Tag Archive for: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

Moreira narrowly fails to weave Ascot magic for Japan

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Top international jockey João Moreira may have came up short in his quest to add a Royal Ascot winner to his decorated CV, but he was proud of the vanquished Satono Reve in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

The Brazilian pilot, known as the ‘Magic Man’, has ridden big winners around the globe and was entrusted with providing Japan with a first victory at the Royal meeting when receiving the leg-up aboard Noriyuki Hori’s ace sprinter – who was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the final Group One of the week.

Having been subject to persistent money since advertising his wellbeing in a recent Newmarket gallop, the six-year-old travelled through the contest in sublime style for Moreira.

However, he met a determined rival in Lazzat in the closing stages and when the duo began to duel late into the piece, it was Jerome Reynier’s French raider who came out on top in the international showdown for sprinting supremacy.

“We went into the race with a lot of confidence, the horse was so well in himself but unfortunately we bumped into a very good horse today,” said Moreira.

“Lazzat’s form indicated he would be a danger and he had been winning impressively on his home ground.

“Halfway through I thought I had him done, but he just had another kick and kept attacking the line. I was closing up the gap but we just bumped into a good horse today and my horse ran really well.

“We thought we had a really good crack and unfortunately we just bumped into a really good horse. I can’t complain, he tried his very best.

“It’s a pleasure to be at a festival like this – of course finishing second is not the best result, but I still have to be happy with that.”

While the Wathnan Racing team were able to celebrate feature race success for the headline signing from their pre-Ascot delve into the transfer market, they were also delighted with the performance of fellow new signing Flora Of Bermuda.

Andrew Balding’s admirable filly was narrowly denied by Inisherin at York on her return to action and in her first outing in the peacock blue and old gold silks, she again hit the frame with a brave third in the hands of PJ McDonald.

“She’s run an absolute blinder and she was just a little bit free early,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“She’s run another very solid race, she’s so consistent. I’d be hopeful that one of these might drop her way and she had some very good horses behind her.

“These two (Lazzat and Satono Reve) have obviously gone a long way clear, but she’s finished best of the rest.”

Lazzat fends off Satono Reve to take Jubilee crown

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French raider Lazzat broke Japanese hearts as he outbattled Satono Reve in a thrilling international finish to the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Satono Reve was sent off the 2-1 favourite to become the first Japanese winner at the Royal meeting and was travelling powerfully throughout the contest in the hands of Joao Moreira.

However, it was Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat, who made every yard in the hands of James Doyle, who stayed on strongest in the closing stages, striking on his first start for owners Wathnan Racing at odds of 9-2 to continue a fine week for both his rider and owners.

There was drama after the finish as Lazzat unshipped Doyle as the pair returned to receive the Ascot applause, with the four-year-old running loose for some time before eventually being caught and safely returned to the stables.

Lazzat was adding a second Group One win to his tally after landing last year’s Prix Maurice de Gheest, but he had been beaten in Australia when sent on his travels at the end of the campaign.

Reynier, saddling his first Royal Ascot winner, said: “He did (win at the top level) as a three-year-old in the Maurice de Gheest in Deauville but after having been all the way to Australia and Hong Kong, I was a bit scared that it was going to be tough to find Lazzat the same as he was but obviously we have been trying him over a mile to open his options, but he’s a pure sprinter and we will stick to the sprinting distances over the straight courses for his future.

“That was a pretty tough challenge (from Satono Reve). I’ve been watching all his races and he’s always coming late and he’s always running on but James had a really good feeling with the horse and when the Japanese came to him, he put his ears back and tried again and he said there was no way he was going to pass him today.”

James Doyle after being unshipped from Lazzat
James Doyle after being unshipped from Lazzat (David Davies/PA)

Paddy Power cut Lazzat to 7-2 favourite from 8-1 for the July Cup at Newmarket, but Reynier feels that is an unlikely option.

He added: “The July Cup is coming a little quickly I guess but maybe we’ll defend his crown in the Maurice de Gheest, we’ve got the Sprint Cup (at Haydock) and we can be back here in October (Qipco British Champions Sprint) because he can handle any ground, if the ground is heavy he can do it then as well.

“He’s a very good champion. Today everything went right for once and we’re happy to have a first Royal Ascot winner, especially for Wathnan and Nurlan Bizakov as a breeder. I’m very happy for the connections involved.”

Reflecting on Lazzat’s post-race antics, Reynier said: “I was too happy to throw the winning sheet on him, he got a bit spooky and he obviously wasn’t too tired after the race so he said ‘let’s have a spin around the track’!

“We were so proud of him and wanted to be out on the track with him, but James was saying ‘hi’ to the crowd and was not paying attention maybe to what he was going to do.

“He’s a funny character, that is why he is Lazzat and he is our champion.”

While Deauville, Haydock and a return to Ascot look like being on Lazzat’s short-to-medium term agenda, the trainer also has one eye on what would be a mouthwatering clash with Hong Kong’s superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising before the end of 2025.

He added: “I would love to take him on one day. Let him fight in The Everest and all the big challenges he’s got this year and maybe at the end of the year we can take him on in his home town at Sha Tin in the Hong Kong Sprint, why not?

“If he can win two or three more Group Ones this year he’ll definitely be the best sprinter in Europe and that would be a good thing.”

James Doyle with the trophy following Lazzat's victory
James Doyle with the trophy following Lazzat’s victory (John Walton/PA)

Doyle, riding his fourth winner of the week, said: “He just spooked at the winner’s sheet and got loose for 15 minutes or so – not ideal, is it, but it shows he had a fair bit left! He’s a quality horse.

“What a horse race with the Japanese horse coming to join me near the line, and he really pinned his ears back and attacked the line, so he’s got some talent and he wasn’t going to get beaten today.

“That was a first for me (being unseated like that), and it was a shame because it would have been nice to be able to come in with the horse, not by myself, but there we go. I did apologise to the King and Queen when I went to collect my prize and said I should have stayed in Pony Club a bit longer than I did, and we had a good laugh about that.

“This was the one we wanted – it’s a proper race and we’ve got a proper horse on our hands.”