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Falakeyah putting mile credentials to the test against Zarigana

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Falakeyah and Zarigana lock horns in a fascinating clash for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday.

The Owen Burrows-trained Falakeyah looked every inch a top-class filly in the making when dominating her rivals in the 10-furlong Pretty Polly at Newmarket, after which the Betfred Oaks at Epsom and the French equivalent were mooted as potential Classic targets.

However, with connections ultimately deciding against stepping up to a mile and a half at Epsom and the Prix de Diane also ruled out, the daughter of New Bay will instead drop back to a mile on the penultimate day of the Royal meeting after being supplemented for the Coronation at a cost of £46,000.

Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeders Shadwell, said: “It was a hard decision to supplement, just because of the amount of money involved. I just felt when the entries for the race closed we’d be looking at a mile and a quarter at least for her given she had won over an extended mile on her debut.

“I said to Owen I was just trying to save money and that there was no point even entering her if we thought she was going to be running over further.”

While Gold admits to having doubts about how effective Falakeyah will be dropping back in trip, he is taking some confidence from the feedback of Shadwell’s retained rider Jim Crowley.

“To Jim’s credit, he kept saying every time he sat on her that she had a lot of speed and his first words to me having got off her at Newmarket were ‘she’d have killed them over a mile’. He thought she’d have gone close in the Guineas had she run in that, so I had to take notice,” Gold added.

Jim Crowley on board Falakeyah after winning the Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes
Jim Crowley on board Falakeyah after winning the Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes (Joe Giddens/PA)

“Unfortunately we were going for the Prix de Diane but then she had a hold-up and we ran out of time. They now feel she’s back to her best.

“We could have waited a month for the Falmouth but as she’s well we’ve taken the chance.

“She likes to get on with things so that is probably contributing to the fact she looks like she’s got a lot of speed.

“It’s only her third race so we’re still learning and I couldn’t put my hand on my heart and say she’s definitely a miler, but she has plenty of speed and we felt after discussing it this was worth a try.”

The trip is of no concern to French raider Zarigana, who has won four of her five starts for Francis-Henri Graffard in the colours of the late Aga Khan.

She was most recently awarded the French 1000 Guineas in the stewards’ room after first past the post Shes Perfect was deemed to have caused sufficient interference for the placings to be revised – and while connections are hoping for a bold showing in Berkshire, they are taking nothing for granted.

Nemone Routh, manager for the Aga Khan’s French studs, said: “Zarigana worked well last week, she’s in good form and we’ve been very happy with her since the Pouliches.

“It is a competitive race and it’s the first time she’ll have to travel abroad and she can have moments where she gets quite worked up. It looks like it’s going to be very hot as well, but she’s got to get through all that as part of the test of being a Group One filly.

“She’s very consistent – she’s won four of her starts and was beaten a nose in the other one. This is a big test for her and she’s got to maintain that form and hold it all together in the preliminaries and have luck in running and everything else.

“If there’s any weakness it will be found out, but we’re happy with her preparation and while she goes on anything, she’s probably better on fast ground.”

Further strength in depth is added by Aidan O’Brien’s Exactly, who was little over a length behind Zarigana when fourth in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches last month, while the also-supplemented Kon Tiki puts her unbeaten record on the line for Jane Chapple-Hyam.

Charles Darwin lives up to his billing in Norfolk Stakes

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Charles Darwin enhanced his already lofty reputation with a dominant front-running victory in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

A full-brother to a top-class two-year-old in Blackbeard, the imposing Aidan O’Brien-trained son of No Nay Never finished fourth on his Curragh debut but had since impressed with victories at Navan and Naas.

Those who sent him off at odds of 8-13 will have had few concerns, with Charles Darwin soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore, finding plenty once challenged and going away at the line to readily account for Wise Approach and Sandal’s Song.

“He’s lovely, Ryan always loved him and everyone always loved him at home,” said O’Brien.

“He’s a big, powerful, strong horse. He really looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds.

“I didn’t know if Ryan was going to make the running or drop him in, but he decides that. He always thought he had loads left with the way he came on the bridle.

“He’s very quick, a big and mature physical and everyone who rides him says he has a very good mind as well – he’s very exciting.

“We were hoping he would get a lead as he never sees the front at home, he’s very strong and very quick.”

On the Ballydoyle pecking order regarding juveniles, O’Brien added: “Albert Einstein is always just something like we’ve never seen before, the way he works.

