• Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives by carriage on Day 2 of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
    Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives by carriage on Day 2 of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
  • Britain's Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, arrives by carriage on Day 2 of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
    Britain's Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, arrives by carriage on Day 2 of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
  • Frankie Dettori celebrates after he riding Raffle Prize, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, to victory in the Queen Mary Stakes on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
    Frankie Dettori celebrates after he riding Raffle Prize, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, to victory in the Queen Mary Stakes on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
  • Racegoers talk under an umbrella on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
    Racegoers talk under an umbrella on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
  • General view during of the Queen's Vase race on Day 2 of Royal Ascot. Reuters
    General view during of the Queen's Vase race on Day 2 of Royal Ascot. Reuters
  • Queen Elizabeth II, Alan Brooke, third Viscount of Brookeborough, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive at the Parade Ring on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth II, Alan Brooke, third Viscount of Brookeborough, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive at the Parade Ring on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Getty Images
  • Frankie Dettori celebrates after riding Raffle Prize to victory in The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
    Frankie Dettori celebrates after riding Raffle Prize to victory in The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
  • Queen Elizabeth II arrives on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth II arrives on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Getty Images
  • Frankie Dettori rides Raffle Prize to win The Queen Mary Stakes ahead of John Velazquez on Kimari. Getty Images
    Frankie Dettori rides Raffle Prize to win The Queen Mary Stakes ahead of John Velazquez on Kimari. Getty Images
  • Jockey Frankie Detorri celebrates winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
    Jockey Frankie Detorri celebrates winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
  • Frankie Dettori celebrates after he rides Raffle Prize to win The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
    Frankie Dettori celebrates after he rides Raffle Prize to win The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
  • Atmosphere at Royal Ascot in Ascot, England. Getty Images
    Atmosphere at Royal Ascot in Ascot, England. Getty Images
  • Darcey Bussell, left, presents jockey Frankie Dettori with the trophy for winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
    Darcey Bussell, left, presents jockey Frankie Dettori with the trophy for winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
  • Darcey Bussell, left, presents jockey Frankie Dettori with the trophy for winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
    Darcey Bussell, left, presents jockey Frankie Dettori with the trophy for winning the Queen Mary Stakes with Raffle Prize. Press Association
  • Racegoers at Royal Ascotin Ascot, England. Getty Images
    Racegoers at Royal Ascotin Ascot, England. Getty Images
  • Horses run in The Royal Hunt Cup on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
    Horses run in The Royal Hunt Cup on Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images
  • Afaak ridden by jockey Jim Crowley and owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, on his way to winning the Royal Hunt Cup during Day 2 of Royal Ascot. Press Association
    Afaak ridden by jockey Jim Crowley and owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, on his way to winning the Royal Hunt Cup during Day 2 of Royal Ascot. Press Association
  • Racegoers cheer on their horse on day two of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
    Racegoers cheer on their horse on day two of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
  • Racegoers look on as Veracious, ridden by Oisin Murphy, heads to the track for the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Press Association
    Racegoers look on as Veracious, ridden by Oisin Murphy, heads to the track for the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Press Association
  • Runners and riders in the Queen's Vase during Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Press Association
    Runners and riders in the Queen's Vase during Day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Press Association
  • Racegoers shelter from the weather under umbrella. Press Association
    Racegoers shelter from the weather under umbrella. Press Association
  • Jockey Frankie Dettori and qwner Evelyn de Rothschild celebrate after the Italian won the Prince of Wales's Stakes with Crystal Ocean. Press Association
    Jockey Frankie Dettori and qwner Evelyn de Rothschild celebrate after the Italian won the Prince of Wales's Stakes with Crystal Ocean. Press Association
  • The Duchess of Cornwall, left, and the Prince Charles, second left, present jockey Frankie Dettori and winning connections with the trophy after winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes with Crystal Ocean. Press Association
    The Duchess of Cornwall, left, and the Prince Charles, second left, present jockey Frankie Dettori and winning connections with the trophy after winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes with Crystal Ocean. Press Association
  • Jockey Frankie Dettori celebrates winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes onboard Crystal Ocean. Press Association
    Jockey Frankie Dettori celebrates winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes onboard Crystal Ocean. Press Association
  • Frankie Dettori, riding Raffle Prize, crosses the finish line to win The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
    Frankie Dettori, riding Raffle Prize, crosses the finish line to win The Queen Mary Stakes. Getty Images
  • Winning connections celebrate after Daniel Tudhope rides Move Swiftly to win The Duke of Cambridge Stakes. Getty Images
    Winning connections celebrate after Daniel Tudhope rides Move Swiftly to win The Duke of Cambridge Stakes. Getty Images
  • Racegoers watch the proceedings on day two of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
    Racegoers watch the proceedings on day two of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London. AFP
  • Racegoers during Day 2 of the Royal Ascot meet. AFP
    Racegoers during Day 2 of the Royal Ascot meet. AFP
  • Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, shelters from the rain under an umbrella. Getty Images
    Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, shelters from the rain under an umbrella. Getty Images
  • Oisin Murphy on Dashing Willoughby celebrates after winning the Queen's Vase race. Reuters
    Oisin Murphy on Dashing Willoughby celebrates after winning the Queen's Vase race. Reuters
  • Runners in the Queen's Vase race at Royal Ascot. Reuters
    Runners in the Queen's Vase race at Royal Ascot. Reuters
  • Raffle Prize, ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, right, on his way to winning the Queen Mary Stakes. Press Association
    Raffle Prize, ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, right, on his way to winning the Queen Mary Stakes. Press Association
  • Oisin Murphy rides Dashing Willoughby to victory in the Queen's Vase race. Getty Images
    Oisin Murphy rides Dashing Willoughby to victory in the Queen's Vase race. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II braves the rain on a day of double delight for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed at Royal Ascot - in pictures


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Two of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's horses were first past the post on Day 2 of Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

Frankie Dettori guided the Dubai Crown Prince's Raffle Prize to victory in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes. The Italian later clinched the day's biggest prize, the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, atop Michael Stoute's Crystal Ocean.

Charlie Hills saw his concerns over running Afaak on soft ground brushed aside after he went one place better than 12 months ago in the Royal Hunt Cup.

Moved Swiftly, owned by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, won the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.

It was a wet day for racegoers, with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and other members of the British royal family taking shelter from the rain under umbrellas soon after arriving at the Ascot Racecourse in horse-drawn carriage.

Ahead of the start of Day 3's action on Thursday, take a look at the best photos from the opening day in the picture gallery above. To move on to the next image click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.