Aidan O'Brien and Roger Attfield

Royal Ascot

This is arguably one of the most, if not the most, attractive and exciting racing meet in the world. On the flat at least as it is a combination of size and class. The Breeders' Cup is good but it is only a 2-days meet vs. the 5 days offered by Royal Ascot. The only thing you can find anywhere else close to the atmosphere there will probably be Cheltenham.

The Coolmore team's domination at Royal Ascot is obvious. Yeat's win is definitely one of my personal favourite thus far for the year, at least at par or maybe even slightly surpassing Inglis Drever's third World Hurdle win.

It is also nice to see Lush Lashes returning to win in style in her first Group 1 race in the Coronation Stakes. Her victory in the Musidora was just too good that I know a Group 1 win is just a matter of time for her. But it is a bit of a surprise that it came in a mile race.

And what about Takeover Target! A second in the King's Stand followed by a well-run fourth in the Golden Jubilee.

Then of course there are also Cuis Ghaire, Henrythenavigator, Duke Of Marmalade, Haradasun, Macarthur, Kingsgate Native, Equiano, Missoula, Mr Aviator, Patkai and Campanologist. The meet closed off in style with Honolulu duel against the 9-year-old gelding Distinction in the 2m5½f Queen Alexandra Stakes (by the way, Honolulu earned an RPR of 115 and Distinction 113). This completed a memorable meet for Aidan O'Brien, Johnny Murtagh and the entire Coolmore team. And Royal Ascot showcase what "marathon" races really means to American fans! Kudos to ATR to opening the channel for fans around the world to see the races live online free.

This is the Royal Hunt Cup:





This is the Queen Alexandra Stakes:




Finally, the Gold Cup (3 parts):







Woodbine

The card at Woodbine on Sunday June 22nd is a far cry from those at Royal Ascot, and the field of this year's Queen's Plate cannot be considered as one of the stronger ones. However, the top 2 horses with the best and most consistent recent form, Not Bourbon and Ginger Brew, finished one-two 4.5 lengths ahead of the third horse Solitaire. It was an exciting race overall. It was "a stampede at the top of the lane in the Queen's Plate", but very soon the Plate Trial winner and the Woodbine Oaks winner separated themselves from the rest of the 3-year-old and made the Plate a 2-horse race. Almost a déjà vu of last year's Belmont match-up between Curlin and Rags To Riches, it was the boy this time that had the lead and hold on to the challenge of the filly who just ran 2 weeks ago. Both of them deserved to be a winner to me. The final time of 2:03.59 and the final quarter of 24.29 were definitely above average in this era.

When it comes to racing operations, Sam Son Farm, Adena Springs and Gustav Schickedanz are some of the popular names in the Ontario circuit. But when it comes training a Queen's Plate winner, Roger Attfield has put himself way apart and ahead from the rest of the gang at Woodbine. Already being inducted to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame in 1999, Roger Attfield is the trainer of 7 Queen's Plate winner. They are Norcliffe in 1976, Market Control in 1987, With Approval in 1989, Izvestia in 1990, Alydeed in 1992, Peteski in 1993 and Regal Discovery in 1995. Play The King and Alywow also joined Norcliffe, With Approval, Izvestia and Peteski as the six Canadian Horse of the Year trained by Roger Attfield.

Click here to read more about this year's Queen's Plate.

Enjoy the race: