16:06 That's it from Ascot where there has been classic jumping weather. Some good racing and it bodes well for the remainder of the season.
Our next live action comes from Warwick on Monday.
15:56 A bumper to end proceedings and a race run in the pouring rain.
Riverside Theatre was sent off favourite, aiming to give Barry Geraghty / Nicky Henderson a treble on the afternoon.
The form book will tell you it was a case of mission accomplished. The reality is the favourite had to work really hard for his victory.
Settled mid-division he never looked to be really keen and he was certainly receiving reminders three quarters of a mile from home. Settled about fifth he ran on for pressure in the home straight, taking the lead approaching the furlong marker.
However, even when in the lead it wasn’t straightforward. Geraghty had to keep working to the line and the runner-up Abbervillian did his best to fight back.
Swansbrook, who was last going out on the second circuit, ran on well to claim third place.
15:42 Have just watched the Charlie Hall on TV and am somewhat envious as it looks to be sunny at Wetherby, unlike the wet and dank Ascot.
No surprise that Ollie Magern set the pace but by halfway the six runners were all in with a chance.
First to crack was Hard Act To Follow, who was tailed off when falling five out.
Turning for home it was still Ollie Magern who was leading, with Snoopy Loopy the challenger.
Snoopy Loopy hit the third last leaving Ollie in front.
Coming to the last Ollie Magern was still in the lead but the favourite State Of Play was closing in on the leader.
On the run-in State Of Play wore the leader down as the ten pound weight concession took its toll and State Of Play wore down the long time leader to take victory in the final strides.
A brilliant race with the first two putting in career best runs.
Third placed Snoopy Loopy also did well, especially considering the jumping mistakes. Without those mistakes it could well have been a three way go for the spoils.
All in all a great race and one to savour.
15:22 To call our sixth event a race is probably stretching the definition of a race to its literal limits.
Can I make it sound exciting, well without exaggerating the answer is no.
Psychomodo was sent into the lead by Wilson Renwick and was never headed and never really challenged. The only slight moment of concern came as they began the turn for home when the front runner looked to be fading, however after a couple of backhanders from his pilot the Brendon Powell trained gelding responded and won as he pleased.
There wasn’t really a race for the runners up spot either with Slash And Burn held that position almost throughout, only being briefly headed by joint favourite French Saulaie doen the far side. The joint favourites challenge soon faded and he only finished fourth.
Third went to Poker De Sivola, who ran on but wasn’t good enough to challenge.
The other joint favourite, the well backed Ringaroses, made several jumping mistakes and after almost falling at the 10th Timmy Murphy pulled the gelding up.
14:49 It isn’t very often you get a ten runner race with two odds-on runners.
Mad Max was the original odds-on favourite but he reared in the saddling box and cut his head, which resulted in his being withdrawn.
When the new market was formed Leo’s Lucky Star was installed the second odds-on favourite of the race.
The race itself was run at a funereal pace in the early stages and it is a surprise the runners had enough momentum to get over the first flight. For what it’s worth the field was “taken along” by Saint Eric and Taipan’s Promise.
As they turned out on their second circuit Timmy Murphy had clearly had enough of the lack of pace and he took Indian Blood through to be the reluctant leader.
He retained the lead until turning for home when Norman The Great and the favourite came with their challenges.
It was the favourite, under AP McCoy, who was clearly the class horse and he was soon in front to record a facile victory, the official three length margin of victory not telling the full story as he was eased. The battle for second was more interesting with Norman The Great getting the better of Wizard Of Odds by a neck.
14:40 In Ireland Kauto Star has recorded a facile victory
14:16 A cracking chase for our fourth event with another well backed favourite, although in contrast to the last race the favourite did fare better.
Charlies Future was the pacesetter for the first circuit, tracked by Air Force One. As they approached Swinley Bottom Air Force One took up the running, possibly under sufferance.
Coming down the far side Air Force One still had a good lead with Gungadu looking to be the main challenger.
Turning for home it looked to be a two horse race but favourite backers must have been smiling, however Air Force One showed the first sign of tiredness making a slight mistake at the second last.
Meanwhile Roll Along, trained by Carl Llewellyn and ridden by Barry Geraghty, was making an eye catching rub from the pack, easily passing Gungadu and closing on the favourite.
The race was decided at the last where Air Force One made another slight mistake with Roll Along looking the fresher horse.
In the run in the race was over with Roll Along recording a comfortable four length victory.
13:42 Race three saw one of the best backed horses of the day anywhere in the shape of Font.
Settled mid-division by AP McCoy the gelding hit the fifth flight really hard, effectively ending any chance he may have had.
At the business end Alsadaa was the pace setter from flag fall, leading the field until approaching the final fence, where Sentry Duty took up the running. Indeed running on very well to record a six length victory from King’s Revenge who had been settled just behind the leaders throughout.
Blue Bajan ran on very well from out the pack to take third. Indeed it could be questioned if the third was unlucky as he was almost bought down by Font’s blunder.
Backers of Alsadaa have every right to feel miffed as this was a sixteen runner handicap until the late withdrawal of King’s Head.
13:10 An incident packed race for our second in which thirteen set off but only seven finished.
We had our first casualty at the first when Modicum fell.
The pace, and it was a strong one, was set by Its Crucial, who as they passed the judge for the first time had a 15 length lead.
