King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, Ascot Racecourse, Saturday 24th July 2021

503 days. That is the timeframe between 8th March 2020, at Warwick Racecourse, and today, at Ascot Racecourse. The connection? It is the time between Jack's last, and now next, race meeting he will photograph. The wait is over.

Earlier this week, on Monday 19th July, the coronavirus restrictions across England were relaxed c0mpletely, and with it, so were the media restrictions in racing. As a result, we at JTW Equine Images were finally able to apply for race meetings once again, after a hiatus of seemingly never-ending proportions. How very grateful, we are, at Will Aitkenhead, and all at Ascot Racecourse, to be able to grant Jack accreditation at this prestigious meeting. Regrettably, Tom was unable to secure media access, due to media size restrictions in the press room, but nevertheless, the longest of waits is finally over.

And boy, what a meeting to start off with! Talk about being eased in gently; nope, we are going full throttle. I'm currently sat in the press room at Ascot watching the live coverage of Great Britain vs Japan in the Women's Olympic Football, whilst a repeat of the first Lions Test match against South Africa in 2001 is on repeat. And I cannot believe how lucky I am. Those of you who follow us know how difficult the last 16 and a half months have been for us. 1 race meeting at Chepstow for Tom, and nothing for me, until today. Thankfully, our clients, trainers, stud farm staff, family and friends, have kept the fire going, helped us to get back onto some sort of normality, and now it has paid off. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for keeping us going!

On to today's racing, and what a card we have in store! First up in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes over 7 furlongs, Rein It In Racing's Sam Martin will be extremely keen to see how NURSECLAIRE runs for the Nick Bradley team. A winner at Carlisle over 7f, this unbeaten daughter of Ribchester showed greenness but prevailed narrowly, and although this will be far more considerably tougher than her opening assignment, she will be sure to give a full account, with Danny Tudhope doing the steering today. The Bradley team also run HONEY SWEET, a filly by Adaay out of Sweet Sienna, who despite posting recent figures from her last two runs of 05, appears to be the stable number 1 choice. This is mainly due to her 5 being in a Group 2 at Newmarket, and that run there suggested the extra furlong may well suit today; Clifford Lee is aboard. More local to us, in Cheshire, Tom Dascombe runs MR MCCANN with Chester specialist Jane Elliott aboard. Fourth in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, the son of Kodiac will no doubt go well, as that form is rock solid, with a third and two wins complimenting the fourth in his four runs to date.

The second race, the Group 3 Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes over 6 furlongs, sees Nymphadora a non-runner, which was disappointing for this author as someone he knows from the aviation world is connected to the stable, who pulled her out of the race due to unsuitable going (good to firm). One horse to take from this race is ATTAGIRL, for trainer Karl Burke and owner Clipper Logistics. This Wootton Bassett filly quickened clear at Haydock to win by four lengths over the same trip as today, six furlongs, and does look like taking all the beating today. Daniel Tudhope will certainly be hoping for a quick double. CRAZYGIRL, for the Clive Cox and Hector Crouch partnership, rate as the main danger, after their win at Windsor on debut and third behind Nymphadora at York, although that rival will not be in opposition today.

FANTASTIC FOX runs in the third race, the Porsche Handicap over 1 mile, for Roger Varian and King Power Racing, with Silvestre de Sousa aboard, and will be looking to build on their 3rd place in the same race at Newbury won by subsequent Falmouth Stakes scorer Snow Lantern. The son of Frankel ran far too freely last time over 1m 2f at the Royal Meeting, and will be looking to put that run well and truly behind them. GURU, for John and Thady Gosden, and ridden by Oisin Murphy, looks the main protagonist to FANTASTIC FOX. This is due to his well and truly improved second place over 1 mile behind ISLA KAI (who is a non-runner now), when fitted with first time blinkers. ISLA KAI won that day, but had first run, and it would be no surprise to see more handy tactics being demonstrated today.

The fourth race, the Moet and Chandon International Stakes over seven furlongs, sees many of those who ran in the top handicap races at the Royal Meeting clash. One to note would be DANYAH, for Owen Burrows and William Buick, who was a clear second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, dropping back to 7f for the first time since the summer of 2020. A 5lb rise for that effort may not be enough to stop his progression. DANCE FEVER re-opposes him, and whilst he was way down the field that day, he subsequently scored at Leicester; could he have needed that run, perhaps?

Broome. Mishriff. Love. Wonderful Tonight. Adayar. Lone Eagle. A sextet of stars line up for the highlight of the day, and indeed the mid-summer session of the Flat Season, the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, over 1m 4f. We at JTW have long admired LOVE, and would dearly like to see her win this prize after her hard-as-nails battling performance in the Prince of Wales Stakes at the Royal Meeting, albeit over 2 furlongs shorter. Oli Bell on the Opening Show on ITV4 was quite dismissive of her chances today, stating she had not beaten much in the Oaks, or the Yorkshire Oaks, however Matt Chapman was quick to point out that the two times she has run over 1m 4f, she has won. The ground, at the moment, is not a concern for connections, however those of WONDERFUL TONIGHT will probably still be doing rain-dances at 2:30pm, in the hope she can take her chance after her victory in the Hardwicke Stakes here in June. BROOME, winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, rates a major danger, whilst Dubai Sheema Classic and Saudi Cup scorer MISHRIFF will have to put a disappointing run in the Coral Eclipse to one side, to get competitive. Derby scorer ADAYAR, who could not have been more impressive, and LONE EAGLE, an agonising second in the Irish Derby, complete the sextet. This promises to be a race for the ages.

The penultimate race would have seen DOCTOR PARNASSUS catch the eye. Consistent in his last 3 starts, 232, this Make Believe gelding would have taken all the beating under Jason Watson, for the David O'Meara yard, after finding one too good at Haydock, after doing too much battling too soon against another rival that day. However, late this morning he was taken out, and as a result, the race has cut up badly, with SOUTHERN VOYAGE and CAMELOT TALES now vying for favouritism. The Sebastian's Action Trust Handicap Stakes, over 1m 4f, will currently be run on good to firm ground, but will that change, come 4:10pm?

Our final race today, the Longines Handcap Stakes over seven furlongs sees KAESO taken out as the only non-runner. As a result, this may be a good opportunity for CRACK REGIMENT take it 2 out of 2 in his most recent starts. A winner at Newcastle on the all-weather over a mile, Henry Spiller's 4-year-old gelding won that day despite the jockey Ben Curtis dislocating his shoulder. Ouch. This is a wide-open race however, with SPIRITED GUEST and ALIBABA also vying for favouritism. ALIBABA will no doubt set a good tempo, whereas SPIRITED GUEST has improved of late after being stepped up to seven furlongs, and could provide George Margarson and Miss Rosie Margarson with a lovely family winner in the finale.

It will soon be time for the first race of the day. Here we go. I've waited a long time for this moment!

Jack.