Summer Brilliance in Berkshire and Sussex

by Erley Turk

Diamond Day at Ascot followed by the Glorious Goodwood Festival Feast highlight a radiant racing week   Okay, so your June 1999 plans for attending Royal Ascot are thwarted by, say, having to attend an out-of-town family reunion, business conference or relative's wedding. Take heart as there is a wonderful alternative that allows you to attend England's premier horse race and take in further racing action at one of the world's most scenic race courses. It all takes place beginning on the last Saturday in July with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot followed by the five-day Glorious Goodwood meeting that commences on the following Tuesday.
Supreme Court won the inaugural running of the "King George" in 1951.  The race was the brainchild of Sir John Crocker Bulteel. The 1 1/2 mile event gives fans the first real clue how the current crop of 3 year olds measure up to the older generation (who are kept in training, thankfully, by their owners) over the classic distance.		Dancing Brave winning the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in 1986 Painting by Sue Wingate
On "Diamond Day" the formal elegance of Royal Ascot is absent, but do not be fooled, my good friend, for those in attendance are marked by their passion of the sport and have come to witness the highlight of the British racing season ( pax, Lord Derby.) Such is the interest in this prestigious event that one might even consider contacting Ascot to reserve a member's enclosure badge (if so desired) to avoid a sell-out. Fans who wish to steer clear of a huge throng of cars are advised to arrive a couple hours early or take a train from London Waterloo.   The Group III Princess Margaret Stakes for 2 year old fillies is a nice bonus on the undercard. Who knows if you've just had a sneak preview of the following year's 1000 Guineas winner?   What strikes Erley Turk the most about the "King George" is the weight assigned to the entrants: 133 lbs. for older horses, 121 for 3 year olds, and a few lbs. less for mares and fillies. These days most U.S. trainers will bypass a race if their horses are asked to carry 133 lbs. (or even a few lbs. less.) It is hard to imagine giving 12 lbs. to a Derby winner, runner-up, or other highly acclaimed 3 year old, and yet, the older generation does give the weight and wins about half the time.