The late-closers could be the ones to note from a strange Royal Ascot, but the juveniles are a rum bunch

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There was something strange in the Ascot neighbourhood last week. After watching racing at the track for nearly 30 years it was the first time I could remember horses who raced up with the pace seemingly at an advantage on the straight track on quick ground. Bar Fairy Godmother, who was clearly three classes above her rivals in the Albany Stakes, only Soprano came from well off the pace to win a race, although she was never that far behind anyway in the Sandringham.

Pace was key, with those drawn around the pacesetters having a distinct advantage as nothing much really quickened like we are used to seeing on the straight track or changed position late on.

Not for one minute am I saying that the right horses weren't winning, but it just looked different from what we have become accustomed too, and I'm not sure how much value I'm going to put on the straight-track form just yet. It's a good job I'm not an in-running punter because I would have been bankrupt ten times over last week, laying all those I thought had done too much too soon and backing those who were going to fly from the back, which is what we usually see at Ascot.