South Africa at Royal Ascot

The Queen arrives at Ascot in 1961

Royal Ascot is one of Europe’s most famous race meetings dating back to 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne.  The first race, “Her Majesty’s Plate”, with a purse of 100 guineas, was held on 11 August 1711. Seven horses competed, each carrying a weight of 12 stones (76 kg). This first race comprised three separate four-mile (6437 m) heats.

In 1813 Parliament passed an act to ensure that the grounds would remain a public racecourse. In 1913 Parliament passed the Ascot Authority Act creating the Ascot Authority, an entity that manages the racecourse to this day.

Every year Royal Ascot is attended by HM Elizabeth II and various members of the British Royal Family, who arrive each day in horse-drawn carriages with the Royal procession taking place at the start of each race day and the raising of the Queen’s Royal Standard.  In fact, Queen Elizabeth once arrived at the famous festival aboard her grey horse, Surprise, cantering down the famous track in 1961.  The history, the pageantry and the Royal stamp of approval have made Royal Ascot one of England’s more prestigious racing festivals.  Last year was a particularly memorable meeting when the Queen’s filly Estimate, trained by Michael Stoute, won the Gold Cup.

This year, Mike De Kock fields a double-handed home-bred challenge on Royal Ascot’s opening day – Tuesday, 17 June 2014 – when Soft Falling Rain and Shea Shea will be carrying the hopes of a nation as they seek British Gr1 glory.   Speaking from Abington Place earlier this week, he commented “I’m very happy with them.  Steven Jell and the team here have done an unbelievable job with them since they’ve arrived from Dubai and everything’s looking really good.”

The Runners

Soft Falling Rain

Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly – Gardener’s Delight) was bred by Highlands Farms Stud and owned by Sheikh Hamdam Al Maktoum.  He will contest The Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile in the first race of the meeting and will be hoping to banish memories of his last visit to Ascot back in 2013.  On that occasion, on QIPCO British Champions Day, he was only able to finish 11th out of 12 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes behind Olympic Glory.  That was his third run in Britain last season and followed victory in the Group Two Joel Stakes at Newmarket.  Soft Falling Rain was also victorious three times in a row at the 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival, including in the Godolphin Mile on World Cup Night.  Since defeat on British Champions Day though, he hasn’t quite matched his form of 2013, with his two runs at the 2014 Dubai Carnival both resulting in defeat. However his run last time out, when runner-up in the Godolphin Mile on the World Cup card, has worked out well, with the winner Variety Club going onto Group One glory at Sha Tin in the Champions Mile.  If able to build upon that, and if the ground at Ascot remains on the quick side, then Soft Falling Rain with Paul Hanagan aboard is sure to have a chance of winning his second Group 1 and reversing last season’s form with Olympic Glory.

Shea Shea (photo Edward Whitaker)

Shea Shea (National Emblem – Yankee Clipper) is bred by Klawervlei Stud and owned by Messrs Brian Joffee and Myron Berzack.  he is a familiar name to punters around the world and has become a regular fixture in major international sprint races. With 11 wins from 24 starts, including three Group One’s, he is a genuinely world-class sprinter and will be looking for a change of fortune on British soil in The King’s Stand, which forms part of the Global Sprint Challenge.  He was second in this race last year to his old rival Sole Power, before excellent runs in the Group One July Cup (fourth) at Newmarket and Nunthorpe (second) at York.  He made his regular visit to the Dubai Carnival at the beginning of the year and won another Group race, the Group 3 Meydan Sprint, before being beaten only a ¼ length into third in the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night.  He is sure to run another big race at Royal Ascot and with leading French rider Christophe Soumillion likely to take the ride, expect him to be bang there in the closing stages.

The Going

Mike de Kock is hoping for firm ground for the South African runners, but the weather may upset plans. There was heavy rain on Friday night, leaving the Ascot going as good to soft, good in places on Saturday morning.

Tuesday’s Schedule

A full copy of the day’s card can be found at the Racing Post