Royal briefing – day three
31 for Frankel
The John and Thady Gosden-trained Courage Mon Ami (4 g ex Crimson Ribbon by Lemon Drop Kid) provided Frankel (Galileo) with Group 1 winner number 31, and stakes winner number 122, when coming out on top in a thrilling finish to yesterday’s Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2m 4f) at Royal Ascot. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, his second success of the week, the four-year-old gelding was taking the jump from handicap company, but made huge strides down the home straight to tackle Coltrane (Mastercraftsman), before edging on past that rival inside the closing 100 yards to score by three-quarters of a length. The 2021 winner Subjectivist (Teofilo), who was making just his third start back after suffering a near career-ending tendon injury, finished third, beaten four and a quarter lengths by the winner. Courage Mon Ami is closely related to the 2017 Randwick City Stakes (Listed, 2000m) winner Astronomos (New Approach), fellow Listed scorer Crimson Rosette (Teofilo) and the Listed-placed winner Purple Ribbon (Gleneagles), being out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid (Kingmambo) mare Crimson Ribbon, herself a sister to Group 2 winner Bronze Cannon. Frankel stands at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £275,000 (approx. AU$519,030).
34 for Australia
Waipiro (3 c ex London Plane by Danehill Dancer) provided his sire Australia (Galileo) with a 34th individual stakes winner when landing yesterday’s Hampton Court Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) at Royal Ascot. The Ed Walker-trained three-year-old colt was ridden by Tom Marquand and, having finished sixth in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) on his previous outing, quickened clear inside the final furlong to beat Exoplanet (Sea The Stars) by two and a quarter lengths with a further half-length back to Bold Act (New Approach) in third. “I planned on being a lot closer to the pace. In the Derby I got caught too far back – it was the way the race was run and I got off thinking ‘he’s a good horse’,” said Marquand. “He just didn’t stay, it was as simple as that in my mind, and I know Ed [Walker] thought so too. Ed retained faith in him and it’s huge to ride a Royal Ascot winner for him. It’s been a magical day.” The fifth foal out of the Danehill Dancer (Danehill) mare London Plane, Waipiro is closely related to winner Dancing Rebel (Highland Reel) and is a half-brother to three-time Hong Kong Group 1 scorer Waikuku (Harbour Watch). Australia stood the 2023 northern hemisphere breeding season at Coolmore Stud for a fee of €25,000 (approx. AU$40,570).
136 for Malibu Moon
Valiant Force (2 c ex Vigui’s Heart by Quality Road) became the 136th individual stakes winner for the late Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy) when causing a huge shock in yesterday’s Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f). Sent off a 150-1 chance under Rossa Ryan, the colt became the joint-highest-priced winner in the history of the royal meeting when producing a strong late run down the centre of the track inside the final furlong to pull one-and-a-quarter-lengths clear of Malc (Calyx). There was a further half-length back to the third-placed Elite Status (Havana Grey). A US$100,000 purchase for Robson Aguiar and Roger O’Callaghan, who own the colt in partnership with Amo Racing – in whose colours he runs – at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Valiant Force is the first foal out of the unraced Quality Road (Elusive Quality) mare Vigui’s Heart. Malibu Moon died in 2021 at the age of 24.
Murray’s shock as Valiant Force wins Norfolk Stakes
County Westmeath-based trainer Adrian Murray could barely hide his shock after having watched his colt Valiant Force land the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday. The victory provided Murray with a first win at the royal meeting, and only his third in the UK in the last five seasons. “I can’t believe it,” Murray said. “I fell into racing by accident. A friend of mine got me involved. It’s magic. We were third here on Monday and I wondered if that would ever happen again. We knew he was a nice horse and I couldn’t believe the price – he was only beaten less than a length by His Majesty [at The Curragh on 1 May] first time out and he was 150 to 1 today. It didn’t make sense – I knew he was much better than that. It’s the stuff of dreams. It’s great for the small man. I’m based in Mullingar and have had some very nice jumpers in the past. I love it, love racing.”
OTI Racing beat Waterhouse and Bott in Britannia Stakes
Australian connections were to the fore in yesterday’s Britannia Stakes (1m) as the OTI Racing-owned Docklands (Massaat) just got the better of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s recent £260,000 (approx. AU$490,710) Goffs London Sale purchase New Endeavour (New Bay) in an exciting finish to the mile handicap. Providing jockey Hayley Turner with a fourth Royal Ascot winner, the progressive Harry Eustace-trained colt burst out from the near-side pack to chase down the long-time leader New Endeavour, who raced on the opposite side of the track, to get up by a half-length at the line. The Charlie Johnston-trained Urban Sprawl (Iffraaj) finished a further two and a half lengths back in third place. A £16,000 purchase by Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock at the 2021 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, Docklands is a half-brother to OTI Racing’s The Sofitel (Listed, 1400m) winner Harbour Views (Le Havre) and Grade 3 scorer Ickymasho (Multiplex). Prior to yesterday’s OTI had nominated the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) on October 28 as an option for the rising four-year-old, should he run well at Royal Ascot.
