Royal Ascot: 5 things we learned on day two

Lord North and Her Majesty take plaudits as nobility rules.

Reputations were on the line again on day two of Royal Ascot – here we reflect on lessons learned from the heat of battle:

Lord North is a cut above

Royal Ascot – Day Two
Lord North came from last to first before scooting clear in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Megan Ridgwell)

Lord North produced a memorable turn of foot to prove himself head and shoulders above the rest in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. The four-year-old, who has graduated out of handicap company, was a revelation once more as he turned his Group One debut into an unequal romp. John Gosden traces Lord North’s remarkable improvement back to a summer gelding operation last year. Often referred to as the ‘unkindest cut’, Gosden insists it has been anything but for a rising star who – in the trainer’s words – was being driven “completely mad” by testosterone and is now a much happier, and better, horse.

No stopping Crowley – or Moore

Royal Ascot – Day Two
Hukum took Jim Crowley’s tally to four at this year’s meeting (Megan Ridgwell)

James Doyle bagged the riding honours on day two, with victory on Lord North and then the Queen’s Tactical. But it is still Jim Crowley who leads the race to be top jockey at the meeting after adding a King George V Stakes success on Hukum to his treble 24 hours earlier. All have come in the same colours, and Crowley deserves as much credit for his sound choice from so many Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum contenders as his finesse in the saddle. Ryan Moore ensured, meanwhile, that he is at least mentioned in dispatches after his 60th Royal Ascot victory – thanks to Russian Emperor in the Hampton Court Stakes.

Emperor can measure up too

Royal Ascot – Day Two
Russian Emperor and Ryan Moore were tenacious winners of the Hampton Court Stakes (Megan Ridgwell)

There was perhaps not quite Lord North’s obvious streak of brilliance as Russian Emperor got the better of his Hampton Court rivals. Equally, though, there were no qualms about who was ultimately very much on top after challenging late. A half-length margin does not overstate the superiority of Aidan O’Brien’s colt, and a Derby bid may be in the offing in this strangely back-to-front season after a performance which indicated stamina will not be lacking.

Class is permanent

Royal Ascot – Day Two
Dark Vision returned to winning form in the Royal Hunt Cup (Megan Ridgwell)

Dark Vision just about, and at last, vindicated the old maxim with his Royal Hunt Cup success. It was a first win in 14 starts for Mark Johnston’s colt, and has come at a level a few notches down from the ambition presumably first entertained by Godolphin when Dark Vision was bought after starting his career with such promise in 2018. He is rated almost a stone lower than he once was, but may be able to continue to make up for lost time.

… Royal Ascot, by name and nature

Royal Ascot – Day Two
Tactical was an apt winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes for the Queen (Alan Crowhurst)

The Queen, like thousands of others, is unable to go racing in this coronavirus-ridden year. In her absence, confined to nearby Windsor Castle instead, her juvenile colt Tactical did not miss his cue in the race named after the royal residence. Tactical broke his duck, at the second attempt, continuing Andrew Balding’s fine start to a season which promises much for both owner and trainer.

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