ROYAL ASCOT 2019 – DAY 2
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- 20 June 2019
FIRST PRIZE FOR FRANKIE IN QUEEN MARY STAKES, GR.2
Raffle Prize
Frankie Dettori was out of luck on day one of Royal Ascot 2019, but he was back in the winner’s enclosure after the first race on day two.
Victory in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes on Raffle Prize (18/1) (Slade Power-Summer Fete) was Dettori’s third in the race and his 61st at the Royal Meeting. Twenty-one years ago he landed the Queen Mary Stakes on Bint Allayl, then in 2016 he followed up on Lady Aurelia.
The last-named filly was trained by Wesley Ward, who today saddled the runner-up, Kimari (13/2). She finished a head behind Raffle Prize, and one length ahead of third-placed Final Song (6/1f). Both the first and third were bred by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolophin operation, and the winner is owned by the Sheikh’s son and heir, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
The race was run in steady rain, and a bedraggled Dettori said: “When I saw Wesley’s horse upsides, I thought oh my God, he’s a good friend of mine, if I beat him, he will go crazy!
“My filly was very brave. She jumped good and I knew she had won over six furlongs, so when I saw Wesley’s filly I decided to take her on early. The other filly [Kimari] had only run over four and a half furlongs.
“I knew that if it was a test of stamina she would give in sooner or later and in the final 200 metres I saw her stride start to shorten. I knew I had her.
“The rain is on top of the ground at the moment and it is riding good to soft, but I suspect by mid-afternoon it will be soft.”
Trained by Mark Johnston, the two-year-old daughter of Slade Power wore down American raider and long-time leader Kimari (13/2), trained by Wesley Ward, to score by a head in the five-furlong contest.
Johnston, saddling his 44th winner at Royal Ascot and first of the week, said: “Raffle Prize did it well today. People always ask you in the build-up to Royal Ascot about what your chances are at the Royal Meeting. However, you can never know your chance, particularly in these two-year-old races where most of the field are effectively maiden winners. There is nothing in the race with a great deal of form to go on. All you can do is run your best horses at the right time. We thought we had a great chance and I’m delighted she has won. No disrespect to Lester Piggott, but is Frankie Dettori not just the greatest jockey? He gave the horse a fantastic ride by tracking Wesley Ward’s horse (Kimari) and he was so relaxed and confident – we could not have been in a better position in the race and you know you’ve got the right man on board for the last 100 yards too. We had some doubts about coming back to five furlongs with Raffle Prize because we weren’t sure if she could mix it in a Queen Mary over this trip, but she did it well. We haven’t looked beyond this and for any owner of a filly, the Queen Mary is the number one two-year-old race because everyone wants a Queen Mary winning broodmare – anything beyond this is a bonus.
Bill McEroy, racing manager for the owners Ten Broeck Farm and purchaser of Kimari, said: “It’s up to Wesley what we do next. It’s heart-breaking – that’s twice. Sunset Glow [trained by Ward] got nipped on the wire five years ago in the Albany Stakes. For it to happen to Kimari as well is tough to swallow. She’s a great filly. It’s tough to come the whole way here – you need everything to go your way and the ground to be good and in your favour. That did not happen.”
Saeed bin Suroor commented about the 6/1 favourite Final Song, who ran on in the final furlong to take third: “She ran well – I am happy with her. Final Song ran a big race, but I think she needs further – six or seven furlongs. She looks like a filly with a good future and there may be some Group races coming up for her in France.”
BALDING CUTS A DASH IN THE QUEEN’S VASE, GR.2
Dashing Willoughby
The Andrew Balding-trained Dashing Willoughby’s (Nathaniel-Miss Dashwood) victory in the G2 £225,000 Queen’s Vase was the trainer’s fourth at Royal Ascot – and his first for five years. Dashing Willoughby, a son of Nathaniel, showed grit and determination to see off the Aidan O’Brien-trained Barbados by half a length under Oisin Murphy. He was well-backed and was seen as high as 14/1 this morning, but was sent off at 6/1.
