Royal Ascot: Day five reports

A winner as an apparent second string for Aidan O’Brien at Leopardstown little over a fortnight ago, the daughter of Frankel and top-class sprinting mare Mecca’s Angel was a well-supported 11-8 favourite to double her tally.

Always travelling well in the slipstream of the keen-going pacesetter Motawahij, Bedtime Story left her rivals standing once given her head by Ryan Moore, accelerating an astonishing nine and a half lengths clear of her toiling rivals, with Pentle Bay pipping Brian to the runner-up spot.

O’Brien said: “We never let her go before, it’s the first time we’ve asked her to stretch and she just took off. We’ve treated her gently, she has unbelievable pedigree and she’s obviously very special.

“Ryan said he couldn’t believe it; he said everyone fell away, he said ‘go on’, and she just took off. He didn’t even give her a slap down the shoulder.

“It’s unusual for a filly to do that, she’d won nicely first time but we thought she was a Group One filly.

“You all saw what I saw, we won’t be looking for one that’s better, that is for sure.”

Moore said: “The only I time worked was pulling up really. She travelled very easy, they’ve gone too slow for her really.

“I had room at the three so we started going forward and the race was over very quickly. Obviously, she’s a level above all of them.”

When asked about comparisons with the stable’s Albany Stakes winner Fairy Godmother, he added: “It’s a hard one. They haven’t really been asked to do too much at home. We don’t know a whole about them, we don’t know what they’ve beaten yet, but they are two very exciting fillies.

“A performance like that, you don’t see normally.”

On how he will keep Fairy Godmother and Bedtime Story apart, O’Brien added: “There are plenty of races for them all, I think. She’ll be staying at seven furlongs, obviously.”

Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, two of the Coolmore triumvirate along with John Magnier, were suitably impressed.

Smith said: “I asked Ryan if she was as good as she looked and he said ‘absolutely’. You can’t get better than that. They don’t win like that here. I’m speechless really.”

While Tabor said: “We expected her to win, but you never expect an animal to win the way she did.

“Unfortunately for Godolphin (Age Of Gold), the second in, which we thought was the obvious danger, was never going well. So I thought, in-running, that we would win. To win by nine or 10 lengths is incredible, though.

“Her and Fairy Godmother were both spectacular.”

Isle of Jura very impressive in Hardwicke Stakes

The remarkable Isle Of Jura continued his fairytale campaign with a brilliant victory in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

George Scott’s charge was rated in the low 70s last year, but is fast becoming a middle-distance operator to be reckoned with after winning five races on the spin.

Following a winter hat-trick in Bahrain, the four-year-old made a successful return to Britain in the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood last month – but with Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fifth Continuous among his rivals, he was sent off at 16-1 stepping up to Group Two level.

Partnered by Callum Shepherd, who earlier this season lost the ride on Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly, the New Approach gelding moved to the heels of the pacesetters at the top of the home straight before finding a gear his rivals simply could not match.

Such was the authority with which he won, Shepherd was able to take a look at the big screen in the closing strides before standing up in the stirrups to salute the crowd, with three and three-quarter lengths separating him and French raider Goliath at the line.

Middle Earth was third, with 13-8 favourite Continuous back in fifth on what was his first competitive appearance since the Arc in October.

Scott said: “He’s an exceptional racehorse and it was an exceptional race from start to finish. He was the right horse at the right time (in his career).

“It’s amazing. Just over a year ago he was well beaten in a Thirsk maiden. To do this for Sheikh Nasser (Victorious Racing), such a big supporter of mine, is very special.

“We are just blessed to have him, he’s repaid us time and time again and the journey from hereon in is going to be very very special.

“Most best-laid plans go to pot, but this has been a long-term plan. This was an obvious race for him. We knew Goodwood would bring him on, and it has. We knew he would get the ground, and he has. It was a scintillating performance, so we shall enjoy it.

“Callum is a top-class rider he had his horse in the right position all the way, kicked nice and early and put the race to bed. It was a perfect ride. All roads lead to the King George, 100 per cent.”

Shepherd said: “I’m really struggling to compose myself.

“He’s such a special horse for George and the team. Make no mistake, he never lets us down.

“Obviously the last six weeks have been very difficult, but that just feels very special.”

Fresh from his winner on Friday, Francis-Henri Graffard said of Goliath: “We came here because we wanted to avoid the French style of racing, with no pace, and unfortunately today they decided to do a little bit of the same. My horse was a bit too keen through the race; he’s difficult to manage, but not too bad today.

“I walked the course and there was a good cover of grass and I thought it was safe ground for him, but he’s probably better with a bit of cut.

“He has to settle in his races to be able to stay and to produce a good turn of foot, but we are very pleased with the run – he’s a very nice horse and we beat some very nice horses, too. He’s entered in the King George, but we’ll see what the weather forecast is. I don’t know – it’s a long journey and a tough race, but why not?”

Khaadem collects back-to-back Jubiliee honours

Khaadem benefited from an ice-cool Oisin Murphy ride to land the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot for the second year in succession.

