Day 2

Day two has proved to be another great success with the feature race, The Prince of Wales, going to odds on favourite, So You Think. Initially this New Zealeand bred raced in Australia winning a trail of group 1's before relocating to Ireland to be trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien. He has travelled around the globe to enhance his mighty reputation and has been booked to fly back to COOLMORE Australia for Stud duties. Many of the race goers were hoping that the Queens upcoming star, Carlton House,could dethrone the champion. Funnily enough, the Queen has not had a group 1 winner since the mid seventies with a horse called Dumfernline. With it being the Jubilee year many of the Brits were hoping for things to change for the Queen. The race itself was a very good one with So You Think setting sail for home at the top of the straight. Carlton house quickened up equally well and loomed large on the inside but Sou You think is a buzz saw and found more to give his young rider, Joseph O'brien, his first group one winner at Royal Ascot. So you think was winning his tenth group one and has taken his earnings above 5 million pounds.

Everyday, after the race meeting thousands congregate around a huge bandstand waiving British flags to sing a medley of favourite English songs. The singing can be heard for miles around as fashionably dressed racegoers sing along covering favourites like, Hey Jude, You'll Never Walk Alone, New York New York and a slew of others. These Brits know how to celebrate and support the monarchy. The owners and trainers car park is full of picnic spots with parties going on until late in the night. Champagne is certainly the order of the day as flashy taxi's and chauffeurs wait patiently. On the periphery we have the Gypsies trying to sell minute bouquets for some money. They are persistent and out in their droves.

One of the amazing things is the way hundreds of racegoers drink champagne on the train out to the races. Many are tipsy before they touch terra firma for the uphill walk to the race course. Splendidly dressed people sit down on any available lawn to picnic and have lunch before going on to the course to greet the Queeen and sing the National Anthem. passionate people these Poms. There is a wonderful Police presence and any unruly behavior is quickly and efficiently contained.