Ascot foreign policy pays off
Ascot has strived hard to attract overseas runners to its flagship royal meeting and their persistence has paid off in emphatic style with 21 overseas runners due to run on day one.
The £4million prize money on offer this week will, of course, have had something to do with top-class runners from the southern hemisphere participating today, especially in the big sprint, the King's Stand Stakes.
Upgraded to Group 1 status, Ascot's leg of the Global Sprint Challenge has attracted runners from Spain, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
The opening Queen Anne Stakes is the first of three Group 1 races as the five-day meeting gets underway in style and the international theme extends to the man presenting the trophy to winning connections.
Veteran broadcaster and former Australian cricket great Richie Benaud will be doing the honours, undoubtedly hoping to be inviting connections of part-Aussie owned Haradasun up to accept the £154,000 first prize.
Meanwhile, Italy go head-to-head with France at Euro 2008 in Zurich tonight and there will be plenty of Italian/Franco rivalry at Royal Ascot today.
However, for once, Italian Frankie Dettori finds himself out on his own at Ascot as he is completely outnumbered by both French horses, trainers and jockeys.