“This horse is very fast – he’s a sprinter, I don’t know how far he’s going to get, because he’s very quick, and the horse the other day (Gstaad) looks like he’s going to get seven, which means he could get a mile.”

Paddy Power made Charles Darwin 4-1 to become the first two-year-old since Kingsgate Native in 2007 to win York’s Nunthorpe Stakes later in the summer, with O’Brien suggesting connections would have to consider that event if the speedy colt continues to thrive over the minimum trip.

“It would obviously be possible as he’s fast, he’s big and he’s mature,” said O’Brien.

“The lads will decide and it’s obviously really early days to be talking about that yet, but it would be possible.

“He’s obviously a Middle Park Stakes-type of horse and obviously there is the July meeting at Newmarket and Goodwood to come, so there’s plenty of races to come.”

Charlie Appleby was determined to take the positives from Wise Approach’s run in second after he bounced back from defeat at York.

Appleby said: “We felt we were very much drawn on the wrong side, but the main thing about today was setting him up for the future and riding a very different race to what we saw at York. We wanted to drop him in and we didn’t feel there was the strength there to carry us through the race if we rode him handy.

“We made the decision to drop in, ride a race and get him to finish and he’s done all of that, so finishing second to a very high-class racehorse in Charles Darwin, you have to take plenty of positives.

“There’s going to be a nice pot in this horse and I think although he’s versatile enough for five or six furlongs, we can probably look for six now and ride a similar sort of race. With racing he’s learning.

“I’m not sure where we go, we have Maximized teed-up for the July Stakes at Newmarket and his form is working out nicely after the Windsor Castle, but you can never have too many in them. There will be options and I’ll move them around accordingly.”

There was not to be a second Royal Ascot winner for US handler George Weaver, but connections can remain positive about the new Wathnan Racing acquisition who will now be targeted at the Breeders’ Cup.

Wathnan’s US representative Case Clay said: “George really knows what he is doing with these two-year-olds and his assistant Blair (Golen) has done a wonderful job since getting here.

“As you saw in the paddock beforehand he is a very straightforward horse and I’m very proud of his effort. There was a moment there I got very excited, but he was beaten by a very good colt and it was such a valiant effort in defeat.

“We will take him back to the US and we’ll target the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and work backwards from that and try to get there.”

Inisherin and Lazzat crossing swords with Satono Reve on Saturday

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Inisherin and Lazzat feature among a quality field of 16 runners declared for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot.

Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin was a brilliant winner of the Commonwealth Cup over the course and distance 12 months ago and while he subsequently failed to run up to expectations in either the July Cup or the Sprint Cup, he got the show back on the road with a comeback win at York last month.

French raider Lazzat won his first six starts for Jerome Reynier before suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest in Australia. He disappointed in the Hong Kong Mile and over the longer trip on his Saint-Cloud return, but having bolted up back over six furlongs at Chantilly he has since been snapped up by the powerful Wathnan Racing operation.

Christopher Head’s Topgear is another improving sprinter from across the Channel, while further international spice is added by the presence of Japanese raider Satono Reve, who caught the eye of work-watchers in a recent gallop in Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s Australian recruit Storm Boy runs, with the only two not declared from the confirmation stage being George Boughey’s Believing, who ran in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, and James Fanshawe’s Champions Day winner Kind Of Blue.

Nine juveniles are set to go to post for the opening Chesham Stakes, with Charlie Appleby’s impressive Newmarket winner Treanmor the likely favourite ahead of O’Brien’s Leopardstown scorer Moments Of Joy.

Al Aasy heads a 12-runner field for the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes, with Rebel’s Romance and Al Riffa two of his rivals, but ante-post favourite Kalpana is a notable absentee.

Remmooz will put his unbeaten record on the line for Owen Burrows in the Group Three Jersey Stakes, which has attracted 15 participants in total, while the two handicaps on the card – the Wokingham and the Golden Gates – have maximum fields of 28 and 16 runners respectively.

The two-mile-five-furlong Queen Alexandra Stakes traditionally brings the Royal meeting to a close and plenty will be putting their faith in Sober, who represents the formidable combination of Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore. The six-year-old, who was a multiple winner in France for Andre Fabre before scoring over hurdles on his first start for Mullins, heads a field of 11 in the finale.

