While Houtzen (I Am Invincible) ran into trouble straight out of the barriers when stumbling at the start in the G1 King’s Stand, Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) had no such trouble when racing to a second G1 King’s Stand victory.

The Godolphin runner broke well from barrier one in the 1000 metre race and was comfortably tracking the leading Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) near the centre of the track while Houtzen quickly joined in up front after her stumble to be close behind the leader on the stand’s side with Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) joining her.

Houtzen started fading as the field hit the 400 metre mark but the opposite was true for Blue Point, who started rolling to take over the lead. He didn’t have it easy in the run with Battaash chasing after the leader in the final 200 metres to try and reverse the previous year’s result. In the end, Blue Point again started pulling away to win by 1 ¼ lengths over Battaash with the leading Soldier’s Call staging a comeback in the final stages to finish third.

It was nearly an exact replica of last year’s top three with last year’s third place finisher Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) rounding out the top four.

“That has given me a lot of pleasure,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Blue Point’s victory. “When you win a Group One, you are very happy. Blue Point was in Dubai during the winter and the weather there helped him. He came here a stronger horse. It is very good to get a winner at Royal Ascot. Everybody wants a horse that is able to run at Royal Ascot."

After showing speed to run with the leaders after her stumble, Houtzen faded to eight with New Zealand’s Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa) three spots behind her in 11th.

By former shuttle stallion Shamardal (USA), Blue Point is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Formosina (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). The winner is undefeated in all four of his starts this year.

Lord Glitters upsets Queen Anne

In a dramatic version of the Queen Anne, it was 14-1 shot Lord Glitters (GB) (Whipper {USA}) who made a late run to win the race.

Last year’s winner Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}) made sure he’d make headlines for another reason right at the start when he refused to leave the gate and watched the field race away down the straight. While that horse was still in the stalls, Lord Glitters broke well from the one-hole and settled last in the group running in the centre of the course.

Easy to spot, the grey was happy to let everything unfold in front of him as the two groups converged for a hectic run to the finish. Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) took up the lead 400 metres out and looked briefly as if she may be a winner before One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) took over just outside the 200 metre mark. At the same time, Lord Glitters shot through a hole and was quick on the leader’s heels with Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) also joining in the battle for the victory as they entered the final 100 metres.

It was a battle to the line with Lord Glitters winning by a neck over Beat The Bank to get a win after finishing second here last year. One Master was third, three quarters of a length over Holy Roman Emperor’s (Ire) son Romanised (Ire).

"This victory means everything. My dad has been in this game for 20 years and to win at Royal Ascot is the pinnacle," said Nick Turnbull, the son of owners Geoff and Sandra Turnbull.

A 6-year-old gelding, the plan for Lord Glitters is to follow a similar schedule to last year with trainer David O’Meara saying his next start will probably be the G1 Sussex Stakes in August.

Last second decision pays off for Coolmore team

Two and a half weeks after running over 2400 metres, the Circus Maximus (Galileo {Ire}) team made a bold move to cut the 3-year-old colt back to a mile in the G1 St. James’s Palace. That decision paid off when he became the first horse since Dawn Approach (Ire) (Galileo) to win the Group 1 after running in the Epsom Derby. The victory gave trainer Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore a double on the day.

Adding blinkers, Circus Maximus was put right behind the pacesetting Fox Champion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) by Ryan Moore with Phoenix Of Spain and Too Darn Hot close behind. Moore started to put pressure on his mount with 450 metres left to run as Phoenix Of Spain also made a move to go after Fox Champion, who quickly yielded to Circus Maximus inside the final 400 metres.

Too Darn Hot also made a big move to head Circus Maximus as Phoenix Of Spain gave in and started to drop back from the leader. In a gutsy display, Circus Maximus put in another burst to fight off the 2-year-old champion. The biggest threat in the final 50 metres was the fast closing King Of Comedy, who came from the back of the field and looked like he was about to nab Circus Maximus at the line when finishing second with Too Darn Hot third.

