Course guide and key statistics for Royal Ascot 2023

By Timeform

Horse Racing

Thu June 15, 2023 · 1y ago

Timeform's guide to Royal Ascot 2023, featuring all the key facts and figures for the meeting.

Timeform's Ascot course guide

The round course is a right-handed, galloping, triangular circuit of a mile and three quarters, with a run-in of two and a half furlongs.

Ascot also has a straight mile course, which tends to drain better than the round course.

Generally speaking, prominent racers fare significantly better than those held up over five furlongs, but the opposite is true over seven furlongs and a mile, while on the round course those that race in the first half of the field over a mile and a quarter have a better record than those caught further back.

Leading active jockeys at Ascot

Sorted by strike rate since the beginning of 2017 (minimum 25 rides)

Frankie Dettori - 20.09% (45 winners from 224 rides)
Saffie Osborne - 17.5% (7-40)
William Buick - 16.18% (44-272)
Neil Callan - 15.15% (5-33)
Ray Dawson - 14.89% (7-47)

Other points to consider

Ryan Moore has had the most winners and most rides at Ascot - including meetings outside the Royal fixture - in the period in question. His 51 winners from 345 rides have come at a strike rate of 14.78%.
Paul Hanagan, who has had five winners from 39 rides at a 12.82% strike rate at all Ascot meetings since the start of 2017, leads the way in terms of level-stake profit (£128.00). His winners include The Ridler at 50/1 in last year's Norfolk Stakes. Other riders whose mounts show a marked level-stake profit include Adam Kirby (£81.60), Danny Tudhope (£69.00), Charles Bishop (£41.20), Jason Watson (£39.87) and William Buick (£37.63).
Moore set the post-war record for number of winners at a single Royal Ascot meeting when he rode nine in 2015. Moore was leading rider at the meeting on eight occasions between 2010 and 2018, only missing out during that period in 2013 when Johnny Murtagh took the prize. Moore regained the title last year when he had seven winners.
Moore has had 73 winners at Royal Ascot during his career. That places him behind only Frankie Dettori (follow link for full fact file), who has had 77, among active riders.

Leading active trainers at Ascot

Sorted by strike rate since the beginning of 2017 (minimum 25 runners)

Owen Burrows - 21.15% (11/52)
Michael Dods - 17.65% (6/34)
Charlie Appleby - 17.62% (37/210)
Jessica Harrington - 17.14% (6/35)
Alan King - 16.67% (7/42)

Other points to consider

John & Thady Gosden have had comfortably the most winners, and just about the most runners, during the period in question with 59 winners from 356 runners at a strike rate of 16.57%. This includes data from when John Gosden was the sole licence holder. William Haggas is next on the winners' list with 39 (from 257 runners at 15.18%).
Clive Cox, who has had 21 winners from 186 runners at Ascot since the start of 2017, leads the way in terms of level-stake profit (£110.10). However, 150/1 Coventry Stakes winner Nando Parrado distorts that data. Charlie Fellowes (£85.50), Richard Fahey (£45.60) and Eve Johnson Houghton (£42.70) also show a significant level-stake profit.
Aidan O'Brien took the leading trainer title at Royal Ascot last year and it marked the 11th occasion he has landed the prize. He has had 81 winners at the Royal meeting and is only one behind Sir Michael Stoute on the all-time list.

Best performances at Royal Ascot this century

147 - Frankel (2012 Queen Anne Stakes)

No horse since Timeform was founded in 1948 has put up a better performance than the one produced by Frankel in the Queen Anne Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot in 2012. Frankel handed out an astonishing 11-length drubbing to Excelebration - a top-class racehorse in his own right.

137 - Dubai Millennium (2000 Prince of Wales's Stakes)

Dubai Millennium was capable of showing outstanding form on dirt and turf. Dubai Millennium earned his peak rating of 140 when smashing the clock in the Dubai World Cup but he wasn't far below that level when turning what was supposed to be a great clash in the 2000 Prince of Wales's Stakes into a procession.

135 - Manduro (2007 Prince of Wales's Stakes)

Manduro won three times at the highest level as a five-year-old, with the most memorable display coming in the Prince of Wales's Stakes when he readily brushed aside a top-class rival in Dylan Thomas. Manduro showed a fine turn of foot to quicken into the lead, and he was always holding on under a largely hands-and-heels ride.

134 - Fantastic Light (2001 Prince of Wales's Stakes)

Fantastic Light is best remembered for his stirring battles with Galileo - he came off second best in the King George and then reversed the form in the Irish Champion Stakes - but before those titanic tussles he had put in a dominant display in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. He was always going strongly at Royal Ascot and, despite being short of room on the rail a couple of furlongs from home, he picked up instantly when angled for a run, readily passing Kalanisi and bounding two and a half lengths clear.

133 - Canford Cliffs (2011 Queen Anne Stakes)

Canford Cliffs got the better of the legendary Goldikova in the 2011 Queen Anne Stakes. Goldikova, who by this stage was a three-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner, was sent off a narrow favourite, but Canford Cliffs was always going well in behind and produced his trademark turn of foot to sweep into the lead a furlong out.

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