17:55 Well that brings to an end a fantastic Royal Meeting. Goodnight from Ascot

17:45 It had to happen – they won the first race of the week, they won many during the week, so it is only fitting that the final race of Royal Ascot 2008 went to Johnny Murtagh and Aiden O’Brien as the favourite Honolulu to the Queen Alexandra in a battling finish with Distinction, appropriately from the Sir Michael Stoute, Ryan Moore combo.

Put simply they won 6 races or 20% of the races run at Ascot this week.

Invasion set the early pace in the race, a pace too much for his rivals as he was allowed a ten length lead turning out for the final circuit. By Swinley Bottom his moment of glory was over as the fiels bunched up and the race started in earnest five furlongs from home.

The well backed Ajaan was in the fore turning for home along with Merveilles and Metaphoric with  the  eventual first and second in close attendance.

Eventually the contenders dropped out leaving the pair to battle out the finish with Honolulu being the stronger to win by 1½ lengths to crown a triumphant week.

17:20 Just one race left at Royal Ascot 2008 and it is the longest race of the week, the Queen Alexandra over 2 miles 5 1/2 furlongs.

17:10 The layers smiles are even wider now as the well backed favourite for The Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes, Mad Rush, just failed to get up to beat the front running Sugar Ray, ridden by Ryan Moore for  Sir Michael Stoute.

The race was run at a good pace with the winner setting it with Ezdiyaad. The latter faded quickly leaving Sugar Ray with a good lead. The challengers were closing and in the end he only prevailed by a neck from the favourite with the running on King Charles in third.  

16:45 There is a flicker of a smile returning to the faces of the bookmakers with two long priced winners coming in.

That may well change as we have a couple of well backed runners in the final two races.

Outside there is a presentation to Johnny Murtagh for top jockey at the meeting, with two races left he now cannot be beaten.

16:35 Not wishing to blow my own trumpet here but in the preview for this race I wrote

“I can see this going to one of the so called unfancied trainers in the shape of Linda Perratt’s Big Timer”

I just wish I followed my own advice and backed the beast.

A nightmare race to follow with 27 runners spread across the field and the first three spread right across the field.

16:10 The winner was reappearing after finishing unplaced in the Kings Stand on Tuesday.

Trainer John Best said it was a joint decision with the owners to run today and “they had nothing to lose.”

 Both the trainer and the jockey, Seb Sanders, are adamant the horse still has plenty of improvement in him. Indeed John Best was of the opinion he was running green today.
Sanders added, “there are still some rough edges to knock off.”

15:50 It has taken five days but, at last, the home team manages to grab the feature race of the day, with the outsider Kingsgate Native , trained by John Best and ridden by Seb Sanders, taking the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

The field stayed in a single group, beginning in the centre of the course before moving towards the stand side.

The unfortunately named Fat Boy made the initial running with the major players held up. Sakhee’s Secret was the first of the favourites to crack. Whilst in the final furlong the Australian raider Takeover target was, once again to the fore, however challenges were coming from the winner as well as War Artist, who at one point looked the winner, Sir Gerry  with the Irish hope US Ranger a never nearer fifth and the French raider Marchand D’Or (who would have preferred more rain) sixth.    

15:30 Johnny Murtagh admitted he was caught flat footed on Macarthur in the last but the horse “powered on, finding more in the last 100 yards.”

Asked about his achievements this week he said he “knew I had a good book of rides, but I have to pinch myself.”

15:15 You can’t keep these Irish boys quiet. After a “day off” yesterday the Ballydoyle team are back as Macarthur takes the Hardwicke Stakes the hard way with a late run, just denying Multidimensional in the dying strides of the mile and a half contest.

Happy to track the leaders in a race where the pace was set by Shahin, who eventually ran out of steam turning for home.

Multidimensional looked to be the winner a furlong out as Macarthur seemed to be labouring in his challenge, however he found just enough to take the race on the line.

Maraahel, attempting to win this race for the third year running, finished third.

14:50 I have to say I have not seen The Queen so happy and delighted, what a fantastic start to the afternoon.

Jockey Richard Hughes said he "loved every minute of it" and that it was "very special and a privilege"

Trainer Richard Hannon  said the horse was ”very backward” but “very nice.”

He added that he thought they were “in trouble” after a furlong and a half and that he was pleased the horse was going away at the end.

Free Agent will now be rested at least until the end of the season and possibly until next year.

Needless to say I did not get an interview with The Queen – the response, as I expected, was “don’t even go there.”

14:45 We have just had the unusual sight of The Queen being presented with a winners prize, it os often the other way round here.

14:40 The first race of the afternoon turned out to be a good test for the construction of the new grandstand as the roar that greeted the winner was enough to raise the roof.

The reason for the celebration? The winner, Free Agent, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Richard Hughes is owned by Her Majesty The Queen.

