Ascot Races, September 2022
After the excitement and drama of the prestigious summer events on the course such as the Royal meeting and King George meeting, it was a quieter meeting at the world famous Ascot racecourse and for me personally, a first visit to the historic venue.
The second leg of a two day event to ease into the autumn months with the September meeting at the Berkshire course which was headlined by the 3 year olds only handicap, the Lavazza Handicap. The race was won last year by Chalk Stream, a Royal winner for owner Her Majesty The Queen. This year's renewal was dominated by Godolphin with five of the eleven runners all owned by the Dubai powerhouse. Godolphin had to settle for third at best as La Yakel swooped down the centre of the course to deny First Ruler and Chairman in an exciting finish to continue his upward curve under promising apprentice Adam Farragher.
On a card full of competitive class two handicaps in keeping with the quality expected at Ascot, plenty of familiar faces lined up in the National Racehorse Week Handicap over seven furlongs. The likes of Accidental Agent, Ropey Guest, Fresh, Star Of Orion and Royal Ascot winner Inver Park were all in attendance and it was the course specialist Fresh who landed the spoils and took home another Ascot trophy. Making his move on the outside of the pack, he relished the softer ground to deny the fast finishing Silent Film and Star Of Orion in a typically close Ascot finish.
Informative juvenile maidens are a staple of Ascot with a host of well regarded youngsters making their debut in the opener. The race went the way of U S S Constitution who built on a promising debut at Sandown to go two places better this time for trainer Ed Walker and jockey Saffie Osborne.
Rounding off the card, there were wins for Urban Sprawl in a desperately tight photo finish in which the first three were seperated by a pair of noses, the promising filly Crystal Caprice continued her late development for trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a third win in a row, Lethal Nymph rediscovered his potential by winning the six furlong handicap and finally the well-handicapped Whenthedealinsdone bolted up in the five furlong handicap, showing his rivals a clean set of hooves.
Race Winners:
U S S Constitution (U S Navy Flag x Stor Mo Chroi) - Ed Walker - Saffie Osborne.
Urban Sprawl (Iffraaj x City Glam) - Charlie and Mark Johnston - David Probert
Fresh (Bated Breath x Kendal Mint) - James Fanshawe - Danny Tudhope
La Yakel (Time Test x Tebee's Oasis) - William Haggas - Adam Farragher (5)
Crystal Caprice (Frankel x Crystal Zvezda) - Sir Michael Stoute - Ryan Moore
Lethal Nymph (Lethal Force x Little Nymph) - Clive Cox - John Fahy
Whenthedealinsdone (Dark Angel x Maureen) - Roger Teal - Danny Tudhope.