“Maria (Niarchos-Gouaze), Derrick Smith, John Magnier and Michael Tabor all decided at 11.45am at the six-day stage that they were going to supplement Circus Maximus for this race and we just ran with it,” O’Brien said.

"It is hard to believe, but we are just privileged to be a small part of it. It is a big challenge for the horse to drop back down in trip. That's why we put the blinkers on him as he didn't have much time to learn how to race back at a mile, so that helped him.”

Co-owned by Flaxman Stables and Coolmore, Circus Maximus is the first foal from two-time Royal Ascot winner Duntle (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). This is the extended family of Group 1 VRC Darley Classic winner Delectation (Shamardal), who he shares a fourth dam with.

Arizona gives No Nay Never first Royal Ascot victory

It wasn’t as impressive as his maiden victory but Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) gave his sire a first Royal Ascot victory in the first 2-year-old race of the meet when winning the G2 Coventry Stakes.

Running near last in the far side pack early in the 1200 metre race down the straight, Arizona looked beat 400 metres out with the colt slow to respond to jockey Ryan Moore’s urgings. He finally switched on in the final 250 metres and made up ground on the leader but It wasn’t until 100 metres out that he took control of the race.

It looked like there may be a battle at that point before the colt pulled away to win by half a length over Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) with Guildsman (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was on Arizona’s side of the track, running third.

"Obviously, he has loads of speed, or he wouldn't be able to win like that, but we always thought he would be a horse who would have no problem getting seven furlongs,” trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“He could sharpen up a lot from that, but even if he does, seven furlongs should be fine. He's a fine, big horse and we'll look forward to next year. You'd imagine he will be a miler next year. He's probably quicker than he lets on, because he's still a baby, but you'd always think he'd have no problem getting seven.”

It was the 66th Royal Ascot victory for Aidan O’Brien and ninth in this race, three years after Caravaggio’s (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) win in 2016.

From a half-sister to Group 3 winner Fathayer (USA) (Volponi {USA}), Arizona is a grandson of Group 1 Italian Oaks winner and Italian champion Bright Generation (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}). The mare is also the granddam of European 2-year-old champion Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick {Jpn}) with a further three champions under Arizona’s third dam.

No Nay Never returns to Coolmore Australia this year for a stud fee of $44,000. His first crop of Australian-bred 2-year-olds hit the track this coming season.

Addeybb returns a winner in Wolferton

Fourteen months after his last win, Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) returned to the winner’s enclosure in a big way when closing out Day 1 of Royal Ascot with a Listed Wolferton Stakes victory over 2000 metres.

Taking on a field that looked more like a Group stakes than the Listed designation the race has, Addeybb ran into trouble early in midpack when there was some jockeying for position that pushed him wide as the field headed toward Swinley Bottom.

He was quickly settled and continued galloping a few paths off the rail in midpack. Jockey Daniel Tudhope started urging his mount to pick off horses with 450 metres left to run and inside the final 300 metres he showed a powerful turn of foot to collar the leader. There was no chance for the leading Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to fight back with Addeybb opening up a few lengths in only 50 metres of running.

With Addeybb 2 ½ lengths in front of them, the bigger battle came for second with Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) nosing out Elarqam with Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) a short head back in fourth.

"He has won a Group Two on soft ground, but the most important thing for us is that he is back to himself and even better is that in his next race he will only have a Listed penalty. He will be going up to Group class now, but he does need this ground and I think he needs this trip too," trainer William Haggas said.

"His owner Sheikh Ahmed is a good supporter of mine and I'm delighted to win with this horse. We lost him a bit last year with the dry ground, but it was like it was written in the stars today."

By Pivotal, Addeybb is a half-brother to U.S. Grade 3 placed Meer Kat (Ire) (Red Ransom {USA}) and hails from the family of Group 1 winners Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Strategic Choice (USA) (Alleged {USA}) and Spain (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}).