Balding said: “He loves the ground, he stays well and he’s pretty classy. He had a little hiccup on Saturday morning – he was very lame. He had a blood blister in his foot and our farrier Eugene Cullen and head lad Kevin Hunt worked through the night and, happily, he was right 24 hours later.
We’re just delighted. It’s great for Mick and Janice [Mariscoti, Dashing Willoughby’s owners] who have been very good, loyal supporters of ours. He’s got a bit of talent, this horse. We were really hopeful coming into the race and the rain certainly was in his favour. The St Leger is the logical objective. It’ll be a lot tougher than this, but I think he deserves to be heading in that direction now.”
Owner Mick Mariscoti said: “This is indescribable. I wasn’t there on Derby day when we had our 50th winner – I was on a plane to Madrid to watch Spurs – but I am delighted to be here today. The joy of days like today makes up for 100 days when it is not quite as good. This our first Group winner and our first Royal Ascot winner.
Dashing Willoughby is a 16/1 chance with Betfred, Ascot’s official bookmaker, for the St Leger in September.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Barbados (20/1) was second, with a half-length back to Mark Johnston’s Nayef Road (16/1) in third.
Murphy, registering his third winner at Royal Ascot overall, said: “I was thrilled with the way the race went and Dashing Willoughby did it well. Dashing Willoughby is a son of Nathaniel and loves this ground – remember Nathaniel won a soft ground.”
Aidan O’Brien deserves credit for asking Barbados to go in the opposite direction and prove his stamina in today’s mile-and-three-quarters G2 Queen’s Vase, a decision that nearly paid off when the colt was beaten half a length into second by winner Dashing Willoughby (6/1). Barbados (20/1) was another half a length ahead of third-placed Nayef Road (16/1), who made much of the running, but had to give best to the first two inside the final furlong as the trio pulled clear of their rivals. The beaten horses included the 11/4 favourite Norway, a stablemate of Barbados.
O’Brien said of the runner-up: “He’s by Galileo and he always looked like he would stay, so we have to be delighted with his effort. It was a great run by a three-year-old in that ground so early in the season.”
Wayne Lordan, who rode the colt, said: “He has run a big race. He kept going – he tries. There is a big day in him.”
Andrea Atzeni, who rode Nayef Road, said: “He ran a great race. He was a little bit slow early on and I had to use him to get my position. I wasn’t sure about the trip, but he obviously stays very well,” while the horse’s trainer, Mark Johnston, said: “He was drawn quite wide and was quite slowly into his stride, so I thought it was a great move [by Atzeni] to push round and take the lead.
“That initiative nearly paid off. He galloped all the way to the line and you couldn’t say he didn’t stay every yard of the trip. We’re very happy and glad we went half a mile extra and make that big jump up in trip. I can assure you he won’t be dropping back in distance”
IT’S CLEAR AS CRYSTAL FOR DETTORI IN THE PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES, GR.1
Crystal Ocean
Fabulously-consistent five-year-old Crystal Ocean nailed a first G1 victory when landing the feature race on day two of the Royal Meeting, the £750,000 Prince of Wales’s Stakes over 10 furlongs.
Ridden by Frankie Dettori in the colours of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Crystal Ocean (3/1) showed utmost gameness in the home straight, seeing off pace-maker Hunting Horn, who finished fourth, and then that horse’s stablemate, the favourite Magical (13/8). Magical seemed likely to pick off Crystal Ocean as they approached the furlong pole, but he would not yield, and was pulling clear of the filly as they reached the line. He scored by one and a quarter lengths, while third-placed Waldgeist (4/1) was three and a quarter lengths adrift of Magical.
Winning trainer Sir Michael Stoute, commenting on the horse and on his decision to opt for a mile-and-a-quarter race, said: “Crystal Ocean is a high-class horse and I am delighted to have won a Group One with him now. He is just a very admirable racehorse. It’s marvellous to train a Group One horse like this.
