Royal Ascot wrap – day three
First for Ardad
First season sire Ardad (Kodiac) landed his first stakes winner on the biggest stage as Perfect Power (2 c ex Sagely by Frozen Power) unleashed his challenge at the opportune moment to win the Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) yesterday. The race did little to solve the stands’ side versus far side conundrum, with the two groups on each side of the track split by the barest of margins at the finish. Perfect Power, racing on the stands’ side, got the better of Go Bears Go (Kodi Bear) who raced on the far side, by a head, with on the stands’ side Project Dante (Showcasing) finishing third, a nose further back. Ardad, winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f) at Royal Ascot in 2016, has streaked clear in the leading first season sire standings by winners, with ten to salute the judge in Britain. He stands at Overbury Stud for a fee of £4,000 (approx. AUD$7,360).
Hanagan scores emotional success after injury
It was an emotional success for jockey Paul Hanagan in yesterday’s opening race, with the experienced jockey having recently returned from a fractured back he suffered in a fall at Newcastle in February last year to win the Norfolk Stakes with Perfect Power. It was an injury which at one stage Hanagan thought would end his career. “I don’t usually get emotional but I’m probably lucky to be here at all after the accident,” he said. “It’s just an amazing feeling, just to even get back in, never mind a winner at Royal Ascot. I’m just pretty lost for words. I wasn’t quite sure (if I’d won it) because obviously it’s a long way across the track to the other side and I wasn’t quite sure but I was just so delighted: there is a God, you know. Beautiful. I’m really going to enjoy it.” Trainer Richard Fahey has seen his juveniles hit form at the right time, having run third with Vintage Clarets (Ardad) in the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) on Tuesday.
13 for Gleneagles
The Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) saw a minor shock, as 18-1 chance Loving Dream (3 f ex Kissable By Danehill Dancer) saw off all-comers to win by three-quarters of a length and provide her sire Gleneagles (Galileo) with a 13th individual stakes winner. Loving Dream crossed from stall 12 of 13 to sit on the outside of leader Dubai Fountain (Teofilo) as an even pace was set. Turning the bend, a wall of challengers seemed set to take the baton from Loving Dream, however the filly battled in the straight to deny a surging run from Eshaada (Muhaarar) on her outside in the Shadwell colours. Nicest (American Pharoah) finished two and a half lengths behind the winner in third. The John and Thady Gosden-trained Loving Dream is out of the stakes-winning Kissable (Danehill Dancer), who has already produced Listed winner and Grade 1 placed Amandine (Shamardal) in the US. Gleneagles, now the sire of five Group 2 winners, stands at Coolmore for a fee of €25,000 (approx. AUD$39,400).
Ascot winner a special moment for Lordship Stud
Loving Dream’s win in the Ribblesdale Stakes prompted celebration for his owner-breeders Lordship Stud, who landed a first success at Royal Ascot with a homebred. The Trevor and Liz Harris-owned operation won the Epsom Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) in 2000 with Love Divine (Diesis), but the couple said yesterday’s win was a ‘special’ moment for them. “Unbelievable, really, the way she battled on, galloped, always quickened when the other horse came to her, she’s so game and genuine it’s fantastic to see that,” said Liz Harris. “To have a homebred filly is just, for the stud and all their tireless work, it’s just wonderful. We’ve never had a homebred winner (at Royal Ascot) so that is amazing and it takes a long time to come so it’s a very special moment, it really is.”
Mohaafeth survives inquiry to win Hampton Court
Mohaafeth (3 c Frankel – French Dressing by Sea The Stars) was all the rage ahead of yesterday’s Hampton Court Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f), and had to survive a stewards’ inquiry to hold onto the race win. In what was a rough-and-tumble renewal of the Hampton Court, Mohaafeth posed questions of what might have been with connections having bypassed the Epsom Derby (Gr, 1m 4f) last month, as he remained unbeaten from four starts this campaign. In a poignant success for Shadwell, with founder Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum having died earlier this year, Mohaafeth under Jim Crowley defeated Roman Emperor (Galileo) by one and three-quarter lengths, with Secret Protector (War Front) another head away in third. Winning trainer William Haggas said the three-year-old will likely not be stepped up in trip following the decision to miss the Derby. “I thought he won nicely. He definitely crossed the second but he had a bit in hand,” said Haggas. “He’s a pretty decent horse and his work has always been nice. He loves quick ground so I’m delighted to win. I never thought it was the wrong decision (to miss the Derby) but obviously I was pleased when Jim came in and said it was absolutely the right decision not to run him in the Derby. He said ‘I think this is his trip’ so we’ll stick to a mile and a quarter and I guess, if ever we go one way it might be shorter.”
