The Racing Hub : Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot Day Three Preview

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:16:00 GMT

Day Three at Royal Ascot is highlighted by Wesley Ward's Yogaroo in the Norfolk Stakes, and Yeats attempt to win Gold Cup number 4....(read more)

Royal Ascot Day Two Preview

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:31:00 GMT

Day 2 at Royal Ascot includes the Jersey Stakes, the Windsor Forest Stakes, and the group I Prince of Wales....(read more)

Royal Ascot - Day One

cdawahare — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:03:00 GMT

Just as the NCAA tournament signals the end of winter and the Masters brings forth spring, Royal Ascot is my sign that the first half year of racing is behind us and summer racing has arrived. The preliminaries are over. Championship season is upon us....(read more)

Royal Ascot Summary

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:40:00 GMT

Courtesy of Becky Johnston

The Human Connection

Trainer is following closely in giant footsteps.

Vincent O’Brien and Aidan O’Brien are of no relation, but you couldn’t tell it from their results. The younger O’Brien won four Group 1 stakes last week at Royal Ascot, saving his greatest feat for Thursday when Yeats won his third consecutive Gold Cup for the Coolmore connection.

Murtagh benefits from Fallon’s mistakes

Kieren Fallon sits on the sidelines with an 18-month suspension for a cocaine drug positive while Johnny Murtagh has become the contract jockey for Mr. O’Brien’s Ballydole charges this season. The partnership took home six Royal Ascot wins, including four Group 1’s (Haradasun, Henrythenavigator, Duke of Marmalade and Yeats), the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (MacArthur) and they ended the meet with a win in the Queen Alexandria Stakes (Honolulu).

Ryan Moore, after losing with more than 60 Royal Ascot mounts, broke out of his slump aboard Colony for Sir Michael Stoute in the King George V Handicap on Thursday. Mr. Moore followed that up with wins in the Group 3 Queen’s Vase on Friday with Patkai and Saturday on Sugar Ray in the Duke of Edinburgh stakes.

One hot ‘cool’ operation

The Coolmore connections were on fire, yet again, with four group 1 wins (six victories overall). The five-year-old horse Haradasun will enter stud in Australia after his quarantine, but the others should be in action following this meet.

One can only hope there will be a Melbourne Cup win in Yeats’ future. A decision on his racing career will be made at the end of this year. No horse has ever won four consecutive Group 1 Gold Cups, but Yeats will be eight next season and that may deter the connections from continuing to race the staying son of Sadler’s Wells.

The Group 1 St. James Palace winning three-year-old colt Henrythenavigator could stretch out to 10 furlongs while Group 1 Prince of Wales winner, Duke of Marmalade, may try a mile and a half. At least that is what Aidan O’Brien’s thoughts were after the two colt’s wins. An appointment with older rivals will be on the agenda very soon for Henry.

The four-year-old Duke of Marmalade, who suffered a fracture as a two year old, has come back from successful surgery and having been given the time needed to heal, has rewarded his connections handsomely. Santa Anita and the Breeder’s Cup could be the destination for these two Coolmore colts.

The Bolger group also enjoyed the week, especially Friday when they took the opening Albany Stakes, a Group 3 event with the favorite Cuis Ghaire and the Group 1 Coronation Stakes with Lush Lashes. Both fillies are by Galileo. They also had a nice third place effort from their 2006 two-year-old filly champion, Finsceal Beo, in the opening race of the week, the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Her return to form will be rewarded with a victory before long.

The sprint division seemed to get some new blood when three year olds took both the five furlong Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes with the French bred Equiano (Acclamation) and the six furlong Group 1 Golden Jubilee by Irish-bred Kingsgate Native (Mujadil). It has been since 2002 and 1996 respectively since a three-year-old has taken either of the sprints.

The Americans

The U.S. contingent was led by Robert and Janice McNair’s Michita. The three-year-old filly won for Stonerside Stables in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes on Thursday. She is a daughter of Dynaformer.

Kentucky breds ran one-two in the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes with Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) in first and Stonerside’s Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality) finishing the exacta.

Forest Camp’s son South Central won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes and Camponologist won the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes. He is also a son of Kingmambo.

Mr. Aviator (Lear Fan) took the Royal Hunt Cup, Fifteen Love (Point Given) won the Britania Stakes.

