17:09 That’s it from day one of the three day September Festival, we have seen some cracking finishes.

Tomorrow is the big day and it was on the Saturday of this meeting that one F Dettori rode all seven winners, thirteen years ago.

17:06 Well Simon Walker has taken the series for the third time and he tried to take the championship in style on Balnagore, hitting the front three out and looking for a glorious victory to clinch the championship.

The favourite, Safebreaker, was a serious rival but his rider Joshua Moore (yes another one of the dynasty) found himself with nowhere to go along the rail and he had to switch, effectively costing him the race.

Mark Rimell, from another racing family, was the eventual party pooper, running on aboard the old timer Crossbow Creek, now an 11 year old, to grab a 1½ length victory.

16:53 In our final contest the focus is more on the riders than the horses as we have the final of the Bollinger Champagne Challenger Series, over a mile and a half.

This series runs throughout the season with the riders accumulating points, this being the twelth and final race.

Simon Walker, who has one the series twice before, comes into the final with an eight point lead, with only John Ennis in a position to challenge. To win the title Ennis has to win the afternoon and Walker has to finish outside the top three.

16:36 You do wonder how jockeys think sometimes. The Watership Down Stakes showed the best ground is on the far side of the course yet the field in this mile handicap still split into two before those on the near side tacked over halfway.

It was one of those contests where it was impossible to call a winner as they passed halfway with any one of them being in a position to win if good enough.

Not surprisingly the worked up Paquerettza took a strong early hold and was with the pace, indeed she led until two out.

Roar Of Applause was the first two run on as they approached the furlong marker, but Frankie Detrtori on Glowing Praise was tracking the leader and hit the front himself inside the final furlong.

Ryan Moore on Satwa Laird emerged as the final challenger and although closing on the leader, the line came in time for Glowing Praise, winning by a diminishing half a length.

16:17 A really tricky contest for our penultimate race, the DJP International Handicap over the straight mile, where 17 go to post.

These are seasoned three year old handicappers and there is little to choose between them in the parade ring, with Satwa Laird and Laughing Boy edging it in terms of positives.

15:59 This is turning into an afternoon of thrilling finishes and, once again, Judge Di Clarke is earning her money.

It was one of those contests where the complexion changed completely in the home straight.

Multiplication had set the pace, arguably too strong a pace as she was soon left on her own out in front although it was a question of when, no if, she would be overtaken.

It happened two out when Richard Hughes bought the favourite Polly’s Mark from second last to the front in a matter of strides and it looked like race over.

Unviza looked to be the biggest threat to the favourite as they came inside the final furlong, yet ultimately it was Spirit Of Dubai who proved to be the big threat to the winner as William Buick repeated what Kieran Fallon did earlier on, in producing Spirit Of Dubai with a perfectly executed run to deny the favourite on the line and claim a short head victory.       

15:40 The feature contest of the afternoon is the Princess Royal EBF Pricewaterhousecoopers Stakes, a Listed contest over 1½ miles.

Eight fillies go to post and Clive Cox’s Polly’s Mark is the 9/4 favourite. She and Princess Taylor were my paddock picks.

15:26 Well if you want a detailed blow by blow account of this contest then I suggest you read the comments in running in tomorrows Racing Post.

As tends to be the case at Ascot most of the runners made their way to the far side, including the favourite, Shamandar, who was drawn seven.

Theladyinquestion was the early pace setter on the far side, although the field were well bunched and throughout the race it was the bulk of the runners on the far side who held the advantage.

Dubawi Heights made a move for glory inside the final half furlong but the favourite tcacked every move as the pair battled to the line.

It must have been a very nervous final seconds for favourite backers as Dubawi Heights had clearly not read the script and she made sure Shamandar knew she was in a fight.

As they crossed the line Shamandar had the advantage but it was a hard fought victory.

The front pair finished two-and-a-quarter lengths clear of their rivals and it was Lenkiewicz who grabbed the final place ahead of She’s OK, the mount of Japanese rider Kosei Miura.

15:04 Twenty seven fillies go to post for the Watership Down Stud Sales Stakes over the extended six furlongs – despite the large number of runners it is a one horse field as far as the betting is concerned, with Shamandar the 10/11 favourite, although she looked a bit edgy going to the parade ring.

14:45 Another thrilling finish to our second contest, although this time the late challenge just failed.

