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  • Royal Ascot Cards to Stay at Seven

    Tuesday, 22nd June 2021

    Following a "behind-closed-doors meeting" last year to discuss preferred maximum card numbers across the five days of the Royal Ascot carnival, it has now been decided "100 per cent" that the 35-race fixture (which was further bolstered this year with the addition of the Kensington Palace Stakes) is locked in, reports racingpost.com. Director of racing and public affairs, Nick Smith, commented, "It's good for broadcasting, for turnover, for the Hong Kong World Pool, for people on course and for owners and trainers who have more opportunities to win. There are no negatives." Smith also counters criticism that the prestigious festival is weakened by the additional race cards: "The extra races do not dilute the quality because they mirror in their grading and handicap ratings races that are already being run for other categories of horse." He added, "If you were suddenly to find field sizes reducing considerably because of them you'd have a problem, but they don't, because every single race has been specifically framed not to compete with any other race." All 35 races will continue to be shown on free-to-air TV through ITV and accommodate the important Hong Kong betting market.