Royal briefing – day two
30 for Frankel
Mostahdaf (5 h ex Handassa by Dubawi) became the 30th individual Group 1 winner for Juddmonte Farms stallion Frankel (Galileo) when he stormed to an impressive success in yesterday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) at Royal Ascot. The John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old was held up at the rear of the six-runner field by Jim Crowley before the pair made their move rounding the home bend. Moving up to lead with two furlongs left to run, Mostahdaf, a 10-1 chance, who had been beaten on his three previous outings at the top level, made a mockery of his odds as he galloped away from a high quality field to beat favourite Luxembourg (Camelot) by four lengths with a further half-length back to Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Adayar (Frankel) in third place. The fifth foal out of the Listed-winning Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) mare Handassa, herself a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Desert Stone (Fastnet Rock), Mostahdaf is a half-brother to Group 1 scorer Nazeef (Invincible Spirit). Frankel stands at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £275,000 (approx. AU$516,660).
Improving Rogue Millennium lands Duke of Cambridge
Newmarket-based trainer Tom Clover celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner yesterday when the progressive Rogue Millennium (4 f Dubawi – Hawaafez by Nayef) produced a career-best effort to land the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m). Supplemented for the race at a fee of £13,500 (approx. AU$25,400) by owners The Rogues Gallery, who purchased the filly for 35,000gns out of Shadwell Estate at the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, the Daniel Tudhope-ridden four-year-old travelled well into the final two furlongs of the race and quickened well when asked to lead inside the closing stages, beating the game long-time leader Random Harvest (War Front) by a neck. Last year’s Falmouth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) winner Prosperous Voyage (Zoffany) finished third, beaten a length and a quarter by the winner. “It’s unbelievable, really. You dream about this all year round, and we managed to go to the sales with our team to buy this filly for 35,000 for the Rogues, who have been huge supporters of mine. It’s just been amazing. It’s what we all do it for,” an emotional Clover said. “In her work at home early on she was travelling really well behind six, seven-furlong horses and finding it very easy. She’ll be a broodmare at some stage and it’s lovely to have some black type. I didn’t put her in the Falmouth – we might go to Deauville.” Yesterday’s victory was Rogue Millennium’s first attempt at a mile, having previously raced at distances between a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, and added to the daughter of Dubawi’s win in the Lingfield Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 1m 3.5f) in 2022.
Crimson Advocate clings on in Queen Mary
American raider Crimson Advocate (2 f Nyquist – Citizen Advocate by Proud Citizen) hung on in the closing stages to win yesterday’s Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) to become the first US-trained winner at this year’s royal meeting. Ridden by John Velazquez, the George Weaver-trained filly, who had won both of her starts stateside, including a Listed contest, before yesterday’s contest, made all in the near-side group of runners and, after kicking a couple of lengths clear inside the final furlong, narrowly held on from the strong-finishing Relief Rally (Kodiac) to score by a nose. The Karl Burke-trained Beautiful Diamond (Twilight Son), who was sent off the 11-4 favourite, finished a further two lengths back in third place. “You come to a new country, a strange place – I have so much respect for the horses over here; it always seems like the European horses are better grass horses than what we have over there, but I knew our filly was very talented and I was hoping that she would be able to get the job done,” Weaver said. “I came here eight years ago with a horse that wasn’t good enough. I thought it would be great if I could ever come back with something that was, and we did.” The win provided Jonabell Farm stallion Nyquist (Uncle Mo), a five-time Grade 1 winner on the track, with his first Royal Ascot winner from his first runner.
Dettori grabs winner as Gregory scores in Queen’s Vase
Frankie Dettori’s final Royal Ascot will see him finish with at least one winner after he rode the John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory (3 c Golden Horn – Gretchen by Galileo) to success in yesterday’s Queen’s Vase (Gr 2, 1m 6f). In stretching his unbeaten career record to three, Gregory made all under a canny ride and kicked on in the home straight before repelling the late challenge of Saint George (Roaring Lion) to score by a length and a half. The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Chesspiece (Nathaniel) finished third, beaten five and a quarter lengths by the winner. “I thought this winner was never going to come this year. I had three seconds yesterday, but I thought this horse was my best chance today,” Dettori said. “I was in front for a long time, and when Oisin [Murphy, rider of Saint George] came to me I thought ‘oh, no, not another second’. To this horse’s credit he really stuck his neck out. It’s my last Royal Ascot and to ride a winner is fantastic.”
Jimi Hendrix plays right tune in Royal Hunt Cup
Jimi Hendrix (New Bay) plundered another big prize yesterday as he skipped away to success in the Royal Hunt Cup (1m). Ridden by Rossa Ryan, the Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old gelding, who won April’s Spring Cup (1m) at Newbury, was held up at the rear of the far-side group and was produced for his effort at the two-furlong pole before quickening into the lead, going on to beat stablemate Sonny Liston (Lawman) by two lengths in a remarkable one-two for Beckett. The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Awaal (Lope De Vega) finished third, beaten four lengths by the winner. “We fancied this horse in the Lincoln Handicap and it didn’t go right, but he was impressive in the Spring Cup at Newbury and [next time] he was probably just a run back and blinkers on at Newmarket didn’t suit,” the winning rider said. “He [Beckett] has freshened him up lovely and credit to him and everyone at Kimpton [Down Stables] – I get the easy job of riding him, but the lads behind the scenes do all the work. This one is for them.”