The Charlie Hills-trained speedster was a shock 80-1 winner of the Group One contest 12 months ago and while he had failed to trouble the judge in four starts since, he bounced right back to his best on his favoured fast ground to successfully defend his crown.

A relatively small field of 13 runners went to post and Karl Burke’s Swingalong gave a bold sight in front for much of the six-furlong contest.

However, Khaadem (14-1) was travelling noticeably strongly in behind under a motionless Murphy and picked up well once let loose to get up and beat Swingalong by half a length.

Mill Stream was best of the rest in third, with 3-1 favourite Believing – fourth in the King Charles III Stakes – occupying the same finishing position four days later.

Hills said: “What a horse. Two win of of these plus a Palace House, a Stewards’ Cup and a King George at Goodwood.

“He got a fantastic ride there, off the pace, and he never looked like he was going to get beat.

“He loves this track, I think it’s the first time he’s had his ground since he won this last year. I think fast ground is key to him.

“He had a lovely pitch, they went a strong pace in front and he travels for fun. He’s such a versatile horse, to think he was making the running over five (furlongs) two years ago.

“We then decided on a change of tack, ride him like a good horse over six and it seems to suit him really well.”

Hills also had an update on his father, Barry, and said: “Barry has been in hospital but he’s improving every day, that will be a good tonic for him.”

Winning rider Murphy said: “He came alive as they slowed down, he was always going to win because he was the only one finishing, wasn’t he?

“I didn’t expect the race to happen how it did – I jumped better than he normally gets away, there were four of us in a line and none of us intended laying up with the front group and there was a bit of a scrum and the group to our right was five lengths in front of us.

“Fortunately I didn’t rush up to them because there was no pressure, and as they slowed down, I crept. Listen, the horse loves Ascot and he was well prepared. It was a pretty easy ride.”

Karl Burke has enjoyed a stellar week but had to settle for second with Swingalong.

“We’re delighted with the run, gutted to be beaten. But she’s run her heart out – can’t complain. We thought we had it a furlong out. She loves this track, it plays to her strengths,” said Burke.

“She’s in at Newmarket, not sure that track plays to her strengths, but it might be a case where we have to go as she’s kept in training to run in these Group Ones and try to win one. I thought we had pulled it off there!”

Haatem has his day in the sun

Haatem enjoyed a deserved day in the sun after clinging on grimly to claim a thrilling renewal of the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Winner of the Craven Stakes in April, Richard Hannon’s three-year-old returned to Newmarket to finish third in the 2000 Guineas before finding only his esteemed stablemate Rosallion too strong in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh three weeks later.

With Rosallion having given the form a major boost by landing the St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday, Haatem was given his opportunity to shine on the final day of the Royal meeting, carrying the colours of Wathnan Racing for the first time in the hands of James Doyle.

With 13-8 favourite River Tiber finding disappointingly little when push came to shove, Haatem (7-2) moved nicely to the front and looked set to win handsomely after taking a couple of lengths out of the field.

However, the Harry Charlton-trained Kikkuli – half-brother to the mighty Frankel by top sire Kingman – really found his feet late on and the pair passed the post almost as one.

Following a brief wait, the judge confirmed Haatem had held on by a short head, with the Johnny Murtagh-trained Chicago Critic (80-1) in third.

“He’s deserved this. It’s a Group Three, but it’s not, it’s Royal Ascot,” said Hannon.

“He carried a penalty, he got there very easy and he deserved his day in the sun. Hopefully he’ll have plenty more.

“It was a very deep race, there were 20 runners and it was not your normal Jersey.

“It’s great for Wathnan, they bought a lot of horses and it was so important they had success and they’ve earned it.

“There are so many options for him, we’ll travel a bit, there’s a lot of races for him in Australia, France and America, but he’ll go back over a mile, it was a bit of a risk going back down to seven.

“In fairness both James Doyle and Jamie Spencer who have ridden him recently said he’d have no problem dropping down to seven and they were right.

“I don’t think there’s any need for him to take on Rosallion again. I wouldn’t enjoy watching that. I didn’t mind watching the Irish Guineas back afterwards, but it’s not enjoyable at the time.

“He’s a horse that deserves everything he gets. He cost just £27,000, and that says a lot about our sport, a lot of it good. He’s here taking part with a penalty at the top level. It shows it’s possible, which you can’t say about many sports.”

Of Kikkuli, Charlton said: “We’re delighted with him. Oisin (Murphy) said it was a bit of a head up, head down – he rode him to follow Haatem, and James Doyle on a miler started stretching two down. Oisin said he’s run great. It’s a shame to be second twice (after King’s Gambit earlier in the week), but we won’t take anything away from the horse, he’s run great against a hardened Group One horse who’s had a lot more experience than him.

“Barry (Mahon, of Juddmonte) texted me this morning and said, ‘He’s 25-1’, and I said, ‘Well, Karl Burke’s horse that was 5-1 for the Guineas (Night Raider) is bigger than us – it’s a proper race and a there are a lot of 110-plus horses’, and he’s run outstandingly, really.