Haggas pays tribute to Sheikh Hamdan after poignant Ascot success
William Haggas, who has trained the likes of Mukhadram (Shamardal) and (Oasis Dream) for Shadwell, paid tribute to its founder, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who died earlier this year, after winning the Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot yesterday. “Obviously, Sheikh Hamdan was great to all of us and he was a charming man, a huge supporter of British racing in particular, so to win for his family, who hopefully now will take up the mantle and set Shadwell on its way, this is a great start, and I hope for many, many more,” said Haggas. “I’m delighted. These colours have been very good to us for a very long time.”
Penalty can’t stop Perotto in Britannia
A 5lb penalty incurred for a handicap win at Goodwood on June 6 was not enough to stop the Marcus Tregoning-trained Perotto (New Bay), who won the Britannia Stakes (1m) over the straight mile at Ascot yesterday at odds of 18-1. Jockey Oisin Murphy, who landed his second success of the meeting after Berkshire Shadow’s (Dark Angel) win in the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f), covered Perotto away at the rear of the stands’ side group and made steady progress as he received a dream tow into the race. After an initial gap was slammed shut he eventually made his way to the front with a furlong and a half to run, and held off the fast-finishing Sun Bloodstock-owned Liffey River (Lope De Vega) to win by half a length, with the same margin back to third, filled by the Charlie Appleby-trained Quintillus (Dubawi). Murphy hailed the training performance of Tregoning, with the China Horse Club-bred filly stepping up to the mile for the first time yesterday. “I am delighted for him. I don’t team up with Marcus a lot but he is a top class trainer with a small string and an absolute gentleman,” he said. “This horse was very well prepared and he gave me a super ride. These races are hard to win.” Tregoning commended his owners Halcyon Thoroughbreds after the win. “This horse is not overly big but he has got the heart of a lion,” he said. “He is an amazing horse, one of the most fun horses I have trained because he is tough and he is owned by a lovely syndicate, Halcyon Thoroughbreds. They take the knocks as well as the wins so they deserve to do well. He has a magic turn of foot and he handles the ground well. He is a very sound horse. He is by New Bay and we loved him as a yearling. He is a superstar.”
Fastnet Rock bags Ascot winner with Surefire
The evergreen Fastnet Rock (Danehill) got on the board at Royal Ascot in 2021 as Surefire won an incident-filled King George V Stakes (1m 4f), the penultimate race yesterday. Winning trainer Ralph Beckett suggested the three-year-old could now progress to the St Leger (Gr 1, 1m 6 ½f) at Doncaster. “He came from a long way back and struck wide so hopefully we can upgrade it,” said Beckett. “He was a bit wayward and still a bit green. Hopefully we can go on from here and I hope very much he will turn up in South Yorkshire in early September – that might be a gig for us.” The winner donned the colours of another prominent owner to have died this year, on this occasion the green silks with white sleeves and pink sash of Khalid Abdullah, whose famed Juddmonte Stud raced Enable (Nathaniel) and Frankel (Galileo). He defeated Sir Lamorak (Camelot) by a neck, with Highclere Thoroughbred’s Parachute (Sea The Stars), who led the field into the closing stages, a further half-length back in third, with the horse possibly bound for Australia in the future.
Highfield Princess lands Buckingham Palace Stakes
Highfield Princess (Night Of Thunder) defeated her 27 male counterparts as the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes (7f) went to the only filly in the race. A half-sister to Group 2 winner Cardsharp (Lonhro), the four-year-old is out of Danehill (Danzig) mare Pure Illusion. The John Quinn-trained filly, racing from stall 31, defeated Danyah (Invincible Spirit) and Riot (Kingman) as the high draws dominated.
Crowley cops ban after Mohaafeth win
Jim Crowley was handed a six-day ban for careless riding when winning the Hampton Court aboard hot favourite Mohaafeth. Crowley hit the front at the half-furlong pole but allowed Mohaafeth to drift across his rival Roman Empire, whose jockey Ryan Moore was forced to take evasive action.
Diamond Jubilee attracts field of 14
Dream Of Dreams (Dream Ahead), runner up in the last two editions of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f), features among the 14 declarations for tomorrow’s running of the race. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained seven-year-old will take on the likes of Duke Of York Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) winner Starman (Dutch Art) and Nahaarr (Dark Angel), who will represent the William Haggas and Tom Marquand combination. Tiger Moth (Galileo), runner-up behind Twilight Payment (Teofilo) in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) is one of four runners Aidan O’Brien will saddle in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f). Japan (Galileo), his year–younger brother Mogul, and Broome (Australia) complete the quartet.