History and tradition may no longer be enough for Royal Ascot to woo the world's best
Top hats and finery may not be to everyone's taste but I think most will agree Royal Ascot can produce some of the greatest international spectacles of the year.
Consider the Australian sprinting legends Nature Strip and Takeover Target, Choisir's remarkable sprint double 21 years ago and Black Caviar's astonishing near-defeat in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee.
Add to the list the US darlings Tepin and Lady Aurelia and you have just a slice of what Royal Ascot can offer when the world's stars descend on Britain in June, with even the near misses, such as Agnes World's attempt to score for Japan in 2000, speaking to the championship nature of the illustrious meeting.
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