Junior Bids To Follow-Up!

Today sees the start of the best five days of flat racing anywhere in the world, Royal Ascot.  It has been a lucky place for MCP and David, and David tries to follow-up last years Ascot Stakes success with Junior.  Junior is 10lbs higher in the weights than when romping home last year so it will certainly be a lot tougher but Ryan Moore is a positive jockey booking and I am sure he will be a great help in the saddle.

Connections of Junior receive the 2010 Ascot Stakes Trophy and are hoping to repeat this afternoon

Today sees the start of the best five days of flat racing anywhere in the world, Royal Ascot.  It has been a lucky place for MCP and David, and David tries to follow-up last years Ascot Stakes success with Junior.  Junior is 10lbs higher in the weights than when romping home last year so it will certainly be a lot tougher but Ryan Moore is a positive jockey booking and I am sure he will be a great help in the saddle.

MCP won this race on five occasions with Right Regent, Balasani, Sweet Glow, Riyadh and Sindapour, and of course David followed suit by scoring with Junior (pictured right).  I think my best memories came when Sweet Glow won for John "The Sweet" Fairbrother.  MCP would not hear of defeat for the horse, so John (who owned a sweet factory) had a right touch on him.  Balasani was another top-class staying hurdler and won in the hands of dual-purpose jockey Mark Perrett, while Right Regent was a class horse who won in the hands of that great American jockey, Steve Cauthen.  There is still a picture of Right Regent in MCP's office, being led in by Malcolm Zadel - sadly Malcolm is no longer with us, having passed away a few years ago - great memories nonetheless.

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Sir Henry Cecil has an incredible Royal Ascot record having won no fewer than 72 races at the meeting.  That is an amazing achievement, but afterall he is an amazing trainer.

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The usual novelty bets are being offered by the bookmakers, including the colour of the Queen's hat for today's meeting.  The bookies make yellow the favourite at 11/4, but my wife tells me that the 4/1 about peach is a standout...apparently Her Majesty likes to recycle plenty of her hats.  That came straight off the top of her head - let's hope that it stays on Her Majesty's head!

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We were all extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Bryan Westcott at the weekend.  Bryan was a well known and respected racing personality in the west country and he and his wife Ilva ran the South West Racing Club for many years.  They would work tirelessly and dedicated their time and energy into giving great enjoyment to many people.  Bryan organised numerous trips through the years, including a visit to France with a certain David Pipe (then aged nine) and they were always popular and well received.

Bryan was also involved in the ownership of Flying Officer who won four races and gave us a great day when taking us to Royal Ascot in 1983 - sadly he didn't win, although we were successful in the race with Right Regent.  More recently Bryan and Ilva owned winning hurdler Idian Mix and they were enthusiastic and gracious owners to have in the yard.

Bryan will be sadly missed by all of those that he has given so much enjoyment to throughout the years and his passing is a great loss to the racing fraternity in the South West of England.