“I thought he ran very well in the Champion Stakes last year [over today’s course and distance] and better than it appeared [when six-lengths second to Cracksman]. He may be better over a mile and a half, but I felt he was a pretty good horse over 10 furlongs, and he proved that today.
Sir Evelyn said of his home-bred horse: “He’s very consistent – look at his record. It is quite amazing. He can stay a mile and a half, and don’t forget he was second in the St Leger. Frankie loves him.”
Crystal Ocean has yet to finish outside the first three in 15 races, and his record now reads eight wins, five seconds and two thirds. He is another example of Sir Michael’s superb achievements with older horses. The trainer’s record as Royal Ascot’s most successful handler has now been extended to 80 victories, while Dettori, the meeting’s winning-most jockey, has now reached 62 winners.
Dettori, who last won this race on Rewilding in 2011 and who has four victories in the 10-furlong contest in total, said: “”I knew Crystal Ocean stayed really well, so I kicked on early and did not hear anything coming. The rest is history.
“Everything went to plan – I sat where I wanted to sit and kicked early to use his stamina. He was full of running and I felt it was going to take a good one to get past me. It was great. As soon as I knew Enable was going for the Eclipse, I rang Sir Michael’s office and said I was available. He was quick to react and called me in the afternoon to say I’d got the ride and I was delighted.”
“He’s an ultra-consistent horse, he’s a heavyweight of the sport, never runs a bad race. I was concerned about the rain because all his best form is on firm ground, and the race went exactly as I thought. I thought I’d better kick round the turn and use my stamina, and in fairness he stuck his head out and galloped right to the line.”
“He’s in all the big ones – a mile and a quarter, a mile and a half. He’s a five-year-old, mature and strong. I rode him in the morning and he was laidback and didn’t give much of a feel, but he’s saved his best for me.”
O’Brien said: “She ran well and Ryan was very pleased with her. The King George could be an option for her.” Moore commented: “Magical ran a cracker. The ground got bad, but she ran well.”
Andre Fabre’s Waldgeist (4/1) was a further three and a quarter-lengths back in third and the French trainer said: “Waldgeist ran well. The ground was not an issue as he has won on soft. The King George could be a possible.” Pierre-Charles Boudot, who rode Waldgeist, said: “He was not the same horse on this ground.”
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe second Sea Of Class (5/1), trained by William Haggas, struggled in the conditions and finished fifth. Her jockey James Doyle said: “We learnt a lot about her today, mainly the fact that she doesn’t like the deep ground that she encountered out there today. She felt in great nick and travelled really well. We were a bit too far back, but the main thing was just to get a run into her and start her off – we’re very happy with her.”
Japanese raider Deirdre (33/1) finished sixth and her jockey Yutaka Take reported: “It was a very tough race.”
Andrea Atzeni, rider of Zabeel Prince (7th), commented: “A mile and a quarter on soft ground is just too far for him.”
SWIFTLY SPOILS PLANS FOR PLACED FILLIES IN THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES, GR.2
Move Swiftly
Move Swiftly gave trainer William Haggas his second winner of the week, and his 10th overall, when taking the G2 £175,000 Duke of Cambridge Stakes under Danny Tudhope – who was scoring at Royal Ascot for the third time in two days. The 9/1 chance, a daughter of Farhh, beat Rawdaa (Sir Michael Stoute/Frankie Dettori) by a neck.
Haggas’s first winner of the meeting was Addeybb, who won Tuesday’s Listed Wolferton Stakes under Tudhope.
Haggas said: “I’m thrilled to bits with this filly and she enjoyed the ground. We took a few to Newbury to work and she worked nicely. She’s run well. The other one, Pretty Baby, didn’t go on the ground and probably didn’t get the trip either. I haven’t got any plans for her. She’s won here. I’m very proud of what everyone [in his team at home] has done. She’s been hard work, but she’s very tough and very genuine. She went off to be covered and, fortunately, didn’t take to New Approach, so she came back and this is the result. We’re absolutely thrilled to bits.
