading up to it,only wished I could go

I'm just looking forward to the 1st of June, any racing will do after this long lay off. The Ascot cards do look mouthwatering and only three weeks away

Me to we are in a tricky situation to say the least,can’t believe the negativity by some ,72 hour decs=to many non runners ,drop in prize money = crap racing ,extra six handicaps at royal ascot = just to please the bookies, it will be great.

good to see all the positive racing men are posting on this thread..refreshing!!!
keep your fingers crossed

The vast majority of sane people have had enough now isleham we have to kick on with life otherwise there will be nothing left,

Will trainers still be expected to adhere to the Royal Ascot dress code, morning dress and top hat?

It’s 63 years since the Queen missed royal ascot I would doubt without her in attendance the rules would be enforced.

But I guess you already knew that

Does that mean that Wesley Ward might turn up wearing trainers?

Ward isn't coming over this year, just his horses.

As tiger says he isn’t coming over ,I think without the singalong after racing the trip isn’t as appealing.

Bound For Nowhere is one Ward is sending over again, ran twice already in the Diamond Jubilee, finished 3rd first effort when he had problems getting into the stalls, last year rand poorly but came back with a muscle problem before running a head second in a Grade 3 at Santa Anita, could be a decent price this year.

Had a bit on Mr Satchmo at 5.1 for the Listed Race at Bordeaux, back down in distance after a fair run in a Group 1 last time out should,put him there or thereabouts in this despite a couple of improvers being in the field.

i'm pleased they've added more hcps. i think there were too few before

They've only added more handicaps because of the limitation on maximum field size. Unless there's a major rethink before Ascot, the maximum numbers of runners in any handicap will be twelve. Not sure the Hunt Cup and the Wokingham will seem quite the same if nobody has to worry about the draw!

Totally agree zip hopefully they continue next year ,royal ascot is very expensive and 7 races a day would make the cost more acceptable,they should also add a 2 yo race to champions day to mawkish that a 7 race card.

Anorak I am not sure but I didn’t think 12 runners was a requirement just a suggestion.

would imagine the handicaps will be in name only with only 12 runners

Foxy,

This is from the official update on the BHA site, posted late yesterday:

All non-Pattern and Listed races will be limited to 12 runners per race. This reflects risk modelling that indicates that field sizes of 12 or fewer in non-Pattern and Listed races reduces the risk to participants on the track. Even though more races have been programmed at each fixture than would normally be the case, we recognise that this will increase competition for places. This will be reviewed at the end of the first week of racing.

Why does this daft forum now post what you've written so far if you start a new paragraph!

So Ascot is dependent on that review after the first week, but even then, hard to see them allowing more than 20 runners in any race, rather than the 30+ we'd normally get in the Hunt Cup, Wokingham and Brittania.

Yes I was aware of what the bha said at first the fact they are reviewing it at the end of the first week suggests it’s there decision,I agree with  gazo the handicaps won’t be the same if only 12 runners.

i think the 7f and 1m4f hcps had been lost over the last few years.

I would settle for 20 runners anorak.

They took the Buckingham palace out for the commonwealth cup zip

yes foxy read that this morning

Didn't realise that the 12 runner situation was being revised after a week, hope yet for Royal Ascot's field big handicaps?, I'm sure the trainers wont mind the short notice. But having scheduled consolation races would the BHA change the numbers allowed anyway? Satchmo went out like a light.

1.33 to go ahead..if they have consolation races they might keep it to 12. if not allow the 20 odd runners, whatever the limit is

Yes zipper, I'm just glad to have racing back and will settle for 12 runners maximum if that's how we have to do it at the beginning of June. Bring it on.

yes, something to look forward. i'm sure it'll be on!

With the King Edward the 7th Stakes now being run before the Derby do you think it will be used by the big stables as a trial for the Epsom Derby?

I would think so llamedos it’s been run on the opening day along with the ribblesdale (oaks)so very good timing.

This post rather negates my latest post re field sizes.Clarity needed,OH GOD HERE WE GO AGAIN,hope politicians don't stick their 4penneth in.

This post rather negates my latest post re field sizes.Clarity needed,OH GOD HERE WE GO AGAIN,hope politicians don't stick their 4penneth in.

1.26 now to back

1/4 in real money

1.16 now. Better than the 1/2 I fancied and still the same price as the 1st..

No Shergar Cup this year.

Day 2 at Ascot looks fantastic, four handicaps, sensational. If a crowd was allowed I'd pay four figures for a golden ticket. Four handicaps, just marvellous.

It would cost you a golden ticket just to get a golden ticket on day 2.