The challenger happened to be the favourite, Enact, who was launched with a late room after coming up against a wall of horses – it could be argued Ryan Moore got his charge too well covered up.

The beneficiary was the 20/1 shot Rulesn’regulations who was with the pace from the start, taking up the running from Bonnie Charlie three out.

14:33 Global City has been withdrawn

14:30 Global City has run away with Frankie Dettori going to the start and is running round the round course the wrong way.

14:29 The first of our sprints for race two, the 6f Jean Bryant Memorial Handicap, for three year olds.

14:13 Whatever he may or may not do in his private life, it cannot be denied Kieran Fallon is one heck of a good jockey and he proved just how good in the opening contest, bringing Michael Jarvis’s Rainbow Peak with  a perfectly timed run to grab the opener on the line – anywhere else it looked he was not going to win.

Tryst ended up being an uneasy favourite drifting from an opening 10/11 out to 11/8, however punters looked to be laughing a furlong out as Ryan Moore hit the front on the grey. However the other grey in the contest, Greylami, soon emerged as the main challenger, hitting the front and
looking all the winner half a furlong from home.

In the centre of the course, Fallon was waiting and with a devastating final fifty yards he bought Rainbow Peak to the front where it mattered.

13:50 The EBF Ratcliffes Syndication Classified Stakes over 1m 2f opens the first day of this prestigious September meeting.

Eleven go to post and, as would be expected with seasoned campaigners, they looked pretty good in the parade ring.

Rafiqua looked very thin but I I don’t recall seeing her before I am not sure if she normally looks like that. Norwegian Dancer was slightly on his toes.

12:45 Good aftermoon from Ascot where the sun is shining and we are set for an excellent afternoons racing.

We still only have the one non-runner which will already be in your morning papers.

08:15 After a dry night the going remains Good, Good to Firm in places.

Our selections for this afternoon are:

Thursday overnight going report:

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

14:35
2 Global City (withdrawn)

16:55
9 Mae Cigan (stiff - VC 11:13 Wed)

Results

14:00 Classified Stakes 1m 2f

1st 10 Rainbow Peak 9/2
2nd 3 Greylami 13/2
3rd 5 Tryst 11/8 fav
11 Ran
Distances head & 1
Fav third
Tote
Win £4.90
Places £1.70 £1.90 £1.30
Exacta £41.30
CSF £32.91
Time 2' 05.72"

14:35 Handicap 6f

1st 8 Rulesn'regulations 20/1
2nd 4 Enact 2/1 fav
3rd 6 Son Of The Cat 12/1
12 Ran w/d 2
Distances neck & 1/2
Fav second
Tote
Win £23.80
Places £5.20 £1.50 £3.00
Exacta £71.20
CSF £59.17
Tricast £
Time 1' 13.61"
Rule 4 - 5p in the £

15:10 Fillies Sales Race 6f 110yds

1st 12 Shamandar 8/11 fav
2nd 2 Dabawi Heights 13/2
3rd 14 Lenkiewicz 40/1
27 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 2 1/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.80
Places £1.20 £2.30 £19.10
Exacta £6.90
CSF £4.43
Time 1' 21.39"

15:45 Fillies' Listed Stakes 1m 4f

1st 7 Spirit Of Dubai 20/1
2nd 3 Polly's Mark 2/1 fav
3rd 1 Mischief Making 16/1
8 Ran
Distances
Fav second
Tote
Win £14.70
Places £2.30 £1.30 £3.80
Exacta £38.00
CSF £59.51
Time 2' 30.26"

16:20 Handicap 1m (straight)

1st 9 Glowing Praise 9/1
2nd 1 Satwa Laird 7/1
3rd 7 Roar of Applause 25/1
4th 2 Laurie Grove 14/1
17 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 1 3/4
Fav 11 Laughing Boy 4/1 (15th)
Tote
Win £10.20
Places £2.90 £1.90 £4.40 £4.30
Exacta £112.00
CSF £69.17
Tricast £1,565.26
Time

16:55 Amateurs Handicap 1m 4f

1st 2 Crossbow Creek 25/1
2nd 4 Safebreaker 7/2 fav
3rd 3 Balnagore 5/1
11 Ran
Distances 1 1/2 & 1 1/2
Fav second
Tote
Win £47.50
Places £7.00 £1.60 £2.10
Exacta £113.40
CSF £113.06
Tricast £529.07
Time 2' 35.23"