Amongst the early decisions taken by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in this peculiar year of the pandemic was to signal to the world that the historic Royal Ascot race meeting would go ahead in mid-June as originally (i.e. pre-pandemic) scheduled. The other pieces of the Pattern Race puzzle were then assembled on either side of the five-day pageant and, as we have seen, the Guineas have been successfully held under the strict protocols that are now de rigueur. For the first time ever, the Derby and Oaks will follow Ascot rather than precede it. 

The royal meeting is usually the pinnacle of what the sport of horse racing has to offer worldwide and fortunately many of the leading equine stars will turn up, although it will be strange to see them performing without any spectators. Normally the attendance for all the days put together is of the order of 300,000. Five additional handicaps have been added to the programme to provide chances for more horses to race – this will go some way to compensate for the lost opportunities during the lockdown. 

Also some of the 36 events have been juggled around in view of the unprecedented circumstances. Next, gross prize money has been slashed from the original £8,095,000 to just £3,680,000, a consequence of the loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak. But then Royal Ascot has never been about the money – it’s all about prestige and tradition.

Speaking of tradition, 2020 will mark the first occasion, since her ascension to the throne in 1952, that Queen Elizabeth II will be unable to attend the meet. Thus the familiar sight of the Queen arriving just before the start of each day’s action in a horse-drawn carriage, as she has done annually for 68 years, will be missing.

Equine action begins on Tuesday, June 16th at the Berkshire track in England, West of London with a handicap at 1:15 p.m. local (5:45 p.m. IST), followed by the first of the eight Group 1 events. This is the Queen Anne Stakes (1 mile, 1:50 p.m.), named in memory of the British Monarch who established horse racing at Ascot Heath in 1711. Run on the straight course, the race has drawn 16 runners ranging from Accidental Agent (by Delegator), a shock winner of this very race in 2018 to Terebellum (by Sea The Stars). 

In view of the excellent start to this truncated season made by Irish ace, Aidan O’Brien, from his Ballydoyle Stables in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, his chosen representative here Circus Maximus (by Galileo) warrants a following. Ryan Moore, wearing the Niarchos silks, will do duty on the 9 to 4 chance who surprised racegoers last year by developing into a miler after failed efforts over further. Should fitness become an issue, then Terebellum, who was last seen just 10 days ago when annexing a Group 2 at Newmarket, could give Frankie Dettori his first win of the meeting. The Godolphin filly’s schooler, John Gosden, also has his stable humming along at a very high frequency, with 29 wins in just a couple of weeks!

A number of other potential winners are in the line-up, such as the seven-year-old Mustashry (by Tamayuz) and 2018 QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine and Billesdon Brook (by Champs Elysees), now a five-year-old, who has had the benefit of a prominent run at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago. However, she has not faced open company since the Lockinge Stakes last year. Duke Of Hazzard (by Lope De Vega) is coming off a hat trick of black-type triumphs but all were some 300 or more days ago. He could still have some improvement left. The BHA now allows training partnerships to be registered and the last-named is trained by the team of Paul and Oliver Cole. 

Next come the Gr.2 Ribblesdale Stakes (2:25 p.m., 3yo fillies) and the Gr.2 King Edward VII Stakes (3:00 p.m., 3yo colts and geldings), both over 1-1/2 miles, which were regarded as consolation prizes for those who did not measure up to Oaks or Derby level. With the schedules flipped, they will act this year as trials instead.

That brings us to the Gr.1 King’s Stand Stakes (3:35 p.m., 5 fur.), which sees the return of the high-class sprinter, Battaash (by Dark Angel), from Charlie Hills’ yard. In view of his form, allied to scintillating workouts at home, the enigmatic gelding will start at a shade over half-money, which would be a niggardly return on a six-year-old that has issues. There have been several occasions when he seems to be “not in the mood” and runs flat, interspersed with moments of sheer brilliance. 

None of his 10 opponents is quite in the same class. The best of them are Equilateral (by Equiano), stablemate of the favourite, and Glass Slippers (by Dream Ahead), a thoroughly genuine sort who was last seen winning the Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp over in Paris last October in an authoritative manner. Kevin Ryan’s Yorkshire-trained filly would have every chance if the counterfeit Battaash turns up. 

At 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17th, just seven will line-up at the 10 furlongs start for the Gr.1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Missing from the line-up are Juddmonte’s Enable (by Nathaniel), Godolphin’s Ghaiyyath (by Dubawi) and the Japanese globetrotter, Deirdre (by Harbinger), all waiting for the Eclipse Stakes over the same trip on July 5th. 

The Coolmore hope, Japan (by Galileo) was the best of their classic candidates last year, despite being nosed out narrowly in the Investec Derby by stablemate Anthony Van Dyck. Fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, he can get 2020 off to a rollicking start here at odds of around evens. Sub-fertile as a stallion, Barney Roy (by Excelebration) was put back in training and gelded. He won both his starts this year at Meydan in Dubai in the Godolphin silks and should be fitter than most. William Buick steers the 5 to 1 six-year-old for Charlie Appleby.

Addeybb (by Pivotal) earned a ton of money in Australia from just a couple of starts there when sent out on an enterprising mission earlier this year by his accomplished handler, William Haggas. He has been most consistent and should figure in the shake-up at the rather generous price of 10 to 1. Good horse though he is Headman (by Kingman) will need to have progressed significantly if he has to ensure that his writ prevails. 

Recent winner Lord North (by Dubawi), one-time classic hope Bangkok (by Australia) and the well-bred Mehdaayih (by Frankel) round off the field.