“As for the trainer making the decision to run his star filly [Sea Of Class, fifth on her seasonal debut in the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes] on this horrible ground, it’s something I have to take responsibility for. I was very disappointed with myself, but I was extremely grateful to the jockey [James Doyle] for giving her as kind a race as possible and I’m sure she’ll bounce back.”
Danny Tudhope went to the top of the QIPCO Royal Ascot Leading Jockey award standings after he registered his third victory of the week at the Berkshire venue following the success of Move Swiftly.
Tudhope, registering his fifth victory overall at the Royal Meeting, was successful yesterday aboard Lord Glitters in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes and Addeybb, also trained by Haggas, in the Listed Wolferton Handicap.
He said: “Move Swiftly did it well. I didn’t want to be too far back but I ended up being there for some reason. She travelled nicely and enjoyed the ground. I think she will improve for that run again.
“I think they have always liked her and she has been a decent filly. This was her first run this year so she is bound to improve. I felt like she was just getting tired on me and I think there is more to come.
“I couldn’t have imagined riding three winners at the start of the week but we are having a great week and I am riding for good people.”
Royal Ascot looked set for a Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori finish to the one-mile G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. At the two-furlong pole, Moore, riding the Aidan O’Brien-trained I Can Fly (7/2f), was tracking down the outside of the field in the lee of Dettori on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rawdaa (4/1). I Can Fly was then asked to quicken alongside, and joined Rawdaa for the lead, but the pair were joined by Move Swiftly (9/1) inside the final furlong. I Can Fly, who carried a 3lb penalty and was conceding that amount to all her rivals, faded from that point, and while Rawdaa rallied, the William Haggas-trained Move Swiftly (Farhh-Hurricane Harriet) scored by a neck. There was a length and three-quarters back to I Can Fly, while Veracious, a stablemate of Rawdaa, was beaten a further length into fourth place.
The second and third hold entries in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs and the G1 Falmouth Stakes over a mile, but they seem unlikely to face each other soon.
Sir Michael favours going back up in trip with Rawdaa, and said: “Both my fillies ran very well, but were beaten fair and square. I think a mile and a quarter is her trip. We have to look at the Falmouth and see what else might be running, but I’m favouring a mile and a quarter.”
Dettori’s vignette on the race was: “She ran a superb race – the winner was just too strong. I can’t fault her, she really tried.”
O’Brien said: “She ran very well and I’m delighted with her run. We think she will progress as the year goes on, and we weren’t expecting this type of [rain-softened] ground. There’s more improvement to come. I should think the Falmouth is a possible for her next.”
Ryan Moore, who rode I Can Fly, said: “She ran super but was carrying a penalty. I am very pleased with her”
AFAAK LANDS HUNT CUP TO PUT A SMILE ON HILLS’ FACE
Afaak
Trainer Charlie Hills did not have the best day at the office yesterday, when he ran two strongly-fancied horses in G1 races at Royal Ascot and both were beaten. Battaash was second in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes, but Phoenix Of Spain was unplaced in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes. Any disappointment Hills felt after that display was not helped when Phoenix Of Spain was found to be stiff and sore when led out of his box this morning.
Taking the philosophical view that ‘There’s always another day,’ Hills returned to the Royal Meeting and Afaak provided him with a far happier result when landing today’s 28-runner, £175,000 Royal Hunt Cup. It was Hills’ fourth career win at Royal Ascot. Afaak (20/1), who was runner-up in the race last year, and has been gelded since, is owned and was bred by Sheikh Hamdan, and ridden by Jim Crowley. The winner beat Clon Coulis (16/1) by a nose, and there was two lengths back to Raising Sand (8/1). A further head behind in fourth was Stylehunter (22/1).
