The Winners And Losers Of Royal Ascot 2020

There was some incredible performances from both well known horses and not so well known horses and there was a couple of stinkers too but firstly, we've taken a look at the better ones and for us, two stood out from the crowd.

The first being arguably the greatest stayer of this generation, STRADIVARIUS. He was odds on for Thursdays Gold Cup but with the ground deteriorating, his price started to drift and the vibe coming from jockey Frankie Dettori throughout the day wasn't exactly a positive one. Oh how wrong was he.

Travelling like a dream in fourth coming around the home turn, it wasn't until just after the two furlong marker Frankie pressed the go button on him and go he did as he rocketed past Nayef Road to charge to a 10 length victory and a hat-trick of Gold Cups. Simply one of the best.

Another mention must also go to NANDO PARRADO who on Saturday became the biggest priced horse EVER to win at Royal Ascot at odds of 150/1 for Clive Cox and Adam Kirby. An incredible feat.

Now, for the big loser of the festival and we've picked out the AP O'Brien trained MOGUL. Sent off as 10/11 fav in what looked a more than winnable King Edward VII Stakes for a horse of his calibre, the full brother to Japan just didn't seem to be at the races and ended up back in fourth in a field of six. He holds an entry to next weeks Irish Derby at The Curragh so a run in that may tell us more about what he could achieve this year.

Well, I don't think it's any secret the two jockeys who thoroughly enjoyed their week at Royal Ascot. Firstly, the legendary Frankie Dettori. Three Group 1 winners and three Group 2 winners in five days along with a treble on the final day, the Italian proved just why he's still at the age of 49 touted as being one of the finest jockeys on the planet. His incredible late dash on Palace Pier in the St James's Palace Stakes was all the evidence you need to see that the old boy has still got plenty left to give this wonderful sport.

Frankie however was only crowned top jockey at the festival down to more places ridden than 2016 champion flat jockey Jim Crowley who also rode six winners over the five days.

The Al Maktoum jockey got off to a blinder riding a treble on the opening day including a runaway win aboard highly rated sprinter Battaash in the King's Stand Stakes. A winner on Wednesday and a double on Thursday followed however Crowley failed to pick up a winner on the final two days of the festival, something which would have no doubt left a slight sour taste in his mouth despite such an incredible opening three days.

There was no major let downs when it comes to jockeys but if we had to pick one out that didn't live up to expectations then it would probably have to be Ryan Moore.

He rode four winners over the five days which on paper looks pretty damm good but when you take into consideration he lost on eight favourites over the course of the festival, it really is a case of what could have been.

Finally, we take a look at the trainers and there's only one man who will be dancing around Newmarket this week and that is of course the man himself, John Gosden.

Six winners from 28 runners across the five days gave him an impressive strike rate of 21%. It wasn't just the fact he got so many winners and was crowned top trainer, it's the way that they won. We've already covered Stradivarius's victory but the way the likes of Frankly Darling, Lord North and Palace Pier all won, it was simply beautiful to watch.

A trainer that certainly won't be doing the conga around Newmarket is Godolphin's Charlie Appleby. He sent 14 runners to Royal Ascot this week and was unable to pick up a winner and only claimed four places from those 14 runners. His week was more or less summed up with Pinatubo's run in the St James's Palace Stakes as the highest rated juvenile of all time succumbed to his second successive defeat to the hands of the Gosden charge Palace Pier.