ONE of the reasons why some of the older-horse winning times on Royal Ascot’s opening day were relatively slow is that the two juvenile races were notably fast (other possible explanations include pace and variations in going across the track).

Remarkably, the concluding Windsor Castle Stakes was run in a time 0.13 seconds quicker than Profitable’s King’s Stand had been less than two hours earlier. Even after some adjustments, the winner, Ardad, merits a timefigure of at least 111 himself.