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Prince of Wales's Stakes Result 2018: Poet's Word too strong for Cracksman

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Posted in: Royal Ascot News

Poet's Word (11/2) stayed on well to beat the odds-on favourite Cracksman (2/5) in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Frankie Dettori never looked happy from the get go aboard Cracksman, pushing him along to keep tabs with the pace setters early on. It was all to play for turning for home, though, Cracksman quickly pulled out to challenge and briefly getting to the front, but he was unable to hold off the strong challenge of Poet's Word in the final furlong. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt quickened up nicely to win by two and a quarter lengths under James Doyle, making him the winningmost trainer in Royal Ascot history with 76 wins.


Stoute, who trained his first Royal Ascot winner back in 1977 with Etienne Gerard in the Jersey Stakes, was tied on 75 victories at the Royal Meeting with the late Sir Henry Cecil.

Discussing the achievement Stoute said: "It is relief because we were stuck on 75 last year. As I said the other night, Henry did most of his training when it was a four-day meeting, so I have had an advantage. Nobody respected him greater than I did as a trainer.

"Cracksman beat Poet's Word a long way here last time [in the Champion Stakes]. Maybe Cracksman is not at his very best now but we have beaten the others comprehensively.

"Poet's Word is a very consistent, brave, sound horse. That's what he is. A huge well done to all the staff because they have put a lot of work into a horse like this.

"I was delighted for Poet's Word. He's been in at the deep-end in G1s and has been running well in them, so it's great for him to win one.

"I think Royal Ascot is very special to any trainer. We have been very lucky in that we have brought a lot of nice horses here over the years.

"We're very glad it's happened and it's great for all the staff.



John Gosden, trainer of the Frankel four-year-old colt said: "His run wasn't too dissimilar to Epsom. I noticed going up the hill at Epsom that he wasn't really travelling, even on good to soft ground

"He is a clever horse and to that extent, as I said earlier before the race, he was welcoming all the fillies that were walking back from the Duke Of Cambridge on the way back to the stables. I think we need to concentrate his mind, as we know the ability is there.

"I make absolutely no excuses whatsoever. The other horse [Poet's Word] had him covered from two out. To my mind, he is just playing around a little bit. He did it at Epsom, but he didn't do it first time out at Longchamp.

"At no stage today was he travelling or carrying Frankie [Dettori].

"To that extent we will get him home and sharpen him a little bit. We might look into the King George (G1, Ascot, 1½ miles, July 28).

"The ability was there but I didn't feel he was being exactly generous with it today. You did notice from a long way out that Frankie was having to nudge and nudge him."



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