Lola Showgirl snipes Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot
Jockey Frankie Dettori on Stradivarius after defeat in the Gold Cup on Ladies Day at the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 17, 2021.
An unhappy Silvestre de Sousa declared the starters were impatient while he was in the Kensington Palace Stakes gates. Their attitude actually cost him the race on Stunning Beauty.
Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (C) and Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (L) look on as Ryan Moore (bottom-R) holds the trophy after riding Love to victory in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes on the second day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 16, 2021.
Silvestre was simply unable to remove the hoody before opening time. Punters and bookmakers were equally miffed when they were forced to hang on for half-an-hour after the final event, to determine whether Stunning Beauty would be deemed a participant, or that bets could be refunded.
The former champion jockey immediately pulled up his 7-1 stunner, once they had finally exited stall three having been left trailing. Other riders were urging the Starter to wait, but he pretended not to hear them.
Anyway, Lola Showgirl (Laura Peterson 12-1), pretty much led the whole mile, edging Ffion (Richard Kingscote 10-1), Waliyak (David Egan 9-1), Declared Interest (Rob Hornby 11-1), and Pholas (Hollie Doyle 50-1), all of these reaching to within a length of Lola. Seventeen contenders were sharp as buttons, but most were spent by the end. Now, questions still arise as to whether or not this Kensington Palace Stakes will be declared void due to faulty mechanisms.
This would be a huge shemozzle as everyone would have to get their money back, by hook and crook. Clocking 1:39:7/10 for trainer David Loughnane, a void would be such an anti-climax.
Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 17, 2021.
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Better story for Aiden O'Brien, when his Love (Ryan Moore 2-5), returned safely home a winner in the Prince of Wales, after a lengthy absence following her Guineas and Oaks annihilation. The jury is suggesting Love has to be as exciting a filly as can ever be found.
Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal wears a protective face covering with a jockey design at the presentation after the Gold Cup on Ladies Day at the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 17, 2021. - R
Audarya (William Buick 10-1), Armory (Seamie Heffernan 5-2), and My Oberon (Tom Marquand 17-2), were literally bowled over by Love's magnificence, even though close up. Just over a mile, Love clocked 2:06:8/10, slow by normal standards.
