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5 months ago
28
What a week. This is what a British summer should be and Royal Ascot, baking in glorious weather that makes such a difference, has been a sea of incredible colour.
More than anything, the quality of the sport has been off the scale. Rosallion going ‘Whoosh!’ in the St James’s Palace Stakes is something that will live long in my mind. I’ve interviewed the ebullient Richard Hannon, his trainer, many times but I’ve never seen him so emotional.
Other highlights include Kyprios coming out on top in a pulsating battle in the Gold Cup, the unbridled joy of owner David Howden after Running Lion’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes triumph and the breakthrough success of Billy Loughnane, aka Billy The Kid.
We’ve shown 28 races on ITV so far, with 25 hours of live coverage. Pictures from the course have been shown in 180 territories and we’ve seen why Royal Ascot is the meeting that sets the standard around the world.
We've enjoyed a sensational week of racing action at Royal Ascot, with punters lapping up the festival in the baking heat
Rosallion (pictured) clinched victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday afternoon
The Royal procession is part of the tradition of this meeting and makes Ascot so symbolic
Something else I’ll never forget is having the opportunity, as part of our filming, to take a carriage ride from Windsor Castle, down the Long Walk to arrive at Ascot’s Golden Gates, though we didn’t go through them as the Royal Family do.
During our journey, I began thinking about the Royal procession. It’s all part of the tradition of this meeting, the event that makes Ascot so symbolic, but I couldn’t help feeling it needs a modern tweak.
When the carriages have arrived in front of the stands this week, there has been a smattering of applause.
It’s different if the Princess of Wales is involved, as her presence usually leads to an excited crackle, but I’d love to see different guests invited.
What an amazing thing it would be for Sir Alan Bates, who exposed the scandal in the Post Office, to be in a carriage or some of the NHS heroes who have been there for us through one of the most challenging times of our lives.
I joked with someone that it might have been an idea (but rather ambitious) for Taylor Swift to be invited this year before going on to play at Wembley but my point was serious: how about involving the Obamas or the Beckhams, with whom racegoers can identify?
But perhaps the Royal procession requires a bit of a modern tweak - I’d love to see different guests invited
The Royal procession could be such a good opportunity to showcase the best of modern Britain
How about involving the David and Victoria Beckham with whom racegoers can identify?
What an amazing thing it would be for Sir Alan Bates (pictured), who exposed the scandal in the Post Office, to be in a carriage
To be clear, it’s none of my business who the Royal Family invite but it could be such a good opportunity to showcase the best of modern Britain.
Where Cheltenham and Epsom have had difficulties this year, Ascot has a knack of keeping pace as things change, in the way Monday Night Football and ITV Racing have tried to evolve. Ascot is always thinking of ways to stay relevant. I’ve no doubt Friday will finish on a high.
Ed Chamberlin is a Sky Bet UK ambassador
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