Racing Bulletin for 19/06/2025

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Disappointment for the King and Queen again at Ascot

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Rainbows Edge could finish only seventh in the colours of the King and Queen, as Miss Information claimed top honours in the Kensington Palace Stakes on day two of Royal Ascot.

With the well-fancied Reaching High unable to land a blow when the 11-4 favourite for Tuesday’s Ascot Stakes, attentions turned to the next runner to carry the royal silks in the penultimate race on Wednesday’s card and Rainbows Edge was the 3-1 market leader come the off.

The four-year-old had won three of her four starts for the the in-form training team of John and Thady Gosden, but while she travelled strongly for the first half of this straight mile contest under William Buick, she was a spent force with two furlongs to run and faded out of contention.

Rainbows Edge before running at Royal Ascot
Rainbows Edge before running at Royal Ascot (Adam Morgan/PA)

John Gosden said: “The ground was too quick for her, it dried out too much for her and she wants stepping up to a mile and a quarter.

“She’s actually run well for a filly who wasn’t in love with the ground, so we will just now go a mile and a quarter with a bit of ease in the ground and hopefully win a Listed race with her.”

At the business end of proceedings it was Andrew Balding’s Miss Information (11-1) and the Gavin Cromwell-trained Snellen who came to the fore, with the former coming out on top by a length in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

Miss Information passes the post in front in the Kensington Palace Stakes
Miss Information passes the post in front in the Kensington Palace Stakes (John Walton/PA)

Balding said: “She’s been a star, this filly. She had no luck last time at Epsom, she got shuffled back and just didn’t seem to enjoy herself.

“Fast ground is what she wants, she just about got the mile.

“It’s so nice for her owner, they really get a lot of enjoyment out of it and I’m so pleased for them.

“She’s in the Bunbury Cup, we will try to get some black type at some stage and she’ll make a lovely broodmare.”

Ascot Eyecatcher Rahiebb will make his mark

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Roger Varian’s Queen’s Vase third Rahiebb could be worth following with big days later in the season in mind.

The Carlburg Stables handler won this race with Eldar Eldarov in 2022 and looked to have another real contender in Rahiebb, who emerged from the pack full of running with two furlongs to run.

Inexperience perhaps cost the lightly-raced son of Frankel late on, but he is yet to finish outside the top three in five starts, with his trainer saying he will be handed a St Leger entry later in the season.

My Cloud overshadows the rest in Royal Hunt Cup

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My Cloud scooted up the stands side rail to justify favouritism in the Royal Hunt Cup.

Roger Varian’s charge was sent off the 3-1 market leader for one of the betting highlights of the week and was ridden with plenty of confidence by Silvestre de Sousa.

The 30-strong field split into three groups and while My Cloud was clearly in front on his side of the track, Bullet Point was running him close on the other side, with the favourite edging in front of the 11-1 second by three-quarters of a length, with Bopedro taking third at 50-1.

My Cloud had won over the course and distance on his penultimate start and Varian said: “The horse likes it here and we all do, we all enjoy winners at this meeting.

“Patience has been key and he had a few niggles as a young horse. We couldn’t get as busy as we would have liked on the racecourse aged two and three and he only really got going late last year.

“He’s done well this year which is a great team effort at home. There’s a lot of people to thank but mainly his owner who has been the most patient of everyone.

“I was at pains to tell Silvestre not to be in a rush with him, as races on the straight mile can develop late, and this is a horse with a lot of class who moved through the race well.

“We will have to hope he keeps improving and progressing and that was a mighty performance for an inexperienced horse. We hope he could progress out of handicaps one day, but there won’t be a rush to do so.

“He’s had three races now so I think we will regroup, enjoy today and then work out a plan.”

The Windsor Castle Stakes brought day two of the meeting to a close and for the second time the Listed prize went to Eve Johnson Houghton, this time with Havana Hurricane (7-1).

The Oxfordshire-based trainer saddled Chipotle to strike gold 2021 and her latest contender was prominent in the market after supplementing a successful debut at Goodwood with a runner-up finish behind Maximized in the Woodcote at Epsom less than a fortnight ago.

Ridden by Charles Bishop, the Havana Gold colt quickened up smartly to grab the lead inside the final furlong and was well on top at the line, with Dickensian best of the rest in second.

Johnson Houghton’s thoughts immediately turned to her late father, Fulke, who died in February this year at the age of 84.

