PICNICS in the car park after racing proved to be the highlight of the week for some people at Royal Ascot with generous hosts supplying an array of champagne, wines, beers and delicious food as good as some of the top 5-star hotels in central London.

Ed Prosser, from Keeneland Sales, hosted a pre-racing party for the first time and well-known agent James Keogh flew in from Kentucky for the first time in a number of years. The Cantillion family were out in force this week and it was good to see Tony Smurfit and his lovely wife Sharon at the races. Smurfit has a number of horses in partnership with his father, Dr Michael, and they have had success so far this season ; could there be another Melbourne Cup winner in among them?