Cover image courtesy of Royal Ascot
There are very few if any riders able to navigate Royal Ascot's straight course like Jamie Spencer and he used every bit of his mix of talent, guile and experience to steer the 80-1 shot Khaadem to glory in Saturday's feature G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S.
Cutting through the pack to overhaul Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) close home, the Charles Hills-trained 7-year-old had a neck to spare over Cheveley Park Stud's mare, with 1 1/4 lengths back to the 11-4 favourite Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) having her second start of the week and achieving her second Group 1 placing. Like her, the Australian raider Cannonball was also coming back after the King's Stand but lost Danny Tudhope in the stalls.
“It's just amazing that we've got to where we have now at his age, but I have always had massive faith in this horse and that's why I've kept him for so long,” Charlie Hills said of the former Shadwell representative. “He won a Group 2 last year over five, but this year I wanted to try and race him properly again and drop him in to make sure we got the six furlongs well. He is a high-energised horse who has just taken time to come to himself. Jamie Insole rides him out every morning and there has been a great team effort with this horse through his career. It really is the icing on the cake today.”
Artorius, on his final racecourse appearance, raced on the near side and stayed on to finish fourth. Sam Freedman told racing.com that he was happy with the run even if the race didn't pan out to suit his horse. The colt will take up stallion duties at Newgate Farm this year for $27,500 (inc GST)
Dark Angel, sire of the winner, stands at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland for €60,000 ($98,268).
Pyledriver success in the Hardwicke
Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. was missing Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but it still had Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and the hero of last year's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. copied that Shadwell contemporary in overcoming his own lengthy lengthy lay-off.
Understandably over-racing in the hands of P J McDonald behind the front-running West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) throughout the early stages, the 7-2 shot who had also won the G2 King Edward VII S. in the COVID year of 2020 here loomed wide on the home turn.
In front a furlong out, the Willie Muir and Chris Grassick-trained 6-year-old ducked left and then right away from his rider's whip and caused significant interference to Changingoftheguard in the closing stages as a result. After an inquiry, the result was left as it was, which was Pyledriver 1 1/4 lengths ahead of West Wind Blows with Changingoftheguard a length away in fourth.
Kingman's Age Of Kings wins the Jersey
Things hadn't gone smoothly for Ballydoyle's Age Of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) since last summer, but it finally clicked into place for the talented second-string and Wayne Lordan in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot. In the shadow of Ryan Moore's choice The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the representative of Westerberg, Magnier, Tabor, Smith and Brant was nevertheless let go at a surprising 22-1.
Placed close to the strong early pace set by the 11-4 favourite Covey (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the son of the G2 May Hill S. winner Turret Rocks was committed inside the two and had to fight to the line as the closers came. Finding it in time, he prevailed by a length and a neck from fellow outsiders Zoology (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) and Streets Of Gold (Ire) (Havana Gold {Ire}) respectively to provide his trainer with an 85th Royal winner and take him back to the top of the 2023 trainer's title standings.
Kingman is available to cover on Southern Hemisphere time at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor for £40,000 ($76,154).
Expert Eye's Snellen takes the Chesham
Saturday's Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot was all about the fillies as the Gavin Cromwell-trained Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) found the line just ahead of Roisin/Richard Henry and Mrs. John Magnier's Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never).
Off the mark at Limerick 10 days earlier, having run in a barrier trial beforehand, Lindsay Laroche's homebred was keen early among the stand's-side group but had plenty in reserve when committed by Gary Carroll two out. Green and errant late as the 7-4 favourite Pearls And Rubies drove to the line many lengths wider out in the centre of the track, the 12-1 shot was there a head in advance of the Ballydoyle filly with Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) faring best of the colts half a length away in third.
Richard Henry said of Pearls And Rubies, “She went to win her race and maybe got a bit lonely on her own. She has run a great race and will come on for the run. She is a sweet filly. Ryan thinks she could be very good.”
Expert Eye stands at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor for £7,500 ($14,277).
