WEDNESDAY ON TV

THE team had a picnic on the lawn to start Wednesday, a stark contrast with the helicopters and speeding Porches.

The ITV budget bore similarities to Battaash and seemingly did too much too soon. The already enormous team had grown to at last count 19, as commentator Mark Johnson was added to this soiree.

At the picnic all of the ITV racing eggs were very much in the Cracksman basket, with as per usual Matt Chapman being the cheerleader in chief.

He was happy to remind us all this was the “THIRD... BEST...HORSE...ON...THE... PLANET!” This information was patently out of date, but only Ed seemed to think he was a bad price.

Dec Donnelly joined the team to open the show as well, not sure if he counts as a 20th presenter. He was on message and horse racing received high praise as his “third favourite sport”. Unfortunately Ed didn’t tell him you can’t have a third favourite anything – you are not a nine-year-old child.

Off to the track and the production team didn’t get the memo about not allowing Luke to drink before noon. It was Rishi who paid the price as he was ridden across the track being whipped with a microphone by Harvey.

Powder Blue was first past the post in the opening betting heat of the day, the Jelly Bean’s hat stakes. All the discussion was about how the Duchess of Sussex (you know, from Suits) had “aced her debut at Royal Ascot” and was “back to work today”. What work exactly was left unclear.

Francesca continued the theme of frugality as she and Mark championed vintage shopping, apparently she picked up her Derby dress for £12.

Given the way the team tipping has gone so far, with the exception of Kevin Blake, such spartan spending may be necessary.

BEHIND THE SCENES

There were two excellent behind the scenes pieces through the broadcast, quite the juxtaposition too. A.P. McCoy at Ballydoyle with Aidan O’Brien and one with Roger Teal and his team. Aidan laden with walkie talkies, Roger Teal with a wheelbarrow.

The Roger Teal clip gave genuinely rare, up close coverage and insight, including the jockey David Probert’s debrief. The “stiff mile found him out” and showed the genuine anguish for a smaller trainer when their best horse gets beaten.

Aidan on the other hand told or perhaps advised A.P. or Anthony as he called him, “nothing and nobody annoys me…life is too short.”

The day was littered with lovely moments; Simon Crisford has obviously been watching Love Island as he said his was a “nice type on paper”, Marco Botti having his first Royal Ascot winner, David Marnane’s emotion after the Royal Hunt Cup and Billy Lee’s tribute to Gary Halpin and his heartbroken family.

The day was, according to the ITV script, due to belong to Cracksman. Just like Luke with the champagne earlier, the memo wasn’t passed on. Sir Michael Stoute happily pooped the Cracksman party, or the picnic rather.

The master of Freemason Lodge became the winningmost trainer in Royal Ascot history when Poet’s Word won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

In the immediate aftermath he was the very definition of class, referring to the man he had overtaken, and how Sir Henry Cecil had done most of his winning when it was just four days.

Sir Michael then confirmed his genius and extended his royal record with a feat many though impossible; training Expert Eye to win another race!