The Highlights of Royal Ascot 2018

As usual Royal Ascot 2018 did not disappoint. There was the usual pomp and ceremony with the Royal Procession, fantastic array of fashionable ladies on show, lots of drinking and eating, as well as some very exciting horse racing and ecstatic winners. We have tried our very best to single out the very best and most interesting bits of the event.

33/1 outsider shocks the favourites

Accidental Agent won the first meet on the Tuesday at the Royal Ascot at 33/1 with popular bookmakers Unibet. Prior to this Accidental Agent had never won a group stakes race. His trainer, Eve Johnson Houghton, won her first Ascot race and first Group 1, as well as jokey Charles Bishop, who has improved dramatically this season.

The Queen Anne appeared to be wide open this year. The three favourites, Rhododendron, Benbatl, and Recoletos, were unimpressive and irrelevant at the end of the race, as 22/1 Lord Glitters beat Lightning Spear and Century Dream to second place.

Winning the Queen Anne means Accidental Agent now has automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Mile, which has an impressive $2m kitty.

Michael Stoute Breaks the Record (and again)

On Wednesday, Frankie Dettori was well expected to lead Cracksman to victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes as a 2/5 favourite at Unibet. However, he was left disappointed following victory from Poet’s World at 11/2, ridden by James Doyle. Victory gave Sir Michael Stoute a record breaking 76th Royal Ascot triumph, which means he amassed the late Sir Henry Cecil’s record of 75. Wining this race gives Poet’s World an automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Sir Michael only had to wait until the afternoon’s final race to achieve his 77th when Expert Eye easily won the G3 Jersey stakes, at 8/1. Jockey James McDonald was delighted in victory, achieving his first Royal Ascot success, saying: “He felt like a rocket ship out there. Credit to the horse, credit to Sir Michael – he’s a true legend.”

Merchant Navy just makes it

Merchant Navy edged City Light in a fascinating encounter to win the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and earned automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Merchant Navy was helped by favourite Harry Angel finishing seventh, following getting a leg stuck in the stalls.

Merchant Navy saw off US Bound For Nowhere, who was the pace setter that needed up finishing third, leaned on Merchant Navy in the final furlong and almost put him out it. Aidan O’Brien had only trained the winner for a few months, with Merchant Navy based in Australia until March.

Treble for Dettori, but a ban

Frankie Dettori and John Gosden completed a hat-trick on the opening day of Royal Ascot. Calyx was the first winner in the Coventry Stakes for Gosden. Calyx started the race as favourite who is a son of 2014 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Kingman. Next was victory in the St James's Palace Stakes on Without Parole. Dettori took up the running on Without Parole to claim a fourth win from four starts after long-time leader US Navy Flag faded. Without Parole has progressed from a maiden at Newcastle last December. The final victory of the day was Monarchs Glen in the Wolferton Stakes.

Despite his success, Dettori was suspended for seven days and fined £4,300 for using his whip above the allowed level.

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