She said: “I’m missing my dad, he’d have been proud. He’d be the first person I’d ring.

“Didn’t he (Bishop) give him a beautiful ride? He got slated for his ride at Epsom, unfairly, and he gave him an absolute corker; couldn’t be more proud of my jockey.”

Anmaat gives his all in honourable defeat

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Owen Burrows was proud of Anmaat after his stable star went down fighting in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot – and is already eyeing a return to the course on British Champions Day.

A shock 40-1 winner of the Qipco Champion Stakes over course and distance last season, the seven-year-old once again proved he belongs at the top-level when pushing the reopposing Los Angeles all the way on his return to action in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month.

With improvement anticipated, hopes for Anmaat were high ahead of his return to Berkshire – but while he turned the tables on the 13-8 favourite Los Angeles, who was beaten into fifth, the Burrows runner had no answer to the finishing kick of 7-1 winner Ombudsman and had to make do with the silver medal.

“He’s an absolute star and he’s done us proud and there’s not a lot of excuses really,” said Burrows.

“He’s come there to win, just credit to John’s horse who has picked up a bit better than us.

“There wasn’t really a moment I thought he would win today and I thought more so in Ireland. He obviously travelled great, but I could see William (Buick) was in a bit of a pocket and was trying to get a bit of room and always looked like he had a little bit left.

“I think we know he has a preference for a bit of juice in the ground but Jim (Crowley) said I can’t use that as an excuse. Possibly he can quicken on softer ground when others can’t, but I’m not making any excuses.”

Anmaat holds entries for both the Coral-Eclipse (Sandown, July 5) and Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Leopardstown, September 13), with York’s Juddmonte International Stakes on August 20 also a plausible option.

However, it is a Champion Stakes defence on October 19 which is prominent in Burrows’ thoughts.

“The Eclipse has been mentioned but that may be too soon and we’ll have to see how he comes out of this,” continued Burrows.

“Then there’s York and the Irish Champion Stakes. But I think back here in October will be his main aim and all being well he should have some juice in the ground by then.

“He’s run in two Group Ones now this season, finished second both times and not done an awful lot wrong. I’m very proud of him.”

A place behind Anmaat in third was Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, who was supplemented into the race at a cost of £70,000 after a runaway win at York in the Middleton Stakes.

Another to be thrilled with his charge’s performance, Balding now plans to return his star filly to competing against her own sex and she will now attempt to go one place better than last year’s narrow second in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (July 31).

“I’m thrilled and it’s probably a career-best performance,” said Balding.

“She’ll have a little break now and head towards the Nassau which has always been her main objective really. She ran well in it last year and I think being back against her own sex will help her cause.”

Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien will give beaten favourite Los Angeles a full MOT after tasting defeat for the first time this season.

He added: “We’ll take him back and see how he is. You wouldn’t take anything away from the others but you wouldn’t think that wasn’t his true running.

“The King George might come a bit quick after a run like that, Jan Brueghel might come into that job.”

Ombudsman shows star quality with sizzling Prince of Wales’s display

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Ombudsman displayed a devastating change of gear to run out a brilliant winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Successful on each of his first four starts last season, including a Group Three win in France, John and Thady Gosden’s colt met with defeat for the first time when second to Almaqam on his return to action in last month’s Brigadier Gerard at Sandown.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old faced a further hike in class for this Group One feature, but after being settled well off the strong early pace by William Buick, he engaged overdrive once in the clear halfway up the straight and readily picked off the gallant Anmaat to win by two lengths going away.

See The Fire was third, another two and a half lengths behind the 7-1 winner, but Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles, the 13-8 favourite, faded into fifth place.

Gosden senior, celebrating his 70th Royal Ascot winner, said: “He’s a special horse and it’s just a question of an owner giving you the time to let them mature and get there.

“He’s got a turn of foot and he (Buick) knew it, it was a matter of getting out, but I did notice when he finally got daylight there was a furlong to go.”

He went on: “It’s a question of, when you get to the straight, whether you get the luck. He wasn’t in a position where he could swing round the field, it was more of a case of waiting for the gap.

“He was very patient. I knew when there was a gap at the furlong pole that this horse has an extraordinary turn of foot – he was patient and he was rewarded.

“When we bought him he was an immature horse, he didn’t run as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old we brought him on and then put him away. He’s horse who is now properly grown and developed as a four-year-old.

The Prince of Wales presents a commemorative saddle blanket to trainer John Gosden following his 70th win at Royal Ascot with Ombudsman
The Prince of Wales presents a commemorative saddle blanket to trainer John Gosden following his 70th win at Royal Ascot with Ombudsman (David Davies/PA)

“He’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse, he’s got a wonderful turn of foot as you saw and I think we’ll play to that strength. As far as I’m concerned he’s done nothing but grow in stature.

“He is a horse that because he hasn’t over-raced this year, he could be a horse you could look at the Eclipse.

“That wouldn’t be my choice (to run him against Field Of Gold).”

Thady Gosden added: “When William found a gap he asked him to go through it and he was very quick.

“The Eclipse looks like the natural step to take. It was a top-class field today, it was the most elite field of the week as it often is and he showed what he was capable of there.

“It wasn’t a huge field but it was highly elite, as you’d expect at this meeting. He certainly came up good.”

William Buick was all smiles after winning on Ombudsman
William Buick was all smiles after winning on Ombudsman (John Walton/PA)

Buick was noticeably jubilant on passing the line, after an opening day that had seen high-profile reverses for Notable Speech and Ruling Court.

He said: “This place tames lions. It’s so special to win here because it’s so tough, everyone comes here in great form and everyone is doing their very best of course.

“They went a hard gallop. I was always going to have to ride for a bit of luck and he quickened instantly. I thought he was impressive.

“I think that was a taste of what’s to come for sure. He’s got low miles on the clock, he’s an exciting horse.”

Crimson tide proves unstoppable in Duke of Cambridge

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Crimson Advocate swooped with some style in the final furlong to secure a second Royal Ascot success, this time in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

Winner of the Queen Mary Stakes two years ago when trained by American George Weaver, Crimson Advocate is now with John and Thady Gosden in the colours of Wathnan Racing and came from last to first in the hands of James McDonald.

Fellow Gosden runner and defending champion Running Lion made a bold bid to make all but had no answer as Crimson Advocate (13-2) collared her inside the final furlong and pulled clear of 5-4 favourite Cinderella’s Dream.

John Gosden said: “We knew she would run a big race but I didn’t expect her to go by those three fillies. Let’s face it, Running Lion won it last year and the second and third are Group One fillies.

“I said to James to just get her settled and he did a beautiful job, he has really great hands and even though he hadn’t ridden her before got a wonderful tune out of her.

“At the half-furlong marker I thought Running Lion had it and so did the commentator and then this filly came along with a wet sail – it was impressive for a filly who was a Queen Mary filly not so long ago.

“We gave her a long time off over the winter and worked on settling her and she ran really well in the Snowdrop and then Robert Havlin settled her at Goodwood and she got up and won.

“Full marks to Robert and Thady who have devoted their time to settling her and she’s sat last here and then blown them away. I’m thrilled but this one is not much to do with me.”

Crimson Advocate was cut to 7-1 from 16s for the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket next month, but the team are yet to commit to their next move.

Gosden added: “I haven’t thought too far ahead and I thought she might get placed. But she’s done that well and we’ll have to readjust our sights.”

For New Zealander McDonald it was a fifth success at the Royal meeting having beaten off a bout of flu to ride for the Wathnan Racing team this week.

He said: “You have no idea what a buzz it is to win here, it means so much, and you can see why everyone treats the week so seriously. It’s a very special place and there’s nothing better.

“It was still on the edge last week, I’m not sure what it was, maybe just a bad case of flu, but I would have to have broken a bone not to be here.

“I thought about a furlong out when Will (Buick, on Cinderella’s Dream) didn’t put them away I had a real chance.

“As a competitor, to ride for such strong stables is so nice. Wathnan is a huge team and James (Doyle, who rode Fallen Angel for Wathnan) has some huge decisions and once he’s picked, it’s nice to fill in where I can.”

O’Brien looks to Illinois in search for perfect 10 in Gold Cup

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Illinois will go into unknown territory when he plays the role of super-sub for Aidan O’Brien in his search for a 10th victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

The master of Ballydoyle handler has an unrivalled record in the two-and-a-half-mile feature, with the brilliant four-time winner Yeats, Fame And Glory, Leading Light, Order Of St George and dual scorer Kyprios all featuring on the roll of honour.

Kyprios looked well placed to make it a hat-trick after winning Ireland’s two key trials in the spring, but his subsequent retirement led to a shuffling of the pack and it was last month’s Ormonde Stakes winner Illinois who got the call-up.

