Oxted downs Battaash to claim King’s Stand crown
Last year’s July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) winner Oxted (5 g Mayson – Charlotte Rosina by Choisir) powered home best of all to claim a frenetic running of the King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) as reigning champion Battaash (Dark Angel) weakened to finish fourth.
The result delivered a first Royal Ascot winner for both jockey Cieren Fallon, son of legendary jockey Kieren Fallon, who gave the five-year-old a well-judged ride to pounce on the tiring front runners, as well as Roger Teal, for who Oxted landed a first Group 1 winner at Newmarket last year.
The five-furlong dash played out in three races of its own, as a furious pace was set by Que Amoro (Es Que Love) and Wesley Ward’s American raider Maven (American Pharoah).
Baataash and Jim Crowley found themselves left in front early in the piece as the pace setters rapidly weakened, but couldn’t go on with it as he was left a vulnerable target for the chasers, who duly swooped over the top of the battling champion, with Oxted and Fallon bursting through the centre to win by one and three-quarter lengths from the fast-finishing Arecibo (Invincible Spirit), who overhauled Extravagant Kid (Kiss The Kid) but was no match for the winner.
Oxted was well backed in the closing period before the off, and returned the 4-1 second favourite.
“It is a dream come true to ride a Group 1 winner at Royal Ascot,” said an emotional Fallon, whose father Kieren rode 30 Royal Ascot winners.
“All credit goes to Roger, Harry (Teal) and the team back home. I have been very lucky to sit on a horse like this so early in my career. He has just shown that the July Cup wasn’t a fluke. He is a proper Group 1 horse”
Teal echoed Fallon’s sentiment in labelling the success a dream come true. “It is just unbelievable. We have dreamt about these days for so long. Royal Ascot and a Group 1 with a yard of our size, this is amazing.
“It is a big family affair. The lads back home, the work they put in, credit goes to every one and to the owners for supporting me. Dreams do come true.”
Oxted was a £400,000 purchase when a three-year-old from the Goffs London Sale in 2019 after a Listed placing at Newbury.
He is out of , a four-time winner by Australian stallion Choisir (Danehill Dancer), who won the King’s Stand Stakes, when it was a Group 2, in 2003, before going one better in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) later that week.