Royal Ascot 2023 Highs and Lows

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
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Whether from from a punting or emotional (or whatever) point of view, what were your highs and lows for the week.

For me, disappointingly more lows than highs but the really big high was Mostahdaf in the POW. I love it when the figures pan out like that. I have to add, though, that my elation was tempered to a degree by a change in strategy for punting. I knew I'd be punting in just about every race so I went for drawing a fixed amount per race, which meant bigger stakes for shorties and smaller stakes for longshots. Normally I'd have had a full point each-way at the 28s (boosted from 25s) and that would have just about covered the week for me but instead decided I needed to be disciplined and stick to my strategy so ended up only having about a quarter of that on it. Seeing it win, though, was a huge emotional blast, on a par with the 14/1 shot in the same ownership that won the KGV by six lengths a number of years ago.

The lows mainly centred around 'shouldabins', ones that didn't win due to bad luck or poor rides. Not too many, to be fair, but they all hurt. And the beaten shorties because of the higher stakes.

Another low was the unpredictable bias on the straight course, which I'm convinced was caused by watering. The near-rail advantage on Friday was reversed, with jockeys eschewing that part of the track after the first race on Saturday.

Still, it was a proper racing spectacle [spoiled, for me, by the sycophancy and non-racing shite]. At least I only had it on in the background between races while I was going through the form for the racing two days hence.

Being down on the week would normally annoy me but I didn't seem to mind. I'll go back over my bets and work out if my normal approach would have made a difference and decide how to approach the July Meeting and Goodwood.
 
Highs - managed to finish with a + mainly by sitting on my hands & just enjoying the week for the spectacle it is

Low - not having time to watch some of the races (I look after grandkids 6 days a week)
 
In terms of the actual sport:

Highs - The spread of trainers and owners winning good prizes - Triple Time, Shaquille and I always pull for the Aga Khan when he has one over here as long as I've not had a bet in the race. Also enjoyed Godolphin drawing a blank honestly.

Lows - I thought the straight track races were garbage, I think the standard of jockeys isn't terrible at the top end but we haven't enough really good ones to go round. A problem in especially in big field races.

Punting:

Highs - I didn't have a winner all week but of the small batch of tracker horses I had at the meeting Kerdos, Have Secret and Lion of War all placed at decent odds and Land Legend would have if he'd not lost 4 lengths at the start of the race (I know the pace collapsed in that race but 4 lengths is 4 lengths). Only Lady Eros and Chelsea Green were disappointing. There's different versions of this week where Kerdos and Lion of War win and I come out ahead. Ultimately quite pleased with how the handicaps went.

Lows - I didn't get a sniff in any group race but that's just how it goes. Desert Crown missing the meeting was a death blow.
 
Highs - khaadem and Saturday in general as I had the first five winners.

Lows - letting the racing post put me off backing witch hunter. I'm never listening to those cunts again.
 
Highs - Khaadem, Witch Hunter, St Lawrence, Villanova, Big Evs, Mosthadaf, and (nearly) Sonny. All after a blank first day. Without a doubt my best ever. Roll on next year, but that's another week now where absolutely zero happens except horse racing. (edit Mrs Chaumi would say that's bollocks and it's 52 weeks already, but honestly, I do do some other stuff!)

High - The Newbury race form stamped good and proper. That was mildly worrying for a while....but I do have a theory that some just needed a bit more time to get over it. Which, if correct, bodes well for Forca Timao in a future race because he was pretty much the first back and has valid excuses for the two runs since.

Low - I would give it all back to see Canute withdrawn at the start or take another path.
 
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High - good racing and really enjoyable with bets in every race for fun and only a small dent in the pot I’d set aside in the end.

Low - Al Asifah disappointment. I really thought I’d seen the birth of a champion, but she had no excuses. Well positioned to come for her race, but no follow through. Maybe didn’t stay, but a true champion would have coped - only proper bet and costly.
 
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Euronymous said:
Sorry, but that horse had no form claims. Pure oh it's a big price I'll back it.
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Still a high for anyone that did back him. Depending on your interpretation of high in this context. Personally, I wouldn't have at gone in at 1000 if I really thought there was zero chance. We all have different interpretations. But it does illustrate something we all know...outsiders win. And regularly enough, too. Granted, in this case, it really was a long shot.
 
Pretty good week for me. Bradsell down in trip got me going at 33s. Loved seeing Mostahdaf do what he did.
Gold Cup was boootiful to watch also.

The Norfolk was painful. Absolutely bombed out. Ultimately cost me a fortune on an Acca.
The Chesham also. Pipped by one I had in the 3.
 
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Did anyone try/go close in the Placepot?

I see it paid just shy of £36,300.

I remembered after the first race thinking it was the last six races. Nowhere in those first two but would have been placed in the other five.
 
chaumi said:
Still a high for anyone that did back him. Depending on your interpretation of high in this context. Personally, I wouldn't have at gone in at 1000 if I really thought there was zero chance. We all have different interpretations. But it does illustrate something we all know...outsiders win. And regularly enough, too. Granted, in this case, it really was a long shot.
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Just been watching the replays. I'm more convinced now than yesterday that the centre of the track was advantaged. Khaadem was looking like a good horse in his younger days. He went up to 116 for winning the Stewards' Cup in 2019 and was beaten less than two lengths in this race the following year. It looks like they've just managed to sweeten him up again but he's not really achieved a great deal in beating Sacred. Highfield Princess, on the other hand, has routed everything that raced nearer the rail but got nowhere near winning. That would explain why the Wokingham field abandoned the near rail altogether and the winner of that was drawn 30.

It's not a result to read too much into.
 
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Absolutely! I have a lot of time for Spencer. He rode once for me and he was possibly one of the nicest jockeys I ever put up. He rode a two year old for me who was quite tricky and gave her a really nice ride to finish second. Afterwards he spent some time talking to me and told me what a nice filly she was but to put her away rather than be tempted to run her again as she was a little lit up due to immaturity and she’d benefit from it. I was a tiny trainer but he treated me with respect. Nice guy.
 
Euronymous said:
Could've done with Spencer being on Olivia Moralda tbf
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Only if he'd brought her through the centre instead of nearside. The pace was just faster than even early, even mid-race and slow late so would have suited Spencer but she got a Spencer-style ride. I just think the nearside turned out to be disadvantaged.

I'm trying to comfort myself with thoughts that losses due to such disadvantages are only lent and that I'll get the money back with plenty of interest in due course. She's already beaten colts so I've no concerns about her having to be restricted to her own gender. It's also possible she wasn't quite over Epsom, a career best and a very fast-run race, but only three weeks recovery time. There will probably be something at the July Meeting for her.
 
jinnyj said:
Absolutely! I have a lot of time for Spencer. He rode once for me and he was possibly one of the nicest jockeys I ever put up. He rode a two year old for me who was quite tricky and gave her a really nice ride to finish second. Afterwards he spent some time talking to me and told me what a nice filly she was but to put her away rather than be tempted to run her again as she was a little lit up due to immaturity and she’d benefit from it. I was a tiny trainer but he treated me with respect. Nice guy.
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Didn’t he say last season that he really wasn’t interested in doing the full rounds anymore and only wanted to be on horses that had a realistic chance.
 
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