O’Brien said: “Everything has gone well so far and we always thought he was a horse who could step into the role of a Gold Cup horse.

“We thought he could do that next year and he was standing in line behind Kyprios, but he’s had his run and it went well.

“We have always thought he would stay the trip, but it’s not until you go past the quarter (mile) pole in the Gold Cup that you find out.”

Trawlerman and Sweet William finished second and third respectively behind Kyprios 12 months ago and the John and Thady Gosden-trained duo are back for another tilt at Gold Cup glory.

Trawlerman in action at Sandown
Trawlerman in action at Sandown (Adam Davy/PA)

Reflecting on Sweet William’s comeback third in last month’s Yorkshire Cup, Gosden senior said: “It was a great run at York as a mile and six (furlongs) would be on the sharp side for him.

“He enjoys the climb at Ascot and he’s solid at two and a quarter miles and as always two and a half takes him into no man’s land, but we’ve been very pleased with his preparation.

“He’s in great order and he’s a wonderful character. He does everything in his own time and hopefully his work (last week) will have sharpened him up nicely.”

Of Trawlerman, he added: “He won the Henry II well and is training nicely. He’s a different type of horse to Sweet William as Trawlerman likes to bowl along, whereas the other comes with a strong late run and to that extent they suit each other rather well as they are not trying to do the same job.

“There’s no Kyprios this year, but it will still be a smart field and it will be a good race with Illinois in there.”

French hopes are carried by Francis-Henri Graffard’s Candelari, who has come a long way since making a winning debut on the all-weather at Chantilly in early December, most recently impressing with a Group One triumph in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for the late Aga Khan’s French Studs, said: “We’re very happy with the horse, he worked well last week and it looks like he’s taken his last run very well.

“The question marks are over whether he will stay the distance, we believe he will be because he finishes his races strongly but obviously that is an unknown, and he probably lacks the experience of the rest of the field.

“He only made his debut in December, so he’s only really been racing for six months, but then he’s not got as many miles on the clock as some of the others and I think he’s a natural stayer and a very genuine horse.”

It would be quite a story if Candelari were to win what is arguably the biggest race of the entire week at Royal Ascot given he was very nearly moved on seven months ago.

“He is a horse who has taken us massively by surprise,” Routh added.

“We nearly sold him unraced in November but took him out during the week of the sale because he is so well-bred and he hadn’t had any major setbacks. He’s just a big horse who was quite immature and after we castrated him it took us a while to get him fit again.

“He’s obviously not a flashy worker as he’s a staying horse, but we just felt we’d give him a chance and then Francis found that first race for him on the Fibresand at Chantilly when he was incredibly green, he reared up in the stalls and lost 10 lengths at the start. If you watch the race it’s hilarious and he still won by eight lengths!

“He really did show us something that day and he’s never looked back. It shows that sometimes these horses just need time. They’re not fast, they’re not two-year-olds and he wasn’t really even a three-year-old, but if you give them time they can repay you and he has repaid us in spades.

“It’s been an amazing story already, we think he’s an improving horse and the good thing is he will have his ground as he needs good, fast ground to be at his best.

Carmers collects in Queen’s Vase for Paddy Twomey

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Carmers maintained his unbeaten record with a determined display in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

A first runner at the Royal fixture for trainer Paddy Twomey, the Wootton Bassett colt had been successful on his two previous starts at Ballinrobe and Navan and was a 9-2 shot to complete his hat-trick in this one-mile-six-furlong Group Two.

Always to the fore in the hands of Billy Lee, Carmers took over from Shackleton rounding the home turn and answered his rider’s every call to repel the staying-on pair of Furthur and Rahiebb, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

“I knew he’d stay and I knew turning in that Billy looked comfortable,” said Twomey.

“I was happy to see a horse come up alongside him and help him at the front, he looked comfortable when the bell rang and I knew he had a chance.

“I think staying is his game and I think he’s a pretty good horse.”

Ladbrokes installed the Fiona Carmichael-owned winner as the 8-1 second-favourite for the Betfred St Leger, and Twomey added: “He’s done everything we’ve asked, he’s obviously going to have an entry in the Leger at Doncaster – we’ll see.

“He’s done what was asked of him today, he’s run three times, he’s won three times and hopefully he continues to win.

