Royal Ascot racing

Last year, Manduro had to play second fiddle to Ouija Board in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. But this time the five-year-old dark bay called the tune and, ridden by Stephane Pasquier, powered home to win the 10-furlong Group One contest from last year’s Irish Derby hero, the much-fancied Dylan Thomas.

Trained in France by the superlative Andre Fabre and owned and bred by the German Baron Von Ullman, this was international racing at its height. By Monsun, also the sire of Shirocco, whom Fabre produced to champion class last year, we should hear much more of Manduro. He has an ambitious list of targets – the Prix Jacques Le Marois, the Arc and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

For sheer class, however, today’s plaudits must go to Nannina. Trained by John Gosden to win the Coronation Stakes at the 2006 Royal meeting, Cheveley Park Stud’s homebred filly rocketed away from the rest of the Windsor Forest Stakes field to go three lengths clear. She was the only Group One winner in the field, and given her preferred fast ground she easily turned the tables on her Epsom conqueror Echelon, also owned and bred by Cheveley Park.

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A St Andrews’ graduate, Catherine joined Horse & Hound in 2002 and stayed for 11 years in a variety of roles until she went freelance in June 2013. She rejoined the team part-time in November 2016 as hunting editor. She pretty much lives on the hunting field or at the racecourse, but also loves eventing, as a journalist, press officer and competitor. She was H&H’s sole accredited journalist at the London Olympic Games and has reported from major race meetings and eventing, showjumping and dressage championships and shows round the world, and has hunted all over Britain and Ireland.