Described by Harper’s Bazaar as a ‘British High-Society Must’, Royal Ascot is not only one of the most prestigious race meetings in the world, but also a revered social event. Full of pomp and circumstance, not least because a daily royal presence, the five-day spectacle at the Berkshire course welcomes over 300,000 visitors from all over the world.
Racing-wise, the Royal Meeting features a total of 35 races over the five days, including no fewer than eight at the highest Group 1 level. The ‘highlight of highlights’, if you like, is the historic Gold Cup, established in 1807 and run over a stamina-sapping two and a half miles on the third day of Royal Ascot, a.k.a. ‘Ladies’ Day’. The most successful jockey in the history of the flagship race of the meeting remains the legendary Lester Piggott, who has 11 wins to his name.
Of course, it is no coincidence that the ‘Long Fellow’, as Piggott was affectionately known, is the most successful jockey in the history of Royal Ascot, as a whole, having ridden a total of 116 winners during his long, illustrious career. Second on the all-time list, albeit a respectful 35 winners behind Piggott, comes Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori. Dettori supposedly ‘finished’ his Royal Ascot career in 2023, with 81 winners to his name, but having opted to continue his riding career in the United States, rather than retiring, he may yet add to his career total. He will not, however, be riding at the Royal Meeting 2024.
One jockey who definitely will, though, is Ryan Moore, who has become something of a ‘standing dish’ at Royal Ascot, as far as the leading jockey title is concerned, over the last decade and a half. Indeed, Moore has won said title 10 times in the last 14 years, including with a post-war record total of nine winners in 2015, and as stable jockey to the indomitable Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle, Co. Tipperary, the former three-time Champion Jockey seems likely to have plenty more opportunities to add to his career total of 78 winners.
In the absence of Dettori, the only other current jockey to have won the leading jockey title at Royal Ascot is Oisin Murphy, who did so in 2021 with five winners. Also three-time Champion Jockey, Murphy clearly commands respect, but the 16/1 currently offered by William Hill, against 2/5 favourite, is probably an accurate reflection of his chance of winning a second title. That price also brings in Tom Marquand, so, with reigning Champion Jockey William Buick only third-best in the earlly market, at 8/1, James Doyle may emerge as the most potent challenger to Moore.
Formerly retained by Godolphin, latterly as second-choice jockey, behind Buick, to Charlie Appleby at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket, Doyle quit his position to join Wathnan Racing, under the auspices of the Emir of the State of Qatar, in October 2023. Whether the 7/2 currently on offer for the leading jockey title represents value or not remains to be seen, but Doyle is another who should have plenty of ammunition for the Royal Meeting.
