A rising star in US racing broadcasting, Andie Biancone, was forced to miss her big race moment at Royal Ascot due to an unfortunate injury. The 28-year-old has gained fame as a roving reporter and analyst for FanDuelTV, covering major racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup.
While FanDuelTV had a team on site for the Royal meeting, Biancone was set to make her debut at the prestigious event as a groom, leading up a horse trained by her father, dual Arc-winning trainer Patrick Biancone.
Patrick Biancone, who left Europe 35 years ago, once trained one of the most powerful strings in world racing as head trainer to Daniel Wildenstein, based in France. He claimed back-to-back victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Sagace and All Along in 1983 and 1984, and also trained the legendary Triptych to win the Irish Champion Stakes in 1987 and Coronation Cup in 1988.
After reaching the pinnacle of his career, he moved to Hong Kong for a time and now runs a boutique stable in Florida at the age of 73. His stable was represented by Lennilu in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Andie joined him in Newmarket and was responsible for the daily exercise of the grey or roan filly, Lennilu. She was scheduled to lead up the two-year-old at Ascot on Wednesday.
However, she arrived at the meeting on crutches following a painful incident on the gallops, with her sister Marie stepping in to lead the horse instead.
Andie was full of praise, recounting their week, saying, “Everything had gone swimmingly well the entire week,” and indeed Lennilu had navigated all challenges flawlessly until the incident. “But yesterday after a little easy gallop, we were pulling up, she was great but her company horse came next to her and spooked at a massive truck that had come by.”
The situation quickly escalated as she explained: “He just bucked straight over his head and ended up kicking me in the foot. I was sobbing. Lennilu packed me home, a 20-minute walk back to the barn through traffic and everything.
“I got it scanned in Newmarket. They said it looked pretty clean, just soft tissue but I will probably get a second opinion back in the states. I can’t put weight on it right now.”
Despite the mishap, Lennilu showcased her talent and justified the trip from Florida by securing a commendable third place, behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained champion True Love.
Patrick Biancone, returning to Royal Ascot with his first entry since 1988, expressed pride in Lennilu’s performance: “She is only a baby. I liked the fact she fought back at the end. We will go home and give her a break and then we’ll see her in Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup.”