WHETHER by accident or design, the BBC's decision to last night screen the drama chronicling the life and times of Beau Brummell was a neat piece of telly timing.
It was, after all, Mr Brummell who is credited with making Royal Ascot almost as famous for fashion as it for racing when he decreed in the early 19th century that men attending the meeting should wear "waisted black coats, white cravats and pantaloo
ns".
Next day, all three items were flying off the shelves at Moss Bros.
Things have moved on, so there won't be too many pantaloons on view when this year's fixture gets under way this afternoon, although, as ever, there will be just as many dandies strutting about and preening themselves, so maybe they haven't moved on that much.
However, the sport on offer is superb, so draw a veil over all the peripheral nonsense and give the races your undivided attention.
Every penny of the £3,665,000 that will be won over the next five days is going to have to be earned. By horse, trainer, jockey and punter alike.
Not that taking your eye off the ball is a good idea in any grade of racing, as Robert Winston discovered to his cost at Carlisle yesterday.
Winston, one of the favourites for this year's riders' championship, saw his title hopes dealt a severe blow when he was handed a 28-day ban after being found guilty of dropping his hands on the Alan Swinbank-trained Confide.
The race looked to be theirs for the taking, only for the Irishman to briefly ease off the 3-1 market leader and get caught by 25-1 outsider Royal Indulgence. "I will just have to take it on the chin," said Winston, who will be out of action from 30 June to 27 July.
On the bright side, anyone backing either of his two mounts, Bond City or Avertuoso, at Ascot today are at least guaranteed maximum effort, although it looks as if it will take more that 100 per cent endeavour to get either of them home in front. The former lines up in an intriguing Kings' Stand in which the rejuvenated Moss Vale is fancied to see off the challenge of his 27 rivals, including the three Australian raiders, while in the opening Coventry Stakes, Hellvelyn can show why Bryan Smart rates him the best two-year-old he has ever trained.
Araafa can add the St James's Palace to the Irish 2,000 Guineas he picked up at the Curragh and where one's cash goes in the Queen Anne is very much dependent on how you view the Godolphin situation. A 66 per cent strike rate this month suggests the wheels are back on Sheikh Mohammed's bogie, but that came from just six runners and even the boys in blue admit they could have done with another couple of weeks to prepare.
For all that, Proclamation might still be up to winning, but Peeress may be a safer option than the grey.
The marathon Ascot Stakes is a total nightmare best left alone, Admiral getting the vote with no great conviction.
The unbeaten Espertano can round things off by giving Jamie Spencer a winner, and Philip Robinson's decision to head for Thirsk can pay off big time. Banjo Patterson, Greyt Big Stuff, Aamaaq, Queen's Composer and Commentary all hold solid chances; the last named's so solid, she's the nap.