“We’ve nice horses, we’ve good owners and it’s fantastic to be able to bring them here.

“It’s nice to have good horses to win on the big days for a small stable.”

True Love powers to Queen Mary first for O’Brien

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True Love shed her maiden tag in style with victory in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, True Love had chased home Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes winner and stablemate Gstaad on her latest start and was duly sent off the 9-4 favourite.

True Love took some time to work her way into the race as Zelaina set a scorching early pace, but she stayed on to real effect in the final furlong to beat 100-1 shot Flowerhead, with Patrick Biancone’s American raider Lennilu third.

True Love looked the part
True Love looked the part (John Walton/PA)

It was win number 93 for O’Brien at the big meeting, although rather surprisingly his first in the Queen Mary.

He said: “She’s lovely and in her first run Ryan came in and said they won’t beat her again and then after her second run Wayne (Lordan) said the same thing, that they won’t beat her again, and then you have to consider the two that beat her (Lady Iman and Gstaad) are very good horses.

“Ryan gave her a beautiful ride and Michael (Tabor) has always loved her and always spoken about her. It’s great as her mother (Alluringly) is in foal to City Of Troy and her sister is in foal to Wootton Bassett so it’s marvellous really.

“She was drawn by herself and there was no pace where she was so she had to go and do her own work and that’s what Ryan did, he was excellent on her. She was probably strongest in the last half-furlong and when she got going she really powered away.

“Ryan said he was a little slow to step and a little on the back foot all the time and I think that’s why he was trying to stoke her up a bit, but late on she was really strong.

“She had to work really hard and the only place she was going to get company was out in the middle and Ryan did really well to let her go there. She was under the pump a long way out, but so strong at the line and is obviously high class.

“She’s like a four-year-old really and Ryan thought she would be better when she steps up to six furlongs and she’s a big, mature filly who walks around the ring like a four-year-old, she’s so scopey – she’s something to look forward to.”

On future plans, O’Brien added: “I think we look forward to going up in trip now, the lads will decide that. You would imagine she would have no problem going six furlongs, but she is No Nay Never and he’s a big speed influence always.

“The Queen Mary winner seems to always head to Deauville (Prix Morny) or the Curragh (Airlie Stud Stakes) and that would be the two races really or there is the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket in July. That may come too soon, but we will see how she is.”

Flowerhead on her way to post at Royal Ascot
Flowerhead on her way to post at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

Flowerhead’s trainer Charlie Clover was thrilled to secure a Royal Ascot placing in his first full season with a licence.

He said: “This is a huge start for us, we were struggling away for the first few months but it’s really kicked into gear the past few weeks and it’s been a delight to see the whole team find their feet.

“It’s only a small team but it’s been massively welcome to see these horses run to form and I can’t thank (owner) Amo Racing enough, they’ve done so much for me and my career in helping me get off the ground.

“We liked her at home, we hoped she’d run a nice race but second was a bit of a dream. You can get greedy quite quickly and think you could have won it, who knows?

“I’m delighted to be in the frame and for her to run a big race for owners who are so important to me.”

Biancone plans to head back to America with Lennilu following her run, saying: “She’s only a baby.

“I liked the fact she was the first one off the bridle and she was there at the end, which means she will go a bit further and that is great. We’re happy, she fought all the way.

“We go home, we give her a break. The first plan was to try to bring her here which we did, she’s Grade Two placed now which is good. She’ll have a little vacation and we’ll see her in Del Mar.”

The Richard Hannon-trained Harry’s Girl was pulled up during the race and it was later confirmed the filly had sustained a fatal injury.

Detain team ‘excited’ to tackle Hampton Court challenge

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Classic form is to the fore in a hot renewal of the Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot on Thursday.

John and Thady Gosden’s Detain has come closest to big-race glory of the 14 runners as having run well in the French Guineas to be sixth, he stepped up on that to finish third in the French Derby.

“It was a huge run the last day and he was beaten three-quarters of a length which is very little,” said Barry Mahon of owners Juddmonte.

“We initially thought Ascot would come too soon, but he has bounced out of Chantilly well and John and Thady are both very happy with him.

“We would be excited to see him over the mile and a quarter again at a nice track and a little down in grade.”

Just behind him in the French Derby in fourth was Trinity College for Aidan O’Brien and the pair meet again, with just a quarter of a length to make up.

Representing British Classic form is Saeed bin Suroor’s Tornado Alert.

