2.30, Queen Anne Stakes
1 Haradasun (J Murtagh) 5-1
2 Darjina (C Soumillon) 5-1
3 Finsceal Beo (K J Manning) 9-2 fav
11 ran
Royal Ascot has become a truly global meeting and that was evident in the
first race - the ex-Australian Haradasun edging out rivals from France and
Ireland in a pulsating finale.
Haradasun was providing Aidan O’Brien and Johnny Murtagh with the perfect
start to the showpiece meeting, although the five-year-old, who touched 54-1
in-running on the exchanges after looking in trouble with three furlongs to
run, had little to spare at the end of a contest in which fortune played a
part.
Murtagh stuck to the stands’ rail and that proved critical as, unlike some of
the others, he enjoyed a clear run. He wore down Darjina inside the final
furlong, with the well-backed Finsceal Beo also holding every chance in the
closing stages.
The hard-luck story was fourth-placed Cesare, who was cruising behind the
leaders with two furlongs to run but had nowhere to go. A gap that appeared
also closed on Jamie Spencer’s mount and, by the time the combination saw
daylight, it was too late.
"The last day [the Lockinge at Newbury] was a bit messy," Murtagh
said. "They went no pace and he was a bit keen and keen to the start,
but today went well. We moved off the rails and we got a nice slip through
and I knew him better today. I knew over a stiff mile with plenty of pace on
he would be hard to beat today.
"He’s very tough and genuine and they are trained and ridden hard in
Australia and I knew he’d improve from the Lockinge. The French filly dived
at me in the last little bit and in fairness my horse got a bit tired in the
last 50 yards, but he is all heart."
O’Brien said: “You can see why everyone was excited about him in Australia. He
looked like a horse who would get a mile and a quarter today.” Andy
Stephens
3.05, King’s Stand Stakes
1 Equiano O Peslier 22-1
2 Takeover Target J Ford 6-1
3 Fleeting Spirit R L Moore 15-8 Fav
13 ran
History was made in the second race of the day with Equiano becoming the first
Spanish-trained winner at the royal meeting.
The five-furlong dash had been billed as an Ashes-type clash between the top
British and Australian sprinters, but they were upstaged by an up-and-coming
three-year-old trained by the previously unheralded Mauricio Delcher
Sanchez.
There was no hint of fluke about it, either, with Equiano always prominent on
the stands’ rail and sticking to his task resolutely under Olivier Peslier.
The winner is now set to leave Sanchez and be trained by Barry Hills.
“He ran very well in France last time and today was the big ambition,” Peslier
said. “The horse has a lot of speed and he travels well. The trainer said he
would be better to stay behind and get cover but I said over five furlongs
he’d be better in front. He was handy and everything went right for him.”
Takeover Target, the tough Australian sprinter, ran a typically game race in
second and will bid for compensation in the Golden Jubilee Stakes on
Saturday. He has now run in five sprints at the royal meeting and made the
frame every time.
Fleeting Spirit, the favourite, ran creditably in third but it was again a
story of what might have been for Dandy Man, who finished fourth but was
first home on the far side. Andy Stephens
3.45, St James’s Palace Stakes
1 Henrythenavigator (J Murtagh, 4-7 Fav
2 Raven’s Pass (J Fortune) 7-1
3 Twice Over (T E Durcan) 8-1
8 ran, non Runner: Rio De La Plata
Henrythenavigator underlined his quality with an emphatic victory over Raven’s
Pass in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The dual 2,000 Guineas winner, completing a big-race double on Royal Ascot's
opening day for Aidan O’Brien and Johnny Murtagh, was settled towards the
rear in the early stages, sharing last place with Raven’s Pass. Once turned
for home, though, Murtagh made steady progress until taking the initiative
as he dashed between horses in the final two furlongs.
Just as Henrythenavigator began to assert his authority, Raven’s Pass launched
his own challenge but could never get close to land a serious blow, failing
by a three-quarters of a length, with Twice Over another two-and-a-half
lengths away in third.
“We are delighted, he’s a special horse,” O’Brien said. “He has speed,
stamina, class and he picks up. He has a great attitude and Johnny rode him
with so much confidence. He’s a great horse and I think it’s very hard to
say that we’ll get a better miler than this lad.”
Coming from someone who trained the likes of Giant’s Causeway, Rock Of
Gibraltar, Hawk Wing ands George Washington, that is some compliment.
Raven’s Pass proved to doubters that a mile is well within his range, but he
will have to improve again if he is to better Henrythenavigator in any
future encounters. George Rae
4.20, Coventry Stakes
1 Art Connoisseur (J P Spencer) 8-1
2 Intense Focus (K J Manning) 12-1
3 Lord Shanakill (D Sweeney) 12-1
18 ran
Art Connoisseur produced a blistering burst of acceleration to run out an
impressive winner of the group two Coventry Stakes.
The Michael Bell-trained juvenile, now unbeaten in his three starts, was held
up early on, but when Jamie Spencer asked for an effort approaching the
final furlong Art Connoisseur swept past the field for a two-and-a-quarter
length victory.
The remainder were left to battle for the minor placings, with the Irish
challenger Intense Focus just getting the better of Lord Shankill by a nose
for second spot.
Blue Square were certainly impressed with the performance, offering 16-1 about
Art Connoisseur winning next season’s 2000 Guineas.
Orizaba, the 11-4 favourite, did his chances no good by rearing when the
stalls opened. He finished fifth, but whether he would have troubled the
winner given an even break is another matter altogether. George Rae
4.55pm, Ascot Stakes
1 Missoula (S Hitchcott) 20-1
2 Mamlook (R L Moore) 8-1
3 Liberate (J P Spencer) 9-2 Fav
4 Bukit Tinggi (P Robinson) 5-1
18 ran
The longest race of the day - the marathon Ascot Stakes over two and a half
miles - provided the tightest finish with inches separating the first four
home.
And the narrow success of Missoula meant joy for one punter on Betfair, the
betting exchange, as he or she got matched at 999-1 in running.
An ordinary gallop, set by Legend Erry, laid the foundations for a finish of
fluctuating fortunes.
The well-fancied Liberate looked a likely winner when striking for home early
in the home straight, only for Bukit Tinggi, the favourite, to close him
down going strongly.
This pair locked horns but neither was able to produce a decisive kick and
that opened the door for Missoula and Mamlook to thrown down late
challenges. In a bobbing finish, it was Missoula, trained by Suzy Smith in
Sussex and ridden by Sam Hitchcott, who prevailed. Andy Stephens
5.30pm, Windsor Castle Stakes
1 Flashmans Papers (S Drowne) 100-1
2 Bushranger (J Murtagh) 4-1 Fav
3 Mullionmileanhour (L Keniry) 16-1
25 ran Non Runner: Tishtar
Flashmans Papers sent the Ascot bookmakers home happy with a remarkable 100-1
victory in the closing race.
One of three runners from John Best’s stable, the two-year-old had finished
third in each of his previous two starts, and even those backers who noted
that Best had saddled Kingsgate Native to finish second in the race a year
ago — at 66-1 - would have been hard pressed to part with their cash.
Yet when Steve Drowne asked Flashman Papers to begin his challenge, the
response was astonishing as he powered past his rivals to beat the Irish
challenger Bushranger by half a length.
Best also supplied the third, Mullionmileanhour, who finished strongly to pass
the post a further length-and-a-quarter behind. George Rae
