Queen Anne Stakes Result 2018: Accidental Agent springs 33/1 shock

Settled off the pace by jockey Charles Bishop, Accidental Agent started to make headway as the sprint for home started two furlongs out, and surged through to lay down a challenge in the final furlong where he dug deep to win by half a length, providing both his jockey and trainer with a first winner at the Royal meeting.

Lord Glitters (20/1) ran on best of the rest to take second place, with Lightning Spear (10/1) fending off Century Dream for third.

Rhododendron and Benbatl, who raced prominently behind the pace-setting Deauville throughout, were unplaced.

A massive shock in the opener at #RoyalAscot!

Accidental Agent wins the Queen Anne Stakes at @Ascot

Watch LIVE on @ITV pic.twitter.com/Qmti4hp3Qt

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 19, 2018

Johnson Houghton, whose father Fulke trained 10 Royal Ascot winners between 1965 and 1988, said: "Unbelievable! I still can't believe it. I haven't slept for two nights. I dreamt that he would be third. My mum bred Accidental Agent - we have got the mare in the field - but nobody wanted to buy him and we bought him back for eight grand.

"I thought I was tilting at windmills. I dreamt about finishing third and then watching it I said 'oh my god, we are going to place.'

"The poor people sitting in front of me and my Mum - I apologise to them - they will definitely be deaf because there was an awful lot of screaming going on. It is just ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.

"You might need to man the lifeboats as there are a lot of tears! Group One winner... I've never trained a Royal Ascot winner, let alone a Group One winner at Royal Ascot!

"And my mother bred him. What a legend she is - I'm so proud of her. And luckily I had a tiny bit each-way at 50/1 to pay for the party - come on!

Bishop, who was born and raised in Herefordshire near the town of Ledbury, said: "I'm glad I'm getting the opportunities and am good enough to deliver - to get a Group One winner, let alone a Royal Ascot winner, is incredible.

"I've been riding out at Eve's for quite a few years, and when I first went there she said she couldn't promise me rides, but thought I should stick my head down and see what happens. From there she got some better horses and things took off. Hopefully, there are a lot more to come. I never dreamt I could come this far.

"Along the way I've had a bit of belief in myself, but you have to just keep grafting and hoping for the best. It was great to ride my first winner, then to lose my claim, and while it went a bit quiet for a while I kept working away and hoping for the best. Luckily things have taken off again."

David O'Meara was delighted with the performance of Lord Glitters. O’Meara said: "I'm delighted with Lord Glitters. He has a huge engine and I think like a lot of the horses in the race, he would have preferred a stronger gallop, but I'm delighted with him.

"He was the lowest-rated horse in the race and we were thinking about this race or the Royal Hunt Cup, but he's run a blinder.

"He really likes it at this track and he always seems to run well here, but I don't know where we will go next - we'll talk to the owners."

The David Simcock-trained Lightning Spear ran another fine race in defeat in Group 1 company, finishing a neck behind Lord Glitters in third under Oisin Murphy.

Simcock commented: "Lightning Spear has run really well again, but he does seem to sometimes flatten up the hill here as he hasn't sustained his run.

"He hit the front, but found it a long way home. I'm very proud of him and he's run very well.

"I think the other two horses came from off the pace which helped them but I'm very pleased.

"We'll go for the Sussex Stakes with him now."