Given that Afaak was making his season’s debut his win was a fine achievement for his trainer, who said: “He hasn’t come in his coat yet and still looks a woolly bear. We were concerned about that, and then I suggested to Sheikh Hamdan that we could take him out because the ground had changed, but I’m glad we didn’t!
“We gelded him during the winter – sometimes that is the best thing for a colt. We can now start looking for some races out of handicap company. We wanted to run him a couple of weeks ago, but he just didn’t look quite right so we backed off.
“Yesterday was tough, but it’s horse racing and there’s always tomorrow. I’m glad this winner is for Sheikh Hamdan, who is such a great supporter of the yard. Battaash [who is owned by the Sheikh] ran a really good race and the first two clocked some really good times – he got too far back in the race, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
“Phoenix Of Spain has eaten up, but he’s sore and it will take a couple of easy weeks to come right. We’ll give him a couple of days off and then take another look at him – he seemed to get pulled around in the softer ground and it’s probably a muscular problem. We have plenty of time on our hands and there’s no rush.”
Second in the race 12 months ago, the five-year-old son of Oasis Dream ran on strongly in the closing stages of the mile contest to hold off the David Barron-trained Clon Coulis (16/1) to win by a nose.
Out of QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati, who was also owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Afaak was winning the famous handicap on his first start of the year.
Crowley registering his sixth victory at Royal Ascot overall, said: “Afaak did it well and Charlie has done a great job with the horse.
“This has been Afaak’s target. He still hasn’t come in his coat, but to come here first run of the year and pull it off in a big handicap like that is great.
“Obviously he was second in the race last year, so it is nice to go one better.
“He relaxed well and it went like clockwork. He was in front a long way out as my leaders on on the stands’ side dropped away.
“Afaak is beautifully bred and hopefully there is more to come from him – it was a good performance by the whole team.”
SOUTHERN HILLS LANDS ANOTHER BIRDIE FOR MOORE & AOB
Southern Hills
Southern Hills is named after a Golf Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma and he produced a performance Tiger Woods would’ve been proud of by landing the final race on day two of Royal Ascot 2019, the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.
The two-year-old son of Gleneagles ran on strongly in the closing stages of the five-furlong contest to deny Godolphin’s Platinum Star (8/1) to win by a half-length.
Southern Hills is trained by Aidan O’Brien, registering his 68th Royal Ascot winner and was ridden by Ryan Moore, recording a 56th Royal Ascot win – this was the pair’s third success of the week. Moore now joins Danny Tudhope at the top of the QIPCO Royal Ascot Top Jockey Award standings. Moore said: “Southern Hills is a lovely colt who had run two very good races prior to today. He has loads of speed and he has a super action. He was in front early enough, but he wasn’t for passing.”
Southern Hills is from the first two-year-old crop of Gleneagles, who won the 2015 renewal of the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
O’Brien said: “He’s a fast horse. The Gleneagles offspring are fast and they are brave, which are two massive things in a horse. That’s evident in his stock so far.
“He handled the hold-up [when Show Me Show Me broke from the stalls, unshipped his jockey, Paddy Mathers, and cantered away loose down the track before being withdrawn] well. He’s got a good mind. They [horses sired by Gleneagles] have those traits; they have pace, they are brave and they’ve got good minds.
“I should have thought that five or six furlongs would be his trip, because he’s got so much speed.”
Newmarket-based Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of the half-length second-placed Platinum Star for Godolphin, was delighted by the run of the 8/1 chance in the last race of Royal Ascot on day two, the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, run over five furlongs.
Bin Suroor said: “He ran very well. He has won over six furlongs, but a stiff five would be a good trip for him. We will be looking for a Group race for him, he is a class horse. The ground was a bit heavy for him today.”
Jockey Christophe Soumillon, added: “It went really well. I was behind the winner [Southern Hills 7/1]. I came through very easily thinking I would catch him, but my horse got a bit tired. It was a great.