Some of the prominent American-bred broodmare sires with wins at the meet were Mr. Prospector (Sugar Ray and Sabana Perdida) and his son Kingmambo (Regal Parade and Duke of Marmalade) each with two victories. Forty Niner (South Central), Gone West (MacArthur), Known Fact (Fifteen Love), and Machiavellian (Langs Lash) each had a victory. Although Saddler’s Wells stood his career in Europe he was bred stateside and was the dam’s sire of a remarkable three winners, three seconds and one third.

A new American sire that offered a promising third-place finish in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes was Lord Shanakill by Speightstown. The champion sprinter is a son of Gone West.

Best Moment at Royal Ascot

This is a toss-up between Yeats’ win in his third Gold Cup and Queen Elizabeth II’s win with a promising colt, Free Agent, in the Chesham Stakes. Her Majesty, The Queen has not won at the Royal meeting since 1999. Her mile-wide smile, gentle pat on the colt’s nose and the warm reception from the crowd was a treat on closing day.

Next up:

Racing at The Curragh including the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1) featuring Princess Haya of Jordan’s quirky Epsom Derby winner New Approach.

Royal Ascot Day 4

Blood-Horse Staff — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:14:00 GMT

Courtesy of Becky Johnston

The next to last day of the 2008 Royal Meet at Ascot Race Course came up windy and cloudy with the ground much harder than most European runners desire. Rain would not fall until the fifth contest of the day.

Bookmakers empty their pockets

The first race was the Group 3 Albany Stakes for two year old fillies going six furlongs. A win for the favorite Cuis Ghaire (IRE) would be a big blow to the bookmakers who might not recover on a day with no precarious odds-on favorite on the horizon. The daughter of Galileo was coming off two easy wins at Naas, the last a Group 3 stakes.

The favorite settled back in the field and when asked, she gave an uncomfortable looking effort that was certainly enough for the win against an overmatched field. This filly will appreciate the increase in distance as she progresses throughout the season and probably will prefer softer footing.

Trained by Jim Bolger and owned by Mrs. Bolger, the filly was ridden by Kevin Manning. Penny’s Gift filled out the exacta and Danidh Dubai was third.

Note: Cuis Ghaire - Newmarket 1000 Guineas Odds 2009 (9-1Fav)

American Bred ‘King’ wins at Royal Meet

The second race of the day was the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at 12 furlongs.

The three-year-old colt Campanologist (USA) by Kingmambo out of the Sadler’s Wells mare, Ring of Music, would bring Godolphin’s connections to the winner’s circle and break the 0 for 33 losing skid that Frankie Dettori seemed destined to stay in.

Campanologist now has a record of five wins from eight starts for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor. His dam, Ring of Music was produced from the Canadian and American champion Glorious Song, making her a sibling to Rahy and Singspiel.

Kingmambo was represented earlier this week when the three-year-old, Henrythenavigator, took the St. James Palace Stakes stamping himself as the best miler in the world while setting the course record in 1:38.7.

Campanologist was bred on the same cross as Henry, who is also out of the Saddler’s Wells mare, Sequoyah.

Conduit finished a closing second and Top Lock was third.

Bats her eyes at the competition

The featured third race was the Group 1 Coronation Stakes for three year old fillies at a distance of one mile. The question was the same as it had been all week, who would take to the firm going. Cheveley Park Stud’s Spacious was the favorite, but it was the Bolgers who once again found their way to the winner’s circle with another offspring of Galileo, Lush Lashes (GB).

The filly disappointed in the 12-furlong Oaks as the favorite earlier this month. Turning back 1/2 mile did not look like a recipe for a win, but she sat off the leaders in the straight went to the lead and fought off a great challenge from Infallible who seemed to get in front of the Bolger charge for a couple of jumps. Lush Lashes drew away to a convincing win and Infallible finished second.

Carribean Sunset was third and the favorite, Spacious, who seemed to come on too late with too little, managed only fourth.

Saturday’s Lineup

Listed Chesham Stakes at seven furlongs for two year olds will feature a runner for HM Queen Elizabeth II, Free Agent, who was a winner in his only start at Leicester.

Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at 12 furlongs for four year olds and up. Runners from Juddmonte, Godolphin, Sheikh Hamden, George Strawbridge, Magnier/Smith/Tabor and the Niarchos family will compete in this field of 11.

Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at six furlongs will feature the Australian wonder Takeover Target.

Royal Ascot Coverage

cdawahare — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:21:00 GMT

Courtesy of Becky Johnston

South Central opens double for America

The Group 2 Norfolk Stakes was the first race on the card of day three at Royal Ascot. The son of Forest Camp out of the Forty Niner mare, Brittan Lee, won his first start at Carlisle by a double-digit margin. Today, he squeaked out a win over the Irish-bred Spin Cycle while English bred Prolific and Flashmans Papers were third and fourth. It sounds foolish to say that the next three looked better than the winner, but that could prove to be the case when the distances become more taxing than the five furlongs traveled today. However, on this day the proud connections, Transcend Bloodstock, trainer Howard Johnson and jockey Robert Winston have the all important royal win while the others will wait for another day.

Early odds for the 2000 Guineas 2009

South Central 30-1
Spin Cycle 30-1
Prolific 25-1
Flashmans Papers 55-1

All-American Gal takes Group 2 Ribblesdale

American owned Michita made good for her Texas based owners Bob and Janice McNair and their Stonerside Farm. The regally bred daughter of Dynaformer out of the Storm Cat mare, Thunder Kitten, loved the firm going, the 12 furlongs and the competition in a below par group for this edition. Take nothing away from Michita as she dispensed with this group in fine fettle.

The winner is the granddaughter of the multiple U.S. grade 1 winner Nastique.

The race had more blueblood, including Changing Skies, the full sister to the recent $10.5 million broodmare purchase Playful Act (Sadler's Wells-Magnificent Style by Silver Hawk). She finished a well-beaten sixth in the nine-horse field.

Andrew Rosen's familiar pink and green silks were carried by tough luck Icon Project (Empire Maker-La Gueriere by Lord at War) who checked in fourth after repeated trouble. The silks are familiar to American racing fans as they were carried by the 1984 two-year old champion Chief's Crown for Andrew's father, Carl Rosen.

Michita was ridden by Johnny Fortune and trained by John Gosden. Gosden spent the late 70's and early 80's in the United States, where he trained champions Bates Motel and Royal Heroine.

Arthur's Girl was second and Hobby was third in the Ribblesdale.

Yeats repeat is a kick!

The champion stayer Yeats won his third consecutive Group 1 Gold Cup today. The seven-year old horse certainly had some detractors which made his supporters happy with a better payoff. Many thought Juddmonte's undefeated, four-year old French import Coastal Path might dethrone the elder Yeats. As the two hooked up on the turn for home in front of the Ladies' Day Crowd, it looked like a toss-up. Then, last year's runner-up, the gray Geordieland (Fr), who was drafting behind the top pair swung out and made the battle a three wide fray with Yeats in the middle.

When it looked as though both of Yeats' challengers might get the better of him, the near black champion pinned his ears and bore down for jockey Johnny Murtagh and drew away to a thunderous ovation. Geordieland was second while Coastal Path checked in third.

All three runners are descendents of the newly retired bloodstock phenom Sadler's Wells. Yeats is a direct descendent, Geordieland through his grandsire and Coastal Path through his broodmare sire.

The real ‘kicker' was on the cool down gallop. Godolphin's Regal Flush made the mistake of coming up the rail inside of an obviously enthusiastic winner. Yeats picked up both hind limbs and broadsided the four-year-old son of Sakhee, making jockey Frankie Dettori shift in the saddle.

The rivalry between arguably the two most powerful racing operations in the world Coolmore and Godolphin is well known. The fact that Godolphin has not had the kind of success that the Irish group has enjoyed over the last couple of years at Ascot was highlighted when Yeats attempted to put his stamp on the Dubai owned colt. No word if the Godolphin color bearer suffered any injury from the sucker punch.

Yeats is owned by Mrs. John Magnier and Mrs. David Nagle which made for a perfect Ladies' Day Celebration. Aidan O'Brien conditions the son of the Top Ville mare Lyndonville.

Day Four (Friday)

Group one Coronation Stakes (Three year old fillies 1m)
Group three Albany Stakes (Two year olds 6f)
Group three King Edward VII Stakes (Three year olds 12f)
Group three Queen's Vase (Three year olds 2m)