C H A I R M A N ’ S W E L C O M E

Welcome to the Spring Family Raceday, our final Jumps meeting of the 2022/23 season.

It has been a curtailed winter season at Ascot with two of our major meetings, at Christmas and in January, lost to the cold weather. As a result, we have staged just one Grade 1 contest but it was well worth the wait as Shishkin’s performance in the Betfair Ascot Chase was one of the highlights of the entire Jumps season.

Although he did not manage to follow up at the Cheltenham Festival we look forward to seeing Shishkin at Aintree and next season he will step up to run over three miles It also looks likely that we will see Our Power, winner of the Bateaux London Gold Cup in October, in the Grand National and he goes there as one of the leading British hopes for the race.

Today, £170,000 of prize money is on offer, including the £40,000 Royal Ascot Racing Club Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. It looks an exceptionally strong renewal with many of the contenders having run in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. It is also great to see old favourites Two For Gold and Larry in the Memberships At Ascot Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

Our grateful thanks go to today’s sponsors including Soil Science and LK Bennett as well as all of those who have supported our Jumps racing programme throughout the season.

You will notice that our first race has been donated to Ascot United Warriors football team, a Special Olympics side for players with learning difficulties that Ascot is sponsoring through the Ascot Racecourse Supports programme. They are celebrated a victory in their first ever game last weekend and we hope they enjoy their visit to Ascot.

Off the track, there are a wide range of activities to get involved in, all linked to a countryside Easter theme. With face painting, pony rides, animal displays including sheepdogs and alpacas, arts and crafts, egg and spoon races and much more on offer, there should be something to keep all ages entertained throughout the afternoon.

Today is World Autism Awareness Day and we are thrilled to have Autism in Racing on site again with 17 families due to make use of the facility You will also have the chance to vote in the 2023 Royal Ascot Schools Art competition, so do head to the Exhibition Hall to see all of the entries

Our next meeting is Royal Ascot Trials Day on 3rd May, a high-class fixture that signals the start of the Flat season at Ascot. We hope to see you then.

Yours sincerely,

Sir Francis Brooke Bt.

His Majesty’s Representative & Chairman

06-07

OFF THE TRACK

Your guide to today’s activities away from the track

08-09

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Your guide to refreshments at Ascot

Wristbands

LOST CHILD/PERSON

Free wristbands are available from all entrances for children and vulnerable racegoers to aid with a lost child/person. If this situation does arise, racegoers are encouraged to contact the nearest steward who will assist.

Over 18 Wristbands

Ascot operates a strict over 18+ policy for the purchase of alcohol. Racegoers over 18 can collect an 18+ wristband from any entrance or the information desk on the Grandstand Concourse with photographic proof of age.

Racing Pages

Your guide to all of today’s races 20-51

PAGES 20-22

1st Race 1. 50pm

The Ascot Racecourse Supports Ascot United Warriors Maiden Hurdle Race (GBB Race)

The term ‘maiden’ inspires thoughts of damsels in distress but in horse racing terms it takes on a different meaning. When a horse is referred to as a maiden, be it a colt or a filly, it simply means that they have yet to win a race. Many of the runners aged four-years-old and upwards in this two miles, three and a half furlongs race will still be inexperienced over hurdles and will almost certainly improve for the racecourse experience they gain today.

PAGES 26-28

2nd Race 2.25pm

The Soil Science Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Our first handicap on the card is a two miles and five furlongs novice hurdle race for four-year-olds and upwards which have been rated from 0 to 120. In a handicap the weight that each of the runners carries is determined by their official handicap rating which is based on their level of form shown so far The aim is to ensure competitive racing by asking the higher rated horses to carry more weight than lower rated rivals As a guide, horses rated 60 tend to be at the lower end of the scale whilst the very best performers would be rated as high as 170

PAGES 30-33

3rd Race 3.00pm

The Royal Ascot Racing Club Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (GBB Race)

The third race on the card is a one mile, seven and a half furlongs handicap hurdle race for four-year-olds only, also known as juveniles. To qualify for a handicap rating horses must have won a race, been placed twice or raced at least three times in order for the handicapper to gauge the level of form shown. This rating then dictates the weight to be carried in a handicap In simple terms a horse rated 110 in this particular race would be required to carry 5lb more than a rival rated 105

PAGES 36-38

4th Race 3.35pm

The LK Bennett Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Our feature race of the day is a two miles and one furlong handicap steeple chase for five-year-olds and upwards which have been rated from 0 to 145. Once a horse has qualified for a handicap rating this is regularly reassessed. A below par effort could result in a reduced rating whilst a strong performance could see the rating increased. Occasionally, horses are entered to race before their handicap rating has been reviewed and so to avoid recent winners being un-penalised they are allotted a mandatory penalty – usually 7lb

PAGES 40-42

5th Race 4.10pm

The Colts and Fillies Club

Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race (GBB Race)

Novice races tend to be for younger horses that are still learning their way over hurdles or fences and allow them to race against each other before graduating up the ranks Horses are classed as a novice if they have yet to win a race, under the respective code, prior to the official start of the season. This particular two mile, seven and a half furlongs novices’ hurdle race is for horses aged four-years-old and upwards which have not won more than three hurdle races and have a handciap rating between 0-110.

PAGES 44-45

6th Race 4.45pm

The Memberships At Ascot

Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 5 of The Veterans Chase Series)

Our penultimate race, as the race title suggests, is a veterans’ steeple chase designed specifically for those in the later stages of their National Hunt careers

These types of races often attract some past stars of the sport and provide a perfect opportunity for fans to catch a final glimpse of their equine heroes before they are retired. In order to qualify for this three miles handicap, horses must be ten-years-old or older and be officially rated between 0 and 150

PAGES 48-51

7th Race 5.20pm

The Ascot Shop Handicap Hurdle Race

Our finale is a two miles, five and a half furlongs handicap hurdle race which has been designed for four-year-olds and upwards rated from 0 to 140. In most National Hunt handicaps, there is a minimum weight of 10st so any horse whose official rating would allocate them less than that still has to shoulder that burden. The horses that fall into this category are said to be racing from ‘out of the handicap’ – usually a distinct disadvantage.

K E Y To Sy Mb Ol S

Entry Point

Cash Machine

Cloakroom & Left Luggage

Grandstand Entrances

First Aid Point

Toilets & Baby Changing

Parent & Baby Room

Ascot Shop

Taxi Drop Off Point

Sunflower Lawn

Picnic Lawns

Memberships at Ascot Information

Arts & Crafts, Wild Wise - Bush Craft Skills, Balloon Modellers, Bee Keepers, Seed Bomb Making, Bygone Country Skills - Wood Working

Vintage Tractor

Animal Arena

Paws For Thought - Dog Agility, Ferrets, Sheepdogs

Face Painting, Wildlife Hospital, Colts & Fillies Desk, Soft Play, Schools Art Competition

Pony Rides

Remote Control Cars and Climbing Wall

Alpacas and Chick Hatchery