He outran his odds to finish fourth in the 2000 Guineas and was not disgraced when sixth of 18 in the Derby behind Lambourn.

“He came back well from the Derby and he’s in good form,” said Godolphin’s long-standing trainer.

“I think this race will suit him, a mile and a quarter looks a nice trip for him having run well over a mile and a mile and a half.

“This looked the right place to bring him, down in class a bit, having run well in the Guineas and the Derby.”

Two horses arrive on the back of just two runs, Andrew Balding’s High Stock, who won the Wood Ditton before finishing second in the Dee Stakes at Chester, and Roger Varian’s Jackknife.

He was an impressive winner on debut before finishing third in the Heron Stakes at Sandown.

“We’ve been very pleased with him, I was delighted with him in the Heron, he finished his race off really well after meeting a bit of trouble,” Varian told Sky Sports Racing.

“Oisin (Murphy) thought the step up to 10 furlongs and better ground would suit him. He’s a lovely horse, not only for this week but beyond.”

James Ferguson’s Glittering Legend made big strides in the spring and is another of note, along with William Haggas’ Arabian Force, who has seen his form boosted in recent days.

While the Ribblesdale Stakes perhaps lacks an established star, Paddy Twomey’s Catalina Delcarpio still has plenty of time to develop into one.

Unraced at two, she made a winning debut before being beaten into second in the Salsabil Stakes.

Twomey said: “We’re looking forward to the race. Catalina won well on debut and then ran well again in the Salsabil Stakes.

“She’s trained well since and we’re looking forward it.

“She’s run well in both her runs and she’s bred to be a middle-distance filly and we’re really looking forward to the race.”

The Balding-trained Serenity Prayer, second in the Musidora at York, has a similar profile.

In the Norfolk Stakes, O’Brien’s Charles Darwin is a short price to take his record to three out of four, although there are plenty of lively challengers.

Wathnan Racing are well represented with Karl Burke’s Naval Light, who caught the eye when second on debut, and Sandal’s Song, trained in America by George Weaver.

Of Naval Light, Wathnan’s Richard Brown said: “I think there will be much more to come and he fell out the stalls at Beverley and then was given the perfect ride for a debut by Sam James, who was very patient with him.

“Although the gaps didn’t come for him to win the race, when they did open and he gave him a small flick he started to fly and galloped out very strongly.”

Of Sandal’s Song, he added: “He won impressively at Gulfstream for the team who brought Crimson Advocate over to win a couple of years ago.

“He’s settled in well at the National Stud and we know these American raiders have to be taken seriously.”

Classy line-up assembled for Coronation Stakes

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Falakeyah and Zarigana top 11 contenders for Friday’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Owen Burrows-trained Falakeyah was supplemented for the mile Group One following an effortless Listed win in Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes, with connections opting by bypass a possible French Oaks run in favour of dropping back from 10 furlongs here.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana was crowned winner of the French 1000 Guineas in the ParisLongchamp stewards’ room following the demotion of Shes Perfect to second and she will clash again with fourth-placed Exactly, who is one of two for Aidan O’Brien along with January.

Ollie Sangster fields both Flight and Simmering, second and third in the 1000 Guineas, with Duty First, Kon Tiki, Cathedral, Cercene and Chantilly Lace completing the field.

The Commonwealth Cup has drawn a bumper field of 22, headed by 2000 Guineas third Shadow Of Light, who will be dropping back to six furlongs for Charlie Appleby.

Babouche, Jonquil, Whistlejacket, Ides Of March and Big Mojo are other leading names in the Group One contest, for which only Seattle was not declared.

The opening Albany Stakes boasts a 17-strong line up, with Karl Burke having made no secret of his regard for ante-post favourite Venetian Sun. Fitzella, Gold Digger and O’Brien’s Signora are also towards the head of the betting.

Derby seventh Green Storm and 12th Nightwalker bid for compensation in the King Edward VII Stakes, in which Ralph Beckett’s unbeaten gelding Amiloc is set to be a popular choice.

Puppet Master won the Lingfield Derby Trial but bypassed Epsom and he is one of two for O’Brien along with Naas winner Galveston. Dante third Wimbledon Hawkeye runs for James Owen, while the progressive Zahrann represents Johnny Murtagh.

Teumessias Fox heads a maximum 19-strong field for the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, with 28 to go to post in both the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes and the Sandringham.

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