Eventful handicap goes way of Villanova Queen
The Jessica Harrington-trained Villanova Queen (Mastercraftsman) came out on top in an action-packed finish to yesterday’s Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap (1m). Providing rider Colin Keane with his first Royal Ascot winner, the four-year-old filly was sent off a 25-1 chance but came down the outside of the 19-runner field to lead inside the closing stages and hold off the persistent challenge from Don’t Tell Claire (Gutaifan) to win by half a length, with just a head further back to Tarrabb (Exceed And Excel) who finished third. “It’s been a while coming [his first Royal Ascot winner] but it’s unfortunate for Shane Foley who is injured and couldn’t ride. I’m very grateful to Mrs [Jessica] Harrington for giving me the ride,” Keane said. “It’s a weight off your shoulders – this is the biggest stage in racing and I’ve been coming here year-in and year-out trying to get one. It’s very satisfying.”
First for Blue Point
Darley shuttler Blue Point (Shamardal) sired his first stakes winner when Big Evs (2 c ex Hana Lina by Oasis Dream) produced a shock result to score in yesterday’s Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f). Having finished runner-up on his debut at Redcar late last month, the Mick Appleby-trained colt showed huge improvement and stormed away from his 22 rivals inside the final furlong, beating Johannes Brahms (Siyouni) by three lengths with a further three-quarters of a length back to Inquisitively (Ten Sovereigns) in third. Big Evs was a 50,000gns buy for Michael Cleere from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He is the sixth foal and fourth winner out of the Oasis Dream (Green Desert) mare Hana Lina, herself a half-sister to dual Group 2 winner Lady Of The Desert (Rahy) and a daughter of the unbeaten Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) and Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) winner Queen’s Logic (Grand Lodge). Blue Point, who stands for a fee of €35,000 (approx. AU$56,555) at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, will again shuttle to Darley’s Northwood Park Stud in Victoria, where he commands a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).
O’Brien and Moore lead standings after day two
Despite drawing a blank on the second day of the meeting, Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore still lead the way in the race to be crowned leading trainer and jockey at Royal Ascot. With three victories on the opening day, Moore is the only rider to have so far ridden more than one winner, while O’Brien, with two wins, leads John and Thady Gosden, who had a double yesterday, on count back with more placed runners.
Gibson upbeat after Wellington travels well
Richard Gibson is optimistic Wellington (All Too Hard) can go close when Hong Kong’s reigning champion sprinter contests the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on Saturday. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. Hong Kong sprinters have always been very competitive abroad and I hope to continue that trait,” Gibson said. “We’re going for the challenge and hopefully it will pay off. We’re pretty relaxed about turf conditions, as long as they’re not extreme. I’m delighted with the condition I’ve got the horse in. We could not have been happier with the trial last week. I thought the horse showed a lot of energy and power and we’re looking forward to the Ascot challenge on Saturday.”
Ricci has Melbourne in mind for Vauban
Vauban (Galiway), the runaway winner of Tuesday’s concluding Copper Horse Handicap (1m 6f), is being aimed at November’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), connections have confirmed. A three-time Grade 1 winner over hurdles, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old beat his stablemate Absurde (Fastnet Rock) by seven and a half lengths to tee up a trip to Australia. His owner Rich Ricci said: “I know Willie thinks the world of this horse. We did not quite have it with him this hurdling season – it is hard to come back as a five-year-old – but he is a lovely horse. We have unfinished business in Melbourne with a second, third and a sixth. Max Dynamite was second. It was a great experience and I would love to go back to try and win it.”
Dettori handed nine-day ban
Frankie Dettori’s frustrating first day at Royal Ascot ended with the stewards handing him a nine-day ban for careless riding. The jockey failed to bag a winner and had three second-placed finishes on the opening day of the royal meeting. He was deemed to have caused significant interference to multiple horses in the Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f) aboard fifth-placed finisher Saga (Invincible Spirit). The ban means Dettori will be unable to ride between July 4 and 12 and will miss the Coral-Eclipse (Gr 1, 1m 2f) at Sandown, for which his regular ride Emily Upjohn (Sea The Stars) heads the ante-post betting at 9-4 with the race sponsors. His suspension will finish a day before the three-day July festival at Newmarket begins.
Coronation Stakes attracts seven
Tahiyra (Siyouni) will face just six rivals when she attempts to land a third elite-level win in tomorrow’s Coronation Stakes (Gr 1, 1m). The Dermot Weld-trained filly will once again come up against Aidan O’Brien’s Mediate (No Nay Never), while the home challenge will be led by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Queen For You (Kingman).
Field of 14 declared for Commonwealth Cup
Early favourite Little Big Bear (No Nay Never) will jump from stall two when he lines up in tomorrow’s Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f). The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was one of 14 three-year-old’s declared for the race yesterday. Joining him will be the Ralph Beckett-trained Lezoo (Zoustar), who became Widden Stud stallion Zoustar’s (Northern Meteor) first Group 1 winner in the northern hemisphere when landing the Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) in October.