Tag Archive for: Royal Fixation

Royal Fixation is Lowther queen for Ed Walker

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Royal Fixation sprinted away from the field to land Group Two honours in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York.

Trained by Ed Walker and ridden by William Buick, the 5-2 joint-favourite was settled well off the pace in the six-furlong contest and had plenty of ground to make up as the race began in earnest.

But once Buick got lower in the saddle, Royal Fixation picked up in style to beat market rival America Queen by a length. Staya also made late gains to be beaten a further two lengths in third.

Royal Fixation was going one place than at Newmarket, where she had finished runner-up in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on what was just her second career outing.

Walker said: “We’ve always thought a lot of her and she ran a huge race at Newmarket. It’s been a really long six weeks since then, we’ve let her down and had to build her back up and then you start wondering if you’ve got it right or is she too fresh.

“She’s so good, what is exciting is that she still looked a bit green off the bridle, when he first asked her she just wandered around a bit.

“She’ll get further, for sure, but she won’t go to the Fillies’ Mile, I think we’ll go to the Cheveley Park. She’s quick, she’s got loads of speed, she’s got a very fast female line and I think she’d be too keen over a mile at the moment.”

Richard Hughes said of runner-up America Queen: “She can only improve. Ryan (Moore) just had to commit probably 50 yards earlier than he would have liked and you’re there to be shot at on an inexperienced horse, but she’s run a blinder and we can’t ask for more.

“The winner is a good filly and they opened up on the field, which is good. I’m gutted, but pleased.”

He added: “The Cheveley Park has always been in my mind, so we’ll have a little think about it. She’ll definitely be running again before that, but where we’re not sure yet. It was all about today first.”

George Scott was also pleased with the effort of third home Staya, saying: “She ran a really nice race. They raced on the far side and it got very tight and didn’t go to plan at all, but she’s run with great credit again and she’s probably well capable of going one or two better in this grade in the future.

“It just didn’t happen or pan out for us today. She picked up well, but it was too late – it was just the way the race worked out. It was a bit of an unsatisfactory race for us and it’s a little bit frustrating, but the winner has won well and well done to them.

“You’d love to have another run before the Cheveley Park, but we’ll see how she is.”

Ed Walker anticipating bold Lowther show from Royal Fixation

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Ed Walker is backing Royal Fixation to defy her relative inexperience in Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday.

Owned by Opulence Thoroughbreds, Ed Walker’s youngster pushed Albany Stakes scorer Venetian Sun to within a neck in the Group Two Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket and her team are confident they have a top-class prospect on their hands ahead of this next assignment.

“She’s done nothing but please us really and this has been the plan since Newmarket,” said Walker.

“There will be a couple in there with a bit more experience than her but that was a huge run at Newmarket on just her second start and we’re very excited about her.

“We’ve always liked her and she’s a short price in a Group Two, so she’s got to go and prove it now and there’s some very unexposed and equally very good fillies in there. So it’s far from a given, but we think she’s in good form and hopefully she can go well.”

One of those unexposed fillies Walker may have to worry about is Richard Hughes’ America Queen, who created a deep impression when romping to a 12-length Haydock success on debut.

Connections have reached for the services of Ryan Moore for the exciting €180,000 purchase who is an intriguing proposition on just her second start.

“She was very impressive at Haydock and we don’t really know what was behind her, but she was just in a different league to them that day,” said Philip Robinson, racing manager to owner Jaber Abdullah.

“It’s going to be interesting and she could be absolutely anything. It can be a different thing though once stepping up to take on other quality horses and you will find out where you are.

“We’re very pleased to get Ryan Moore for a big occasion like this and we’re just keeping our fingers crossed and looking forward to it.”

Hughes and Abdullah will also be represented in the race by Mood Queen, while Charlie Johnston’s unbeaten Timeforshowcasing also sports the owner’s colours in the six-furlong event.

“Timeforshowcasing is another who is progressive and Charlie has always thought a lot of her,” continued Robinson.

“There’s even Mood Queen in there who has shown a nice level of form, but I think between America Queen and Timeforshowcasing we have a realistic chance of taking the race.

“With America Queen, I’m just hoping can prove she is something a little bit special – we’ll know exactly where we are this time next week.”

George Scott’s Princess Margaret Stakes runner-up Staya and Tim Easterby’s consistent Argentine Tango – last seen chasing home Lady Iman in the Molecomb at Goodwood – add further spice to an intriguing contest.

Brian Ellison fields Criterium du Bequet winner Wor Faayth, seven years after his The Mackem Bullet was agonisingly denied in the dying strides of this contest.

“She won very well last time and is a nice filly,” said Ellison.

“She’s been in great form since and I’m really happy with her. This has been the plan since La Teste De Buch and she’s a Listed winner.

“She’s a really fast filly and it’s great to have Tom (Marquand) on board, he’s top-class. I think she will run well and she’s done nothing wrong at home.

“Her work has been great, she’s a tough filly who eats well and she took her trip to France very well, so we’re very hopeful.”

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Dandana got the better of Karl Burke’s Pearl Fortune at Ripon recently to take her record to two from two and now both step up in grade, while similar applies to Dylan Cunha’s Windsor winner Come On Eibhlin.

Adrian Keatley’s Marygate scorer Secret Hideaway returns to the scene of her finest hour to complete the line-up.

Royal Fixation handed Lowther mission at York

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Royal Fixation will aim to give her owners Opulence Thoroughbreds their first ever Group winner in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes.

The Ed Walker-trained filly won impressively on her debut at York before giving hot favourite Venetian Sun a big fright in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

With Karl Burke sending the winner into Group One company next, that leaves the path clear for Royal Fixation to set the standard on the Knavesmire.

“We’ve never had a Group winner yet and we’re up to a 99 winners, so depending on how our next few results go, it would be quite special if our 100th winner was our first Group winner,” said Opulence’s Edward Brown.

“Royal Fixation is an unbelievable filly who possesses a lot of raw, natural speed and talent, when she came into Ed’s yard everyone was very complimentary about her.

“We headed to Thirsk with high hopes ahead of her debut and she was very professional that day, she even jumped the winning line which I always remember Luca Cumani saying was a good sign as it meant they had plenty left!

“She really settled down after that but it was a bonus to win first time with her as a Palace Pier filly, she is in some of the more forward lots.

“We thought we’d aim high in the Duchess of Cambridge and thought she’d run a strong race but we’d all seen how good Venetian Sun was at Ascot.

“We rode her different, wanting her to settle, which she did, but then you ask yourself if she’d got out quicker would she have got up and won? We’ll never know.

“I echo Ed’s post-race comments though, to get as close as we did to what looks an unbelievable filly was a big effort.

“We’re going to head for the Lowther now, I think the track will suit her and they are talking of Venetian Sun going for a Group One, so we don’t have to worry about her.

“You wouldn’t rule out her getting further but if she runs well in the Lowther, you couldn’t rule out her going for the Cheveley Park. Being by Palace Pier, she could stay further next year but for now we’re concentrating on the Lowther.”