Osborne’s Geordie is up for the gold cup

With a bulging $8 million dollar purse over five days, it is understandable that Royal Ascot is fast becoming a truly international sporting event.

We’re now at the midway stage and there is still some fantastic action to look forward to over the next three days. Today’s Ascot Gold Cup looks a typically mouth-watering renewal with Aidan O’Brien’s Yeats bidding to secure his third victory in the race.

He will surely take plenty of beating, but I have a sneaky feeling that last year’s second, Geordieland will reverse the placings this time round.

It is fair to say he is a frustrating individual, but things did eventually go right for him in the Emirates airline-sponsored Yorkshire Cup on the Knavesmire last time, and with confidence now at a high, he can give the favourite a run for his money.

Jamie Osborne, who saddles the enigmatic grey, was a cracking jump jockey before he turned his hand to the training side of the business, and while he doesn’t have a major backer, he still maintains a highly respectable Ascot record.

Badel’s mucky time

David Badel, who would give Frankie something to think about, in the fashion stakes anyway, ventured to Lambourn last summer and ended up at Osborne’s stable. It would be fair to say, perhaps, that Mr Badel has had it a little easy in previous years as when handed a muck sack and bucket of grooming brushes, the Frenchman wondered what they both were, hence his stay at the yard was quite short-lived!

Curlin a cut above

Another stunning performance from Dubai World Cup winner Curlin in Saturday’s Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs further cemented his stature as the best racehorse in the world.

Connections have absolutely nothing to prove with the four-year-old and I believe the words Longchamp and October were mentioned over breakfast the next morning.

Steve Asmussen, brother to Cash who won the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe in 1991 on Suave Dancer, had hinted that France could be a possibility later in the year. I know all his racing has been on an artificial surface, but wouldn’t his attendance, in what at the time will be the world’s richest race, add such an intriguing twist?

Dolce vita for Quijano

Also with very little to prove is the three-time Dubai Carnival winner, Quijano, who was again in winning form at the weekend in the Gran Premio di Milano (Italian Oaks). Peter Schiergen has done an exceptional job of keeping his charge so consistent during his 19-race, 12-win career.

Many will know how difficult it is to keep any horse sound for a long period, things can go wrong when least expected, but Schiergen has obviously found the key and more trips to Hong Kong and the US look on the cards. Remember, you saw him here first.