Royal Ascot 2013 - Tuesday

Things will be different at Royal Ascot this year...

Firstly, Sir Henry Cecil, with 75 winners the most successful trainer of all time at this meeting, will not be present. His passing has been mourned by racing people around the world.

Above all else I will always associate the trainer with the Ascot Gold Cup at a time when the race and the great stayers were adored by the public. Le Moss beat stablemate Buckskin in 1979 and repeated the trick the following year beating Ardross three quarters of a length in a thrilling duel inside the final two furlongs.

Ardross was subsequently sold out of Kevin Prendergast's yard in Ireland and in 1981 turned up to collect the spoils, this time trained by H.R.A. Cecil. The following year the horse came back to win the same race on his fourth run of the season, breaking the track record in the process. Marvellous memories indeed...

This year sees Channel 4 cover the meeting for the first time, with every race scheduled to be shown live; presenter Clare Balding received an OBE for services to Broadcasting and Journalism in the Queen's Birthday Honours on Saturday.

Traditionalists have bemoaned the arrival of Royal Ascot coverage interrupted by advertisements but times have changed... The racecourse has struck its first sponsorship deal for this meeting in 302 years - Swiss watchmaker Longines is Royal Ascot's 'official partner' in a five year deal worth £7 million.

Reassuringly, other things are likely to remain much the same as ever, such as the below-par performance of the blog's tips. Here are brief comments for Tuesday's card...

In the opening Queen Anne Stakes 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom looks the one to beat but he'll be no price. Those looking to oppose will point out the trip is shorter than ideal and connections wouldn't relish soft ground if rain came. The each-way value about Elusive Kate disappeared in the week.

Shea Shea will be a warm order for the King's Stand but only two favourites have obliged in the past decade (Miss Andretti 3/1 2007 and Scenic Blast 11/4 2009). Currently priced at around the 2/1 mark, I'm not tempted.

It was a surprise to many to see Dawn Approach declared for the St James's Place Stakes after his performance in the Epsom  Derby two and a half weeks ago. Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician looks a threat but a minor setback in the past few days is a concern - Coolmore has also declared Mars, sixth in the Derby, as insurance. Connections have long been sweet on Toronado but he has enough to find on the book. Dawn Approach, racing back over a mile, is the percentage call but you couldn't have foreseen that performance at Epsom on Derby day - I'll watch from the sidelines. The favourite has obliged on six occasions in the past ten years.

My each-way chance in the Coventry is Wahaab at around 12/1.

I always like one with NH form in the Ascot Stakes (5.00). Last year Simenon took the spoils for Willie Mullins and then four days later added the Queen Alexandra Stakes for good measure; I'll look closely at Simenon if he goes in Thursday's Gold Cup - he met trouble in running last time in the Chester Cup. This year Mullins saddles Midnight Oil, rated 135 over hurdles in Ireland, and the Motivator gelding is the each-way suggestion at 10/1. On a line through Bondage this one wouldn't have much in hand over Philip Hobbs' Big Easy (fifth in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham off a mark of 136) but Hobbs' charge was slightly outpaced that day and that is a concern here.

Sunday shorts

Less than two weeks to the Epsom Derby and I still don't have much of an idea what what I'm going to back. At this stage, on grounds of value alone, I have to oppose St Nicholas Abbey. Henry Cecil's Bullet Train put in a decent performance to take the Lingfield trial but immedaitely after that race connections seemed to indicate they didn't think their charge good enough for racing's Blue Riband. Since then there appears to have been a change of heart, although Bullet Train doesn't give much away on the gallops. At the moment 10/1 Bullet Train is of some interest but I'm keeping my ear to the ground.

Canford Cliffs won Saturday's Irish 2000 Guineas in some style -that's two top milers in Richard Hannon's yard - the aforementioned Canford Cliffs and, of course, Paco Boy.

These days a trip down the local bookies to place a bet can lead to something else... Not only are you likely to be relieved of all your cash, there's a chance you could end up with a serious injury. Recently there has been an armed raid on a Ladbrokes betting shop in Peterborough while on Wednesday a policeman was stabbed in a betting shop in Bracknell, Berkshire.

Being the wrong side of fifty, I take that little extra delight in seeing an old-timer do the business. This evening then congratulations go to Ollie Magern who, at the ripe old age of twelve, rolled back the years and made all to win the Perth Gold Cup with something to spare at odds of 14/1.

Finally a story in the current Private Eye caught my eye but I don't have the issue to hand. Apparently a punter placed £20 with Paddy Power on Gordon Brown being the Prime Minister after the election. With the outcome a hung parliament, the punter expected to collect but was informed initially by the company that with a hung parlaiment there was no Prime Minister in post. A further query to the firm raised even more constitutional questions - I promise I'll try and dig out the details...

A few Flat notes

At the time of writing Peter Chapple-Hyam's Derby winner Authorized is a best priced 13/8 to win the Arc at Longchamp a week on Sunday. Authorized's preparation appears to be going to plan although recently his trainer admitted that several in his string were under the weather and there are no isolation facilities at the yard. If you fancy Authorized, it will pay to monitor the stable's runners over the coming week.

Henry Cecil has given a big hint that his Oaks filly Passage Of Time will be supplemented for the same race; she has been introduced into the betting at 33/1.

Kieren Fallon and five co-defendants are set to appear at The Old Bailey a week tomorrow to face charges relating to conspiracy to defraud punters. This high profile trial is expected to last three to four months and will generate huge media interest.

I guess Alec Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, is a guy you either love or love to hate. Whatever, his banter with the regulars of Channel Four's Morning Line on Saturday was most entertaining. My father-in-law, who hails from South West Scotland, often describes him as 'silver-tongued' and you can see why. A game my (sad) drinking companions occasionally play is to name a celebrity you would choose to have evening dinner with, giving reasons for your choice and some questions you'd put to the lucky celebrity concerned. After watching his performance on Saturday, Alec Salmond is right up there on my list.

Epsom Oaks

With further rain having fallen through the week, the going at Epsom is now soft. Fourteen runners go to post for the Oaks, Henry Cecil's Passage Of Time likely to start favourite. I opposed this horse in the Musidora at York and I'm inclined to do so again following her well documented problems with an abscess on her epiglottis. A bullish piece in The Weekender quotes Cecil as expecting both his fillies 'to be in the first three'. With that in mind, I'll be supporting the yard's Light Shift (currently 6/1 with Totesport) and may be tempted into a reverse forecast Light Shift and Passage Of Time. Should either of them oblige, there won't be a dry eye in the house.