Royal Ascot Wrap – Day Three
91 for War Front
Claiborne Farm stallion War Front (Danzig) recorded his 91st individual stakes winner yesterday when Battleground (2 f ex Found by Galileo) won the Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Ascot. War Front stood at the Kentucky farm for US$250,000 in 2020.
Super six for Crowley as Khaloosy storms to Britannia win
The smile across Jim Crowley’s face was almost as big as the winning margin after Khaloosy (Dubawi) destroyed his 21 rivals to give the rider a sixth winner of the week when running away with the Britannia Stakes (1m). Again carrying the blue Shadwell silks of Hamdan Al Maktoum, the Roger Varian-trained colt made it two wins from three starts as he registered a scarcely believable four and a half length success on his turf debut. In any other year the runner-up Finest Sound (Exceed And Excel) would have been an impressive winner of this usually fiercely competitive race, finishing four lengths in front of the third home Cherokee Trail (War Front). Enemy (Muhaarar) filled fourth spot another neck away. “Six winners at Royal Ascot is the stuff of dreams,” Crowley said. “It’s great for my boss [Hamdan Al Maktoum]. It’s just a shame he can’t be here this week. Khaloosy ran really well. It was his first run of the year, and Roger has done a great job with him. He loved the ground, and is clearly well handicapped at present. Is he a Group horse? We’ll have to see. He’s always been held in high regard. He clocked a very good time when he won at Wolverhampton.”
Brave ride reaps dividends for Doyle
James Doyle showed nerves of steel to take the brave route up the inside as Mountain Angel (Dark Angel) landed the Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f) and in the process provided the jockey with his third winner of the week. Twelve months on from a luckless run when fifth behind Addeybb (Pivotal) in the same race, it looked like the Roger Varian-trained six-year-old could be the subject of another hard luck story. Sat towards the rear of the field with a wall of horses in front of him as they straightened up, Doyle bided his time before the gap opened nicely for the pair to cross the line two and a quarter lengths in front of the fast finishing Sir Dragonet (Camelot). The runner-up had been switched wide heading into the straight by Ryan Moore having been upsides the winner for much of the race. Regal Reality (Regal Realm) was another one who finished fast, filling third spot another half length down. “He did it, it worked out perfectly for him,” the winning jockey said. “He ran a good race in it last year, finishing fifth, when he got into a bit of scrimmaging in Swinley Bottom and that put paid to his chances. I pulled my googles down when we turned in, and couldn’t believe how much room we had up the inside. It was just a case of not getting there too early and he really knuckled down well when I asked him.”
Coles create history with Highland Chief
Paul and Oliver Cole created their own piece of history when the father and son team became the first training partnership to saddle a winner at Royal Ascot courtesy of top-weight Highland Chief’s (Gleneagles) victory in the opening Golden Gates Handicap (1m 2f). Racing in cheekpieces for the first time, stepping up in distance and switching back to soft turf proved to be the ideal combination for the son of Gleneagles (Galileo) who came from back in the field to provide jockey Rossa Ryan with his first ever win at the meeting. The pair made a mockery of their 20-1 starting price, crossing the line a half-length clear of Tritonic (Sea The Moon), with Global Storm (Night Of Thunder) finishing late to snatch third place, another two and a quarter lengths away. Recognising the significance of the achievement, Oliver Cole said: “It is fantastic, isn’t it? It is history, it is brilliant. Highland Chief is a very good horse; he won at Newbury on soft ground and was only beaten a few lengths by Pinatubo. He got bashed in that race and then made another run, so he has got ability. We would always have liked the ground today – luckily the heavens have opened. We could not be happier.” Ryan was also delighted with his own landmark success. “It has not really sunk in yet,” he said. “I am a bit shocked that it has happened. I cannot thank everyone enough who has supported me to get here today. To ride a winner for the Coles and for Mrs Fitri Hay is incredible.”
Turner and Fellowes go back-to-back in Sandringham
Having become just the second female rider to win at race at Royal Ascot when successful aboard Thanks Be (Mukhadram) in the Sandringham Stakes (1m) last year, Hayley Turner took her tally to two with a victory on board Onassis (Dubawi) to complete back-to-back wins for the rider and trainer Charlie Fellowes in yesterday’s race. Sent off a 33-1 chance, the daughter of Dubawi overcame a 244-day absence, and a supposedly disadvantageous draw in stall one, when beating Waliyak (Le Havre) by a length and a quarter. Dubai Love (Night Of Thunder) was a further neck away in third. Yesterday’s win was a first of the season for Turner who said: “it was great! Fair play to Charlie because I won on her in the winter and he said ‘this will win the Sandringham’ – and that was months ago. I was drawn in stall one and he said to me to ride the same as I did on the filly last year as I was drawn three on her. So I just tucked her in and let them get on with it. It’s a very testing stiff mile here so you can afford to ride races like that.”
Barney Roy bound for Australia
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) third Barney Roy (Excelebration) is set to be targeted at the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) after his return on Wednesday. The two-time Group 1 winner is yet to win beyond 1800 metres but Appleby believes that he can see out the journey based on his five-length third to Lord North (Dubawi). “He saw the trip out well – I don’t think that we will be going any further than a mile and a quarter – and it would be nice if we stick to our long-term programme with him, which was to take him out to Australia,” Appleby said. “I think he will be a fun horse to take out there. We will see where we are come the autumn and if we can travel with him.”