Wesley thinks it will be fast and firm as Ascot narrowly avoids a morning riot

There are at least two Americans who are very excited about being at Royal Ascot. One of them was among those waiting for the gates to the Royal Enclosure to be opened. She was patient and polite. Not everyone was like that.

One of the Ascot greencoats had no idea why there was a delay. The first customers were supposed to be admitted at 10.30am, yet here they were at 10.35am and the stalls had still to be opened. Ladies in pearls tend not to riot, particularly when the weather is so lovely, but some of them were starting to become distinctly restless.

"This is appalling behaviour," said a woman sporting an elegant, flowing dress, of which there will be quite a few here today. "It's not acceptable," she continued, hammering home her frustration with the question: "Who is in charge?"

Ultimately, it's probably the Queen, but unlocking gates is almost certainly outside a racecourse-owning monarch's job spec. The man with the walkie-talkie appeared not to know much more, either. To make matters worse for those people who had not been here since the pre-Covid edition of 2019, Derek Thompson had just walked through a side entrance, his passage completely uninterrupted.

Waiting patiently: a Royal Ascot racegoer in all her day-one fineryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Day 1 fashionRoyal Ascot 14.6.22 Pic: Edward WhitakerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Racegoers arrive ahead of day one of Royal AscotCredit: Ryan Pierse (Getty Images)

"Hey, big fella," said Tommo. It's what Tommo tends to say, which may be why he has yet to appear in a royal procession. In response, I asked him for his tip of the week.

"Jane Chapple-Hyam's horse tomorrow," he answered. "She sent her to Chelmsford the other day and she worked very well."

That horse is Saffron Beach, one of eight runners in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes. It could be a big week for her. It could be an even bigger one for Wesley Ward.

"I'm very excited," said Ward, thus revealing himself to be one of those two excited Americans I told you about.

"This is my favourite week of the year. Every one of the days is like Christmas. I've got an excellent team, plus the ground has come right for me as well. Whatever water Chris Stickels has put on the track must be being burned off. With the weather like this it must be tightening up. I'd say it's going to be fast and firm."

Fashion on day one of Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Day one fashion at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ward was in a considerably better mood than a somewhat haughty lady who at 10.39am was still waiting to get where Tommo had already been.

"I've been here since 8.20am," she said, disgruntled but in a nice hat. "If you want a table terrace you have to get here that early."

I asked her for her name.

"I'm not giving you my name," she said, at which point my sympathy for her predicament rather lessened.

Martha Clark is at Ascot to enjoy her 33rd royal meetingCredit: Lee Mottershead

The scene at Royal Ascot ahead of day one of the meetingCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

There are, however, some wonderful people here. After the gates finally opened at 10.40am, one of them turned out to be Martha Clark, a Royal Ascot regular from Washington DC.

Like so many others, she has been missing from this meeting since 2019. She is thrilled to be back and it's a pleasure to see her.

"I'm very excited," she said. "This is my 33rd Royal Ascot. I've been coming here since 1987. I'm from America, so I like the dignity of it all. I like the horses, the racing, the Queen and the attire. I also like not being afraid of guns."

Her words were a reminder that Royal Ascot is, for so many, a distraction from the real world. It should do that job rather wonderfully this week.

Royal Ascot looking resplendent in the sunshineCredit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

Royal Ascot 2022: meeting gets under way on TuesdayCredit: Ryan Pierse (Getty Images)

Tuesday at Royal Ascot:

2.30 Ascot: 'He's improving all the time' - find out who reckons they can beat Baaeed

3.05 Ascot: 'I really do believe he's the real deal' - Hannon excited about Coventry chance

3.40 Ascot: Golden Pal v Nature Strip: Wesley Ward and Chris Waller on their sprint stars

4.20 Ascot: Charlie Appleby bullish over 2,000 Guineas hero Coroebus in St James's Palace

5.00 Ascot: Royal Ascot or Cheltenham? It's Mullins v Elliott again in Ascot Stakes

5.35 Ascot: 'Hopefully he has a big chance' - Juan Elcano bids for a second Wolferton win

6.10 Ascot: is Aidan O'Brien's runner a handicap blot in the Copper Horse?

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