Royal Ascot: Reports for day 5

Sent off at 12-1 having won on her only previous outing at Limerick, she was produced with a well-timed challenge by Gary Carroll.

With a furlong to run there were any amount still in with a chance, but Carroll’s mount took a length out of the field.

That should have put the race to bed but Snellen began to drift to her left, allowing Pearls And Rubies and Ryan Moore a chance to close the gap. Unfortunately for favourite-backers, though, there was still a head between them when the line came.

Golden Mind and 125-1 shot Oddyssey dead-heated for third.

Cromwell said: “She’s been nice from the word go and is just progressing all the time.

“Her dam won over a mile and a half so I think she’ll stay further. I haven’t thought about Classics, we’ll enjoy today first.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have had two runners at this meeting and both are winners.

“Quick Suzy was a very different type of filly. She won the Queen Mary and was very much a two-year-old.

“This filly has more scope and is much more of a long-term prospect.”

He added: “She’s in the Moyglare and that’s the obvious race for her.”

Age of Kings rules in Jersey Stakes

Age Of Kings bounced back from his run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas to win the Jersey Stakes for Aidan O’Brien at Royal Ascot.

Down the field behind stablemate Paddington at the Curragh, he was the second string in this Group Three with Ryan Moore preferring the claims of The Antarctic, who never got involved.

Wayne Lordan was the man on board and he was never far from the early pace, set by Frankie Dettori on the favourite Covey.

With two furlongs to run Covey’s stride began to shorten and that left Age Of Kings in front and it became a question of what he had left in the tank.

Challengers emerged from out of the pack, the best of which was James Ferguson’s Zoology, while Streets Of Gold also made good late headway.

But Age Of Kings was able to hold on by a length and win at 22-1 to give O’Brien a fourth winner of the week.

O’Brien said: “He had a very good run in the Irish Guineas if you look back at it and it was his first run of the year. He’s made great progress from it. He’s worked a length or two off The Antarctic who we were worried about the trip, but we were sure this fellow would enjoy it.

“The form was there and Wayne kept things uncomplicated. He said the horse tried very hard and would get a mile.”

Lordan said: “He had a run in the Guineas because he was a long time off the track, and finished eight lengths behind Paddington, so for the first run of the year to do that is not too bad.

“It’s great to be coming over here for rides, especially for Aidan and to get a winner is fabulous. Any day here is special.”

Pyledriver returns in style in the Hardwicke Stakes

Pyledriver once again showed his liking for Ascot when defying an absence of almost a year to win the Hardwicke Stakes.

The hugely popular six-year-old has been beset by niggling injuries since winning the King George V And Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July last year.

Winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at this meeting in 2020, he looked to have hampered his chance in the first half-mile by running extremely keenly.

PJ McDonald was riding his first Royal Ascot winner having replaced the injured Martin Dwyer, while trainers William Muir and Chris Grassick have worked wonders getting their stable star back to full fitness.

Once he hit the front Pyledriver (7-2) wandered in front of Changingoftheguard and West Wind Blows but went on to cross the line a length and a quarter clear of the latter.

A jubilant Muir said: “He’s done two pieces of work with one other horse, but the last piece was so good it told me we were close to how we had him before the Sheema Classic.

“He’s been in the spa three times a day, a masseur has been over one a week and my vet has been fantastic. It’s been a real team effort.

“Martin Dwyer did a lot towards making this horse and he knows how he can roll around like he did today.

“It’s the one kink in his armour, but I knew he would go out there and die on his sword. And he did roll across the other horse, but the best horse won.

“I told PJ this horse will show you how good he is first time out, and whatever they say he finished in front.

“We will see how he is tomorrow and the next day, but all things being equal he will be back for another shot at the King George.”

Saint Lawrence lands Wokingham under Hollie Doyle

Saint Lawrence returned to winning ways in the Wokingham Stakes to oblige on his first start for Archie Watson and provide Hollie Doyle with a third victory at this year’s Royal Ascot.

A Listed winner at two for Roger Varian, the five-year-old had run several good races since but failed to get his head in front.

After two further runs for Varian this season, owner John Deer decided to move him to Watson, already on the mark twice this week with Bradsell and Rhythm N Hooves, both ridden by Doyle.

Drawn highest of all in stall 30, the high numbers looked a long way behind at halfway as the Swedish raider Duca Di Como set a blistering gallop on the far side.

Just over a furlong out the pace appeared to collapse in that group, though, allowing those drawn high to close up.

It was Doyle and Saint Lawrence (22-1) who finished fastest of all, to beat Apollo One by a length with Juan Le Pins third and Mums Tipple fourth for Frankie Dettori.

Watson said: “I’m delighted and just very grateful to Mr Deer for sending him to us, he just felt he would benefit from a change of scenery. He’s always shown us plenty at home, he’s a very nice horse to have around and I’m just delighted to get the job done on first time of asking.

“I fancied all three of them (stable’s runners), I made sure Hollie chose which one to ride so it wasn’t my fault and she she chose right! He’s run a huge race and I’m delighted.”

Reflecting on his Royal Ascot week, he said: “It’s incredible. We came here with a handful of 20-1 shots really, and to win three races is just beyond my wildest dreams. It’s amazing.”

Doyle added: “We’re a great team and I don’t feel any pressure when riding for Archie. I know his horses inside out and he leaves it to me most of the time. Thankfully it has paid off.

“It’s been an amazing week for both me and Tom (Marquand, husband), and it’s great having our families here. My dad couldn’t be here today, but he’s glued to the TV at home.

“I can’t put it into words – to have the winner (Bradsell) on the first day was amazing and you think ‘well, we’ll do well to better that’ so to walk away from Royal Ascot with three winners, after being off for three months at the start of the year (with a broken elbow), is incredible.

“I needed quite a lot of work done and had an operation after a delay, but I said as long as I’m back by Royal Ascot I don’t mind.”

Dettori out of luck on final Royal Ascot ride as Burdett Road prevails

Frankie Dettori was out of luck on his final Royal Ascot ride as Knockbrex trailed home well beaten in the Golden Gates Stakes won by Burdett Road.

Dettori went into an early lead on Charlie Johnston’s charge, but the writing was on the wall before the turn for home and he quickly backpeddled.

That left Liberty Lane in front but he too paid for his early exertions, as Neil Callan made stealthy progress on Michael Bell’s three-year-old.

Burdett Road (20-1) went several lengths clear and the race looked over. However, a combination of tiredness and being in front on his own meant he was in danger of being caught.

Lion Of War, briefly stuck in traffic earlier in the straight, came with a late rattle but the 9-2 joint-favourite could only close to within three-quarters of a length.

It was a second winner of the week for Callan having won the Queen Anne on Triple Time.

Bell said: “He loved that fast ground when he won at Newbury so we were hopeful he’d be effective today. It was a much deeper race, he’s not done much since Newbury, he is very good looking horse, bred by Gredleys, who we have been lucky for, so I’m delighted.

“The colours have been lucky, and the Gredleys have been great breeders for many years. Bill is not here today, but he will be thrilled, watching at home, he was on the gallops this morning and was here on Thursday.

“It is very hard, the most difficult thing about training when you have been doing it for as long as me, when you can clearly do the job, is getting the well-bred horse to walk through the door. You can’t train fresh air!

“We are lucky we have the Gredleys and many other nice horses. It is tough old business, but we are lucky to have what we have and very grateful for another winner here.”

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