ASCOT'S multimillion-pound makeover is progressing according to plan, and the 2006 Royal meeting will return to its ancestral home. Either that, or the course executive has fallen for the old builder's line of: "Don't worry, guv, we'll be out of here soon."
With this summer's Royal fixture controversially transferred to York, there had been speculation the Berkshire track's massive facelift was behind schedule, but those fears would now appear to be groundless.
Much to the dismay, no doubt, of booki
e Barry Dennis, who had offered 3-1 against the work being completed in time.
"We are delighted to confirm the redevelopment is on target and we will be back next year," said Ascot chief executive Douglas Erskine-Crum.
The final bill for the revamp will be around £200 million as opposed to the initial budget of £185 million, but Erskine-Crum claims the end product of spending that huge sum will be a sporting arena that will be the envy of the rest of the racing world.
"If there is any unforeseeable disaster, the like of which could potentially hit any venue or racecourse at any time, we have contingency plans for the transfer of major races," he said. "We firmly believe this is going to be the best racecourse in the world and will change the way people go racing."
The weather ensured no-one could go to waterlogged Ayr yesterday, and this afternoon's mixture of two parts National Hunt to one part Flat continues the switch from the summer to winter game, so with each passing day we can expect more and more of jumping's big names to emerge from hibernation. Class-wise, Refinement tops today's bill, even though the Jonjo O'Neill-trained runner won't get anyone rich when she makes her seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter, unless of course you happen to be rich to begin with.
Close to the top of the pecking order in her bumper days, the mare is long odds on to start her hurdling career with a victory under Tony McCoy and it would be a brave man who would bet against her doing so.
There's also some very decent fare on offer at Wetherby where Timmy Murphy, McCoy's successor as stable jockey to David Johnson, is napped to steer Mexican Pete to a hat-trick in the two-mile handicap.