“Oisin said seven or eight furlongs. I think actually what looked key there was having pace. He travelled probably the best of them; he enjoyed the pace and the quick ground.

“I watched them down at the start and he was probably the one horse not sweating. He’s from an exuberant family, and by Kingman, and this lad is absolutely bombproof.”

Unequal Love is Wokingham wonder for Haggas

William Haggas claimed his first winner of this year’s Royal Ascot meeting as Unequal Love emerged victorious in the Wokingham Stakes.

The master of Somerville Lodge had saddled 15 previous winners at the showpiece fixture, but with Space Legend and Lake Forest both second on Friday and Doom and Maljoom finishing third earlier in the week, it was in danger of becoming a frustrating few days.

Unequal Love (12-1) had won five of her nine starts in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud, including a Listed victory at Newmarket on her first run of the current campaign, and was last seen finishing fifth in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes in Ireland.

The daughter of Dutch Art was dropping back into handicap company and after quickening up to lead, she had enough in reserve to fend off the strong-finishing 4-1 favourite Dark Trooper by half a length, with Orazio only a head further behind in third.

Haggas said: “I wasn’t going to run her to be honest with you, but Mrs (Patricia) Thompson said she had all her grandchildren coming and that she would like a runner, so I said I’d be delighted – what do I know!

“We knew the pace was on that side, I’m so thrilled, absolutely delighted. She’s homebred so to have a winner at Ascot for Cheveley Park, it’s just brilliant.”

Marquand said: “It was good to have a winner yesterday, but without a Summerville Lodge winner it just felt that the week was just lacking something.

“I’m thrilled to win on this filly as she’s one of my favourites in training. She’s not a Group One filly, but just her demeanour and everything about her and being one of Cheveley Park’s it’s nice.

“To be fair you could have nearly written her off being drawn one, it looked an impossible task on paper.

“She’s a lot quicker to get moving now and it’s a case of measuring when to go and win the race, but I had no choice about when to go. I couldn’t believe how well she was moving after a couple of furlongs.”

James Doyle said of Dark Trooper: “He’s a dude, he’s run a cracker. The action was just away from me a bit – he prefers to follow, follow, follow, and have a crack. But the runners dropped away and my targets were no longer targets inside the three, so we had to make a bit of running by ourselves, but really proud of him.”

Saffie Osborne was left frustrated after flying from last place into third on Orazio.

She said: “Obviously I was sat last – a lot of traffic issues. It’s frustrating as I felt like another couple of strides and I would have been in front, but it’s one of those things in those big-field handicaps.”

Hand of God much too good in Golden Gates

On the 38th anniversary of the Diego Maradona goal that knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup, Hand Of God was an appropriate winner of the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Having rounded off his juvenile campaign with a maiden victory at Newmarket, the Harry Charlton-trained colt won on his handicap debut at Sandown in April and was a 9-4 favourite to complete the hat-trick in the hands of William Buick.

The son of Churchill picked up well once asked to go about his business and passed the post with a length and three-quarters in hand over Cambridge, with Black Run third.

It was a deserved victory this week for Charlton after King’s Gambit came from the clouds to finish second in the Hampton Court Stakes in the same colours on Thursday, while Kikkuli was beaten just a short head in the Jersey Stakes earlier on Saturday’s card.

Charlton said: “He didn’t have a great trip, but he had a clear run and picked up very quick and William thought he almost got there too soon.

“It was hard to plan as the complexion of the race changed so much with the non-runners as we were originally drawn 17 of 19 and it came down to 10 of 12 so it wasn’t as bad as it first looked

“The plan was to be mid-div and not three off the rail, I think he was further back than planned and he was three off the rail so it didn’t go to plan, but he picked up great.

“I think he’s still a 10-furlong horse; he’s got a great mind and is good physically. He’s not done much wrong and I guess he’s probably due a step up in class. He works with King’s Gambit, so we were all quite confident.

“Credit to Mohammed Jaber as he’s had a tough week with what happened to King’s Gambit, we all thought we were a bit unlucky that day so for him to get a winner is important.”

Buick said: “I know there were a few non-runners, but to be drawn 17 at a mile and a quarter is a notoriously hard draw. We got in where we could and got a lovely rhythm. To be honest, when he picked up early in the straight, he was pretty instant and progressive to the line.

“He gave me a really good feel. He’s very comfortable at a mile and a quarter, I would say that he’s been needing this trip. He’s a young horse going places.”

He added: “King’s Gambit in the Hampton Court was a very unlucky loser. We kind of lost it at the start, unfortunately, where we got back and then the race was getting away from us – there wasn’t much of a pace and it was very much a Plan B sort of ride.

“It wasn’t the plan to ride him (King’s Gambit) like that at all, but it was through unfortunate circumstances and he ran very well to finish second as close as he did. I believe he should have won, but he’s a nice horse for the future, and Hand Of God winning now gives some compensation.”

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