Well what a start to a glorious weeks racing at Royal Ascot. For one thing we are apparently in the middle of the longest heatwave the UK has experienced, 20 days so far, and that's a record! The temperature yesterday reaching low 30's and apparently will be even hotter today and secondly records are tumbling due to the super fast ground. Yesterday Longines, Royal Ascots timing partner, had to dig deep into their luxury watch pockets and give out 12 St Imier watches, one each to the connections of every horse that broke track records. Three records tumbled so watches all round!

Another record that SA connections hope will be broken today is that of Sir Michael Stoute. He is currently tied on 75 winners at Royal Ascot with Sir Henry Cecil as the leading all time trainer at the meeting. Today all of us with any South African connections will be hoping he can break that record in the Duke of Cambridge stakes with the Jessica Slack owned filly, Smart Call. How exciting for us to see her here after a few disappointments since her Sun Met win at Kenilworth. The Alec Laird trained filly had to pull out of the Breeders Cup just days before the race and then also suffered a setback at Newmarket. Let's hope all that is behind her and let's hope Sir Michael can get her back to her very best here today. I have a small degree of connection with her in that she is by the Mauritzfontein stallion Ideal World and I have just purchased at the National Sales a rather nice Ideal World Colt also bred by Mauritzfontein. She is ridden today by the master of Royal Ascot, Ryan Moore so along with the fast ground, Champion jockey and Champion trainer she should be given every chance to hopefully show that South African horses can compete on this tough world renowned stage. At the moment she is around 4-1 here on the track and I might just take that price.

Coincidentally there is yet more SA interest in the same race. Same Jurisdiction is being ridden by Gavin Lerena and now trained by Ed Dunlop. This smart Mambo In Seattle filly was bred by Klawervlei and is raced by Drakenstein. They also have another filly in the race, the Argentinian Greta G. This filly being trained by John Gosden and ridden by an absolute master and super nice man, Olivier Peslier. I haven't see Gaynor Rupert here yet today but suspect both her and Jessica Slack, owner of Smart Call, are both here as they are both ladies who are in racing because they love their horses and it is not just a business to either of them. However hard business managers and husbands work at trying to persuade passionate horse lovers that their love needs to make a profit it is very difficult to sway ladies that love their horses. We don't need designer clothes or material possessions, just the sight of our cherished horses doing what they are bred for is better than anything else that money can buy. I suspect these two top breeders feel the same and unlike other breeding operations the bottom line is not making a profit or accolades at Awards ceremonies. The rewards are days like today and come win or lose they will be proud of their loved fillies. Let's keep fingers crossed that they all run well and come back safely.

Image Aiden O'Brien walking the course. 

Rose Hall