Wesley Ward reckoned that finishing second was “like kissing your sister” but in coming so close to his third and biggest winner of the royal meeting on Saturday, this composed Californian has allowed Ascot to embrace the world. Largely due to him, this may now become the most truly international racing on the planet.
Having spent months in trepidation of a crash in crowds and atmosphere, Ascot can reflect on a triumphant week. Its urgent priority now will be to capitalise on the gains in two ways that could make next year's fixture still more cosmopolitan.
Ward's remarkable success will facilitate the recruitment of more American trainers for the sprint and juvenile races. “I'm sure it will open the door,” Ward said. “If other Americans could see how big Ascot is, they would know it's an honour to compete here.”
But Ascot is also intent on adding some international glamour to other disciplines. Mile and middle-distance horses are to be targeted, and thought given to formalising competition similar to the successful Global Sprint Challenge.
Charles Barnett, the chief executive, said: “We're already working on it and I would hope that the past week can only help. America and Australia are stronger in sprints but there is already an Asian Mile Challenge and maybe we can create a link and attract more overseas horses to our group one mile races.”
Whether two of them should be run before teatime on the first day is another matter. Ascot's policy of starting the meeting with three successive group ones, then spreading the remaining four thinly among 27 races that follow, is deliberate but dubious.
Barnett still defends it, believing in the wow factor to arrest attention. “But we haven't closed our minds to change,” he concedes. The truth is that Wednesday's card looked tame by comparison with the giddy action of Tuesday. Move the Queen Anne to day two, and revert to starting the meeting with the Coventry.
This portentous race for two-year-olds was won spectacularly this year by Canford Cliffs and the British team of the meeting, Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes. They shared three winners and finally buried the common calumny that Hannon is just a numbers man.
There is quality in his care now, as never before. On Saturday he suggested that Canford Cliffs could be targeted at the Prix Morny at Deauville, while his plan for Paco Boy is audacious, given that Hannon has only just won the heated debate over whether his colt stays a mile. “I've just got a feeling we ought to go for the July Cup,” he said. “He's certainly quick enough.” There, he might meet Ward's Golden Jubilee Stakes runner-up, Cannonball, but he would be sure to bump into Art Connoisseur.
Once regarded as a classic hope, he is reborn as a sprinter and denied the Americans their glory by landing another group one for Michael Bell in the Golden Jubilee. This was a considerable feat of training, as the horse suffered a setback last month and had been restricted to swimming until a fortnight ago. Bell's delight, though, was tempered by frustration.
With Jamie Spencer suspended, the ride on Art Connoisseur would have gone to Bell's second jockey Hayley Turner. The trainer maintains it is “crazy” that Turner is prevented from riding, after a stalls accident in March. Whatever the medical truth, it was a lost opportunity for Ascot - and racing in general - to grab some front-page publicity of the right kind.
Historically, Royal Ascot has deterred a large proportion of potential racegoers by its inclination to look down its collective nose. It is still possible to get such uneasy feelings but, fortunately, they do not come from the management.
Not only did they produce a record crowd of almost 79,000 on Saturday - a prompt to Cheltenham, surely? - but also an improved democratic mix. Racing remains pitifully poor at attracting ethnic groups, yet in midweek, a table of black women were enjoying the grandstand party mood. Asked their origins, they replied: “Africa via Croydon”. In a rewardingly international week, this was as gratifying as anything.
(Source: Timesonline.co.uk)
