NEWMARKET TURNS ROYAL FOR ASCOT

There is no race meeting like it anywhere in the world, with her Majesty the Queen attending every day to watch champion racehorses compete head to head over the week.

Today is the first day of Royal Ascot and one of our confirmed trainers to open at NOW (19^th and 20^th September), Simon Crisford, will be hoping for a good run from his first ever runner at the meeting First Selection in the Grp 2 Coventry Stakes. Other confirmed trainers to open at NOW include Roger Varian who saddles Steps in the Grp 1 King’s Stand and last year’s top class juvenile Belardo in the St James’s Palace Stakes today. Belardo is one of four Newmarket trained horses in the six horse race and will face tough competition from Aktabantay (Hugo Palmer), Latharnach (Charlie Appleby) and Consort (Sir Michael Stoute).

Luca Cumani will also be opening his yard this September and on Thursday will be aiming for wins with his two big runners Panoma and Mizzou. Mizzou is not the only Newmarket entry in the Gold Cup with Ed Dunlop and his recent Chester Cup winner Trip To Paris, the Marco Botti trained Tac De Boistron and John Gosden’s Forever Now all hoping to be crowned champion in the feature race of the day.

Newmarket is well represented for the entire meeting and the last two days will include Hugo Palmer’s other big Grp 1 hopes Home Of The Brave and New Providence, as well as Martyn Meade’s impressive filly Irish Rookie.

We would like to wish all of the Newmarket trainers and runners the best of luck at Royal Ascot this week. The Betfair Newmarket Open Weekend gives everyone the chance to catch a glimpse at these top class contenders and we look forward to welcoming you all to horseracing’s HQ come September.

Photo Credit: Ascot Racecourse