- Updates on a day that includes the Prince of Wales’s Stakes
- Email Tony here with your thoughts, or tweet him here
I’ve got my form experts working on the first betting heat of the day and they tell me that up until about an hour ago, pink was the hot favourite at 3-1.
However, smartbets.com report that the bookmakers have generally cut the odds on Her Majesty wearing a blue hat from 4-1 to 2-1. So what are the vital facts. Well, since 2005, the Queen has worn blue 13 times, followed by pink which has had 12 outings, white has been worn 11 times, green and purple seven times each, yellow worn five times in recent years, including yesterday, orange twice, and turquoise and brown once each.
John Gosden 3 wins
Willie Mullins 1
Charlie Appleby 1
Eve Johnson Houghton 1
Thank God for Eve J H, for breaking her way into this gathering of Racing’s Most Powerful. The only really big name missing would be that of Aidan O’Brien, who had 12 runners yesterday and had just a second and a third to show for it. Rhododendron running unplaced must have been a sore one and evidently more was expected of U S Navy Flag, though he hasn’t seemed the same horse this year as last. Still, none of O’Brien’s Day One losers started favourite and it would probably be a mistake to read much into their defeats. He was also blanked on the first day last year but ended the week with six winners. Today’s nine runners include two likely favourites in Kew Gardens and Hydrangea. Gosden, meanwhile, could be on his way to his best ever Royal Ascot. Five winners is his current best, achieved in 2012.
Written by Tony Paley, with Chris Cook and Greg Wood at Ascot
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/jun/20/royal-ascot-2018-day-two-live under the title “Royal Ascot 2018: day two – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
