Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Ascot Racecourse – Track Analysis (Gold Cup Day):

Racing in a clockwise direction, Ascot is a triangular venue so well acclaimed of its enormous track width, featuring on top of which a 1600m home chute to accommodate for straight contests at up to a mile.

For the day’s marquee attraction – the 3991m Gold Cup – the stayers will dispatch from the 1200m start on the Straight Course, pass by the grandstand for the first time, then navigate an entire lap of the course proper to complete this marathon. Meanwhile, the 1000m Norfolk Stakes and the 1600m Britannia Stakes (Handicap) will both be staged on the straight course, and starting positions are numbered reversely back in, where the runner drawn highest will break from the stands side. When it comes to full fields of 20 or more dueling for early speed on a firm track, this particular stands side, as per customary for many a contest in this Royal meeting, is the better place to be; that being said, one simple rainy day would easily turn such case totally upside down. As for the 1993m Hampton Court Stakes, and both the 2392m Ribblesdale Stakes and the King George V Stakes (Handicap), runners will dip right-handed right into the Swinley Bottom shortly after the break; still, thanks to a more sedate pace as per customary in deep routes, horses breaking from out wide still have plenty of time to position properly.

In all, be it for straight dashes, or cruising around the full circuit, fields will have to fight for Ascot glory through that grueling 500m-plus homestretch, where another steep, surmounting ascent suddenly looms in large right before the finish. On top of all the ups and downs throughout this course, front-runners do need more than a herculean task to take the field all the way home.

In the 2018 running of the Gold Cup contested on good to firm turf, eventual winner STRADIVARIUS was in touch with the leaders while saving ground early, then switched to the clear with two furlongs to go, took command inside the final furlong and stayed on strongly to score, whereas French-bred VAZIRABAD, who was taken back towards the rear, found good headway between horses at the quarter-mile marker, and was gaining on the winner impressively until finding no more down the final 100m for second.  TORCEDOR, meanwhile, enjoyed quite a simple trip tracking the leaders early, took a brief and narrow lead over three furlongs out, but managed only one-pace, was headed deep down the stretch, and could only hold on for third.

With sunny skies that will extend towards Thursday – and therefore good to firm goings – on deck for the Gold Cup Day this year, forwardly-placed runners may be much favoured.

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