Sent off the 7/2 joint favourite things didn’t look too good early on as the royal charge seemed to clip heels and ended up in last place. This didn’t seem to faze the jockey as with a patient ride he seemed happy to track the filed. Two furlongs out he found space and launched a last to first challenge winning by an easy  2¼ lengths from the other joint favourite Seaway, who looked the winner two out.

Third place went to Markyg.

13:15 An official going change at 13:00

GOOD TO FIRM, FIRM IN PLACES

This follows 4.4mm of rain up to 11:30

The going stick reading is 11.7 on the straight course, 8.9 on the round course and 10.00 overall

The weather is currently dry but I would not be surprised if we had more rain - there are some ugly grey clouds around.

13:00 I have just been for a stroll round the enclosures, the crowds are still arriving.

Although unlike the previous days more people seem happier to stay inside the main stand and fewer are venturing outside.

There is a good buzz and I have to say there seem to be more chaps here today, presumably a weekend crowd making the most of a day off work.

I think I have seen the “winning” hat – a young lady called Maria wearing a hat covered in what can best be described as re-cycling. Empty plastic bottles and food packs but all miniatures. It is quite impressive and it needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.  She is bound to appear on the TV coverage and she will undoubtedly be in many of tomorrows papers. Although I have a suspicion the "fashion police" on the BBC will rip it to shreads.

12:35 Very quiet on the betting front today which is surprising for a Saturday.

There is some money for Mcarthur to continue Aiden O’Brien’s very successful week, although he did manage a blank day yesterday. Some layers are now as low as 5/4 although at least one is still offering 7/4, which is quite a spread.  

In the first Boylesports are reporting support for Seaway and there is some each way support for Swindler.

In the 3:05 as well as the support for Mcarthur money is also coming in for Spanish Moon.

In the Golden Jubilee three, Marchand d’Or, Sakhee’s Secret and US Ranger, are attracting some money as well.

In the later races there is little of any significance to report.

11:20 I have just ventured outside and the rain has all but stopped, just a few spits and spots in the air.

10:45 The doors have opened for the final day of Royal Ascot 2008 and the crowds are starting to arrive.

It is still dank with drizzle but ,so far, it doesn’t seem to have got into the ground.

09:50 Good morning from Royal Ascot where there is a very fine drizzle.

We are still awaiting an official going update but the feeling is the overnight precipitation has not got into the ground that much.

At the moment we have just the one non-runner.

Return to race archive

Non-Runners

3:05
1 Lurcano (going)
10 Supersonic Dave (high temperature)

3:45
19 Myboycharlie (going)

4:25
23 Orpsie Boy (bad scope)

5:35
1 Balkan Knight (going)

Results

2:30 Chesham Stakes

1st 3 Free Agent 7/2 jf
2nd 9 Seaway 7/2 jf
3rd 6 Markyg 22/1
11 Run w/d No 10
R4 10p in the £
Distances 2 1/4 l & 1 1/2 l
Tote
Win £2.90
Place £1.30 £1.20 £10.80
Exacta £7.70

3:05 Hardwicke Stakes

1st 4 Macarthur 11/8 fav
2nd 6 Multidimensional 25/1
3rd 5 Maraahel 5/1
9 Run NR 1 & 10
Distances neck & 5 l
Tote
Win £2.80
Place £1.30 £5.60 £1.60
Exacta £50.30

3:45 Golden Jubilee Stakes

1st 18 Kingsgate Native 33/1
2nd 13 War Artist 8/1
3rd 20 Sir Gerry 20/1
19 Run NR 19
Distances 1 1/4 l & 3/4 l
Tote
Win £48.00
Place £11.00 £3.90 £7.30
Exacta £452.50

4:25 Wokingham Stakes

1st 20 Big Timer 20/1
2nd 21 Beaver Patrol 16/1
3rd 27 King's Apostle 11/1
4th 28 Knot In Wood 10/1
27 Run NR 23
Distances 1/2 l & nose
Tote
Win £35.20
Place £6,90 £4.60 £3.20 £3.10
Exacta £1048.78

5:00 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes

1st 16 Sugar Ray 8/1
2nd 7 Mad Rush 5/2 fav
3rd 6 King Charles 18/1
4th 2 Young Mick 20/1
19 Run NR's 20 , 21 & 22
Distances Neck & 1 3/4
Tote
Win £7.30
Place £1.60 £1.50 £5.20 £3.60
Exacta £28.00

5:35 Queen Alexandra Stakes

1st 4 Honolulu 7/4 fav
2nd 2 Distinction 8/1
3rd 17 Metaphoric 14/1
16 Run NR 1 Balkan Knight
Distances 1 1/2 l & 11 l
Tote
Win £2.90
Place £1.60 £2.30 £4.90
Exacta £18.60