Racing Post Desk Diary 2023

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Harrington said: "We think it is really important that there is transparency around that and that we are not disappearing and saying trust us, it worked. We are going to be publishing in the next couple of weeks a range of measures that show this is what we think are the top-line objectives, the reason why we are doing this. The big race: The Gold Cup is a race steeped in history and prestige. Won by the likes of Stradivarius, Estimate and Yeats, the Gold Cup is a true stamina test run over 2m4f. Coltrane, trained by Andrew Balding, bids to add his name to that illustrious list. It won't be an easy task, though, with last year's St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov and Dubai Gold Cup winner Broome heading a host of challengers. The big horse: The 2021 Derby and King George winner Adayar is the star name in his bid for a third top-level success in the Prince of Wales's . He returned with an easy win in the Gordon Richards Stakes and the form has been franked. He will have to reverse last year's Champion Stakes form when second to the reopposing Bay Bridge.

Day three features the Group 1 Gold Cup ( 4.20 ), the year's most prestigious prize for stayers, and is supported by two Group 2s – the Norfolk ( 2.30 ) and the Ribblesdale ( 3.40 ) – and one Group 3 in the Hampton Court ( 5.35 ). We would have liked to have had those measures attached to the press release but there are a few market-sensitive pieces of data where we just need to work out what we can publish and what we can't." I'm optimistic we will see some quite exciting and innovative changes for 2024, not least in terms of considering the Peter Savill recommendations. Another element is the jumps review as is the strategy review in September, so I would expect work from that to definitely change the 2024 fixture list. Notable changes include the St Leger festival at Doncaster becoming a Thursday-to-Sunday meeting and the Christmas break being reduced to two days for the first time since 2017, with four fixtures staged on Saturday, December 23. Meanwhile, the Grand National will be staged on its latest ever date, Saturday, April 15. We are in the middle of an economic crisis so it's hard to distinguish one effect from another, but we see the issue of competitiveness as a big one for racing.Owners have always been incredibly loyal in their support of British racing, but we are experiencing a significant growth in the number of higher-rated horses being sold overseas and, over jumps, an increasing number of the best horses being based elsewhere. BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said the 2024 fixture list was a "first foundation step" in much wider strategy work with the aim of achieving "the long-term transformation of the sport". He added: "It has allowed for bold, positive decisions to be made, while ensuring that the views of everyone affected have been properly considered. The published list may well increase slightly as it does not include fixtures for the Sunday Series or the Racing League, which will be added if and when they are confirmed. She can gatecrash the party and 25-1 looks too big' - our experts provide their best bets for Royal Ascot

The top action keeps coming on day two of the royal meeting. The feature Group 1 is the Prince of Wales's ( 4.20 ), which is supported by three Group 2s – the Queen Mary ( 2.30 ), the Duke of Cambridge ( 3.40 ) and the Queen's Vase ( 5.35 ). The meetings will feature higher prize-money with the aim of showcasing the best races in a bid to increase fan engagement, improve revenues, recruit and retain owners and encourage the best horses to be trained and raced in Britain.The big race: The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee is run over 6f and open to four-year-olds and upwards. The Australian sprinter Artorius heads the market for this year's running after finishing third behind Naval Crown last year, with a host of international challengers and top European sprinters on course for a cavalry charge up the long Ascot straight. The St Leger festival at Doncaster will become a Thursday-to-Sunday meeting in 2023 Credit: Edward Whitaker

BHA chair Joe Saumarez Smith said British racing's new governance structure, which made the BHA the ultimate decision-making body in the sport, had enabled progress in compiling the new-look schedule.Armstrong, not surprisingly, rejected those views. He said: "There were many racecourse representatives involved in creating that [Savill] work, so it's supported by those involved and I agree that there are some really good ideas in there, which we look forward to discussing as part of the industry strategy meeting on September 19 and 20. The RCA is far from against change – we just want to make the right change. Total prize-money will reach record levels this year but, as we enter the yearling sales season, when many owners are making their plans for next year, it is vital that we have been able to announce further steps forward in the guise of increased minimum values for 2023."