The pursuing pack was headed by the old boy Bleu Superbe, now a thirteen year old, with Stan tracking.
The fifth fence saw the departure of Orpen Wide and, some time after the fence, Oceanos Des Obeaux. (Orpen Wide’s jockey Lee Vickers was stretchered off the track)
Two fences later Golden Feather departed.
All the time Its Crucial was leading, but as the race progressed his lead reduced until the old timer took the lead two from home, by which time the remaining runners were well strung out.
Liam Treadwell took Bleu Superbe into the lead and never looked to be in any danger. Best of the rest was Stan who was running on best of all at the end to finish 4½ lengths behind the winner, givin trainer Venetia Williams a 1-2 in the race.
Moon Over Miami was sent off the 5/1 favourite and, as is often the case, was a right sod going down. Never in the race he finished a never nearer sixth.
12:35 Well it may have been drizzling before racing but by mid-race it was lashing down.
A just short of 2½ mile hurdle to get proceedings underway.
Not the fastest of races with the initial pace, as it was, being set by Tootsie Too, attended by Karasakal and Alaghiraar.
There was little change in the order until they turned out of Swinley Bottom approaching four out when Kasasakal and Alaghiraar took up the running, leaving Tootsie Too looking flat footed.
Of the pair Alaghiraar was soon in front and Southern Report briefly challenged with a run that ultimately flattered to deceive.
Turning for home, Kasasakal , Alaghiraar and Busker Royal were to the van although the latter had to be snatched up by jockey Barry Geraghty to prevent him running out.
Coming to the second last Karasakai had run his race and we were looking at a duel for the finish.
Alaghiraar and Busker Royal jumped the second last alongside one another, it was the same approaching the last, however at the last Alaghiraar landed flat footed and threw away any chance, handing the race to Busker Royal.
Well I say handed theee race to him as Cavallini emerged from the pack with a blistering run to come within half a length of the winner and another running on challenger, Prince Du Beury, took third spot.
12:23 They are going down for the first and it has started raining - well more of a drizzle but it is not very nice.
11:04 Here we are at the start of the Ascot 2008 / 2009 Jump season, seven decent races with good size fields this afternoon.
The weather is seasonally cool and is currently overcast, with the possibility of some rain later.
The official going is Good and we have one non-runner so far, details on the right.
As well as events here we shall be casting half an eye elsewhere, in particular Wetherby at 3:35 for the Charlie Hall chase and, an hour earlier, across the Irish Sea to Down Royal for Kauto Star's seasonal re-appearance.
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Non-Runners
1:35
16 King's Head (going)
2:05
13 Aztec Warrior (Lame)
2:40
4 Mad Max (w/d)
3:15
11 Swordsman (going)
Results
12:30
1st 2 Busker Royal 5/2 fav
2nd 8 Cavallini 10/1
3rd 5 Prince Du Beury 25/1
14 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 3
Fav winner
Tote
Win £4.30
Place £2.90 £3.30 £8.00
Exacta £56.50
CSF £28.48
Tricast £536.74
Time 4' 44.3"
1:05
1st 10 Blue Superbe 20/1
2nd 3 Stan 8/1
3rd 13 Its Crucial 8/1
13 Ran
Distances 4 1/2 & neck
Fav 2 Moon Over Miami 5/1 (6th)
Tote
Win £27.90
Place £6.80 £3.00 £3.80
Exacta £146.80
CSF £176.73
Tricast £1,142.02
Time 4' 08.6"
1:35
1st 5 Sentry Duty 11/1
2nd 12 King's Revenge 16/1
3rd 1 Blue Bajan 8/1
15 Ran w/d 16
Distances 6 & 1/2
Fav 6 Font 5/2 (upl)
Tote
Win £15.70
Place £4.60 £6.40 £2.80
Exacta £214.30
CSF £174.43
Tricast £1,512.77
Time 3' 41"
2:05
1st 5 Roll Along 5/1
2nd 4 Air Force One 9/4 fav
3rd 1 Gungadu 10/1
12 Ran NR 13
Distances 4 & 12
Fav second
Tote
Win £8.60
Place £2.50 £2.00 £2.70
Exacta £20.50
CSF £17.90
Tricast £110.55
Time 5' 55.1"
2:40
1st 1 Leo's Lucky Star 10/11 fav
2nd 6 Norman The Great 8/1
3rd 10 Wizard Of Odds 10/1
9 Ran w/d 4
Distances 6 & 1/2
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.70
Place £1.10 £1.50 £3.00
Exacta £9.70
CSF £9.78
Time 3' 52.0"
Rule 4 50p for all bets placed before market reformed at 2:3940
3:15
1st 6 Psychomodo 8/1
2nd 10 Slash And Burn 10/1
3rd 5 Poker De Sivola 14/1
10 Ran NR 11
Distances
Fav's 7/4
2 French Saulaie (4th)
7 Ringaroses (PU)
Tote
Win £8.10
Place £2.00 £1.60 £2.80
Exacta £99.30
CSF £79.60
Time 4' 48.3"
3:50
1st 1 Riverside Theatre 11/10 fav
2nd 2 Abbevillian 8/1
3rd 13 Swansbrook 20/1
15 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 5
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.30
Place £1.70 £4.10 £3.70
Exacta £21.10
CSF £10.19
Time
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