Royal Ascot 2019: Thursday race results, payouts and replays
The big news, as far as American viewers can be concerned, was made at Royal Ascot before Thursday's races began when trainer Wesley Ward scratched American Pharoah colt Maven due to the soft going following rain on the English course.
Then came something bigger. Jockey Frankie Dettori opened 4-for-4 on a card featuring the prestigious Gold Cup (G1), for which the Queen, Her Majesty, presents the trophy.
The run had people looking back to Dettori's "Magnificent Seven" Ascot victories in 1996. That didn't happen during the high-profile Royal meeting, with his Thursday run promising more damage to bookmakers.
NBC Sports Network has full coverage of Wednesday's Royal Ascot races. Refresh this page for updates, including race replays, results and payouts from the new Royal Ascot world pool in which U.S. players will be betting. Dettori, who entered Thursday already with two victories this week, remained red-hot at Royal Ascot, making a well-timed move under maiden A’ali, who had just enough to hold off Ventura Rebel in the five-furlong sprint for juveniles. A’ali, a Simon Crisford trainee, became the first maiden to win this race since 1990. He entered off a runner-up on debut May 6. "What a good way to start," Dettori said. Dubai Station ran third in the field of 14. A'ali: $13.70 / $4.50 Ventura Rebel: $7.20 Dubai Station: $10.20 $1 exacta: $87.30
Group 2 Norfolk Stakes (9:30 a.m. ET)
Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes (10:05 a.m. ET)
It's a Dettori double with Juddmonte Farm's Sangarius getting first run in the stretch of this 1 1/4-miler. Once he kicked, there was no catching the 3-year-old trained by Sir Michael Stoute. The pace appeared slow, with riders taking a tight hold early on, and Dettori sat the perfect trip with plenty in reserve for his 64th Royal Ascot winner.
Sangarius: $16.30 / $5.90
Fox Chairman: $3.30
King Ottokar: $4.10
$1 exacta: $34.10
Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes (10:40 a.m. ET)
Again! Dettori made it 3-for-3 with a perfect ride under Star Catcher, whose price halved with the jockey on a red-hot roll at Royal Ascot. In this 1 1/2-mile feature for 3-year-old fillies, Dettori sat mid-pack with a keen horse underneath him, ranged up four-wide off the final bend and outlasted Fleeting for the victory.
Star Catcher: $11.90 / $3.80
Fleeting: $2.60
Sparkle Roll: $6.50
$1 exacta: $15.50
Group 1 The Gold Cup (11:20 a.m. ET)
Four straight. Back-to-back editions of this race. And now 66 Royal Ascot victories in all for Dettori, who rode Stradivarius with precision to win Thursday's feature. Covered up throughout, Stradivarius tipped out to split horses and find room in the stretch. He idled a bit at the front but by then was far enough in front to win it. "He's a horse for the occasion, and I love him dearly," Dettori said.
Stradivarius: $3.60 / $2.40
Dee Ex Bee: $3.20
Master of Reality: $42.60
$1 exacta: $6.40
Britannia Stakes (12 p.m. ET)
It had to end at some point, right? Juddmonte Farm's Biometric broke up Dettori's day, getting up in the final furlong over Dettori-ridden Turgenev in this one-mile handicap for 3-year-olds. Turgenev moved early, running up the rail and leading by more than a length until tracked down. Harry Bently, a first-time Royal Ascot winner, rode Biometric for trainer Ralph Beckett. "Twenty years ago," Dettori quipped, "I would have won that...It wasn't to be. Listen, I've had a good day, so I'm not going to cry."
King George V Stakes (12:35 p.m. ET)
Trainer Aidan O'Brien's trainees went 1-2-3 in the Thursday finale with South Pacific nudging out Constantinople in this mile-and-a-half handicap. Eminence rounded out the board. The Top 2 were both sired by Galileo and ran in the purple and white Coolmore colors. In this one, the Dettori horse Questionare was last early and never factored.
South Pacific: $85.60 / $11.90
Constantinople: $3
Questionare: $14.60
$1 exacta: $209.50