Queen Anne Stakes: Tepin on top

Having beaten some of Europe's best milers on home turf in the Breeders' Cup Mile around the turns of Keeneland last October, the North American mare again proved too good for them, this time over Ascot's straight mile.

Always handy under regular rider Julien Leparoux at the head of the smaller group as the field split into two from the stalls, 11/2- chance Tepin took over from the Godolphin pacemaker Barchan before holding off the challenge of Lockinge winner Belardo in the closing stages to win by half a length. The runner-up was sent off the 9/2 joint-favourite, along with French filly Ervedya who could get no closer than fifth from the rear. 20/1-shot Lightning Spear, making his seasonal debut ran on to take third a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.

It was Tepin's seventh win in a row for her Canadian-based trainer Mark Casse, that winning streak having begun with a seven-length win in soft ground in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes, also at Keeneland, just before her Breeders' Cup success. 

She is the only the second older American-trained horse to win at Royal Ascot, following on from the Wesley Ward-trained Undrafted in the 2015 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

She is also the first female to succeed in the Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile since Goldikova in 2010. The previous filly or mare to win was Kandy Sauce in 1956.

A delighted Casse commented: "There were a lot of things stacked against today but in the end her greatness prevailed. A lot of people in the United States will be delighted with this result. I have to tip my hat to Robert Masterson [owner], he was a true sportsman who encouraged us to come.

"We trained her without Lasix and all the things she was accustomed to and we felt that she handled that fine. She thought she was over here on vacation and then before the race she realised that she had to work. She will be fine, go back and relax. She is just a remarkable horse. Julien Leparoux hit her a couple of times which he usually doesn't have to so I was just waiting for the wire to come.

"Thanks to everybody. They have all been so kind and it has just been a first class experience. We truly appreciate it. Everyone has been just wonderful with us. It is something to remember. I couldn't even dream anything like this. To be here and run at the most remarkable place I have ever been and actually have a winner here with a great horse like Tepin, I mean what can I say, it is so special.

Casse added: "The plan would be to now go back for the Breeders' Cup Mile (in November) but at the moment I am not sure where she will go."

Norman Casse, assistant trainer of Tepin, remarked: "You have to bring the right horse over here and we definitely did. She takes everything in her stride and as soon as she got off the plane, we knew she would do alright. Julien Leparoux rode a perfect race on her.

Robert Masterson, Tepin's owner, said: "The mare is the best thing in the world. She is fantastic and did a fantastic job today. People say Americans have to have drugs in their horses but she had no drugs, no nasal strip and nothing that everybody was worried about in the paper. She just performed magnificently. It is a great message to send back home.

"The biggest thing we were worried about was the ground. She has won on the soft before but we weren't exactly sure how it was. She had never been on a straight track and she had never been going uphill. There were a lot of things to overcome for the first time and she just did it. I think Mark Casse and Norman have done a wonderful job. If it wasn't for them, we would not be here."

Leparoux, 32, who was born in France, but is based in California, is no stranger to big-race success in the USA, but this was his first winner in Britain.

He said of Tepin: "She had a lot to prove, because we know she is a champion in America, but she had work to do coming here.

"It's just amazing. We knew we came here with a good chance, but Tepin overcame a lot things today. She is a champion and proved it today.

"She had to work for it today. The last 100 metres was a long way to go and I am glad we got it done.

 "It is the prestige. I have got to say thank you to the whole team; Mark Casse, Norman, Mr Masterson and his wife, but also everybody at the barn."