ROYAL ASCOT
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 05:43AM Royal Ascot must surely be one of the most well-known racing events on the international calendar. The Melbourne Cup may stop a nation for a day, but this Royal meeting stops the world for a week.
It was Queen Anne who transformed the naked heathland at Windsor Castle into the arena for England’s most famous sporting tradition in 1711. Since then more money, more pride, more pedigree and more champagne has been splurged on the outcome of the events of these four days than on any other sporting action anywhere.
To line up at Ascot takes more than a measure of talent, and earning a cheque is a serious achievement. Those that lay claim to Group One success are the elite of the breed. Summerhill stallion MALHUB (Kingmambo/Arjuzah) is one such horse; he overcame major adversity, took on the best, and beat the best sprinters in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr1), including World Champion Juvenile, JOHANNESBURG.
This year, South African-bred J J THE JET PLANE carries the flag for South Africa in Saturday’s Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1), while MYTHICAL FLIGHT takes up the challenge in today’s Kings Stand Stakes (Gr1).