Haggas and Marquand team up for Royal success
A welcome success in the King’s silks arrived at Royal Ascot yesterday as the William Haggas-trained and Tom Marquand-ridden Desert Hero (Sea The Stars) toughed it out to score in the King George V Stakes (1m 4f). The jockey-trainer combination, who landed back-to-back wins in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2021 and 2022 with Addeybb (Pivotal), found the winning note once again as the three-year-old son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) found all the gaps late on and bravely stuck his head out to beat runner-up Valiant King (Roaring Lion) at the line. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Bertinelli (Justify) finished third, beaten one and a half lengths by the winner.
Victory ‘thrills’ Haggas
Following Desert Hero’s win at the Royal meeting yesterday, Haggas expressed his delight: “It’s fantastic, a great honour for all of us, and I’m thrilled they [the King and Queen] were here to witness it,” Haggas said. Bred by the late Queen, Desert Hero is the first foal out of an unraced sister to Dartmouth (Dubawi), who won the 2016 Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) in the royal silks for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. Yesterday’s success was the first Royal Ascot winner to carry the silks of King Charles, with the last royal winner at the meeting having been Tactical (Toronado) in the 2020 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f). Desert Hero was Marquand’s fourth Royal Ascot winner. “Genuinely that is one of my proudest moments in the saddle so far,” Marquand said. “I grew up watching horses like that win for Her Majesty The Queen, and to ride His Majesty The King’s first Royal Ascot winner is unbelievable.”
Witch Hunter causes another upset in Buckingham Palace
The Richard Hannon-trained Witch Hunter (Siyouni) registered his first turf success at the 11th time of asking when causing yet another shock at Royal Ascot in winning yesterday’s Buckingham Palace Stakes (7f) at odds of 50-1. Ridden by Jamie Spencer, the four-year-old gelding produced a withering late effort to beat Croupier (Invincible Spirit) by three-quarters of a length with a further half-length back to the third-placed Northern Express (Zoffany).
Moore adds another as O’Brien holds Gosdens
Victory for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien in yesterday’s Ribblesdale Stakes with Warm Heart saw them maintain their respective leads in the race to be crowned the leading rider and trainer at Royal Ascot. Moore’s success aboard the filly took his tally to four, with Rossa Ryan, Frankie Dettori and Tom Marquand all on two wins each. O’Brien has trained three winners, the same number as John and Thady Gosden, who kept pace with the Ballydoyle trainer with victory in the Ascot Gold Cup with Courage Mon Ami. O’Brien leads on count back having trained more placegetters.
Highfield Princess confirmed to take on Artorius
Having finished a dead-heat for third in last year’s renewal, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorius (Flying Artie) will bid to go two places better in this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) after being declared at the 48-hour stage. Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) second Highfield Princess (Night Of Thunder) will bid to quickly avenge her dramatic defeat, after the John Quinn-trained mare was also declared. The Australian contingent also includes Cannonball (Capitalist), who finished last in the King’s Stand Stakes, and The Astrologist (Zoustar). Top Hong Kong sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard) will bid to give Richard Gibson another big win on the international stage, while the Kia Ora Stud-owned Mooneista (Dandy Man), who also finished down the field in the King’s Stand Stakes, has also been declared by Joseph O’Brien.
Cannonball a surprise declaration for Jubilee Stakes
Co-trainer Peter Snowden has revealed that Cannonball is likely to back up from his last-placed effort in Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes in tomorrow’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. Snowden, who co-trains the son of Capitalist in partnership with his son Paul, revealed any rain would rule the colt out, but with no further downpours expected it seems another crack at a Royal Ascot feature is highly possible. “We’ll wait until the day to see whether we want to run or not, he’s not a guaranteed starter,” Snowden told ANZ Bloodstock News. “At this stage, we have accepted him as if he is an intended runner. He’s pulled up fine. The rain will be a huge factor, should it rain again then he wouldn’t run, as the rain didn’t help his chance on Tuesday and he was also on the wrong part of the track. Should it not rain, it’d be tempting to run him.” However, one thing that is certain is that Cannonball will not be ridden by Tuesday’s jockey Brett Prebble after the Australian had to head home. “Brett had to go home so won’t be riding. We’re currently looking for a jockey to take the ride.”
Hardwicke Stakes task for Deauville Legend
Last year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) fourth Deauville Legend (Sea The Stars) is set to tackle tomorrow’s Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) after the four-year-old gelding was declared at the 48-hour stage. The James Ferguson-trained son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) will face off against last year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero Pyledriver (Harbour Watch), who will make his first start since that famous win, and last-start Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) winner Hukum (Sea The Stars).