The Hong Kong Jockey Club will simulcast for betting three days from the world famous Royal Ascot in the UK commencing on Tuesday 14 June.
Racing at Ascot has more than 300 years of history and over the years the Royal meeting has firmly established itself as one of the most famous events in sporting and social calendars. Over a five day period, some of the most prestigious Group races and household-name handicaps in world racing will be run. Since the turn of the 21st century, international participation has increased, thereby making Royal Ascot a truly worldwide event.
Proudly representing Hong Kong this year is the Richard Gibson trained Gold-Fun who heads to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) on Saturday 18 June, with Christophe Soumillon the likely partner. The seven-year-old has won 10 races since debut in 2012, eight at Group level including the HKG1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize and G2 Jockey Club Sprint at the distance.
Gold Cup Day on Thursday 16 June will be simulcast to Hong Kong for the first time. Commonly known as Ladies’ Day, the occasion sees female racegoers, whether celebrities or housewives, eager to impress with their stylish outfits and colourful millinery.
The G1 Gold Cup itself (4000m) is the most prestigious staying event in the UK and makes up the first leg of the Stayer’s Triple Crown. The supporting card is also of significance with the fastest two-year-olds set to battle it out in the G2 Norfolk Stakes up the straight 1000m. Meanwhile, Hong Kong racegoers would do well to keep a close eye on the three-year-olds in the Tercentenary Stakes and Britannia Stakes, as it is not uncommon to see some of those runners continue their careers in Hong Kong.
The meeting commences with King’s Stand Stakes Day on Tuesday 14 June, which features a G1 triple-header: the Queen Anne Stakes for the older crack milers, the King’s Stand Stakes for the speedsters and the St James’s Palace Stakes for the best of the male three-year-old milers.
The Ascot races to be simulcast are:
King’s Stand Stakes Day – Tuesday 14 June (1st race 9:30pm)
Queen Anne Stakes (G1 1600m for 4yo+)
Coventry Stakes (G2 1200m for 2yo)
King's Stand Stakes (G1 1000m for 3yo+)
St James's Palace Stakes (G1 1600m for 3yo colts)
Ascot Stakes (Handicap) (4000m for 4yo+)
Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed 1000m for 2yo)
Final declarations with barrier draws for the King’s Stand Stakes Day races will be available on the morning of Monday 13 June.
Gold Cup Day – Thursday 16 June (1st race 9:30pm)
Norfolk Stakes (G2 1000m for 2yo)
Tercentenary Stakes (G3 2000m for 3yo)
Ribblesdale Stakes (G2 2400m for 3yo fillies)
Gold Cup (G1 4000m for 4yo+)
Britannia Stakes (Handicap) (1600m for 3yo colts and geldings)
King George V Stakes (Handicap) (2400m for 3yo)
Final declarations with barrier draws for the Gold Cup Day races will be available on the morning of Wednesday 15 June.
Diamond Jubilee Stakes Day – Saturday 18 June (1st race 9:30pm)
Chesham Stakes (Listed 1400m for 2yo)
Wolferton Handicap Stakes (Listed 2000m for 4yo+)
Hardwicke Stakes (G2 2400m for 4yo+)
Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1 1200m for 4yo+)
Wokingham Stakes (Handicap) (1200m for 3yo+)
Queen Alexandra Stakes (4345m for 4yo+)
Final declarations with barrier draws for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes Day races will be available on the morning of Friday 17 June.
