Aidan and Ryan claim the King Charles III Stakes
Aidan O'Brien's pattern-race resume at Royal Ascot had yet to include the G1 King Charles III Stakes and the Ballydoyle maestro completed the set when Ryan Moore produced the gelded three-year-old Mission Central (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) fast and late to follow up Great Barrier Reef's Coventry success and secure a quickfire double for his sire in the five-furlong charge.
“They went hard, which suited him, and Ryan [Moore] gave him a brilliant ride,” the winning trainer said. “He's a very fast horse, he's unbeaten this year and has progressed with every run.”
This term's Listed Woodland Stakes and Listed Naas Sprint winner was alert from the stalls and found a rhythm in midfield initially before slipping back towards the rear approaching halfway.
With Overpass (Vancouver) taking over from the trailblazing Jakajaro (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) up front with a quarter-mile remaining, the 14-1 chance began his charge down the stands' side and he found extra gears under a final-furlong drive to nail TDN Rising Star Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) by a head on the line.
Overpass paid a heavy price for engaging with furious early fractions and finished 3/4-of-a-length further adrift in third. Asfoora (Flying Artie) finished seventh.
Overpass, who is still entered in Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, looked set fair to become Australia's ninth Royal Ascot win passing the furlong pole, but was overhauled nearing the post.
“He went super and did us very proud,” said trainer Bjorn Baker. “He's not quite a champion in terms of Australia, but he's our champion and delivered for us again. It is special to be here and I personally want to get back competing. When you're from Woodville in New Zealand like me and you're training in Sydney and living the dream, we always look at the positive and we beat 23 others. He is a war horse to travel over, but we were always a little bit worried about the rise [to the line]. Maybe that was the difference between winning and losing. He didn't quite nail the gate like we thought he would today and I am pretty confident we often get that right back home."
"I've been beaten by two of the best trainers in the world and I want to beat them next time. We love an underdog in Australia and we'll have a try. Trust me, I haven't bought this [top] hat for nothing.”
Night of Thunder dominates the G1 Queen Anne Stakes
Ten Bob Tony (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) continued the recent run of big-priced winners in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, producing a sweeping late finish to land Royal Ascot’s opening Group 1 at 50-1. The Ed Walker-trained gelding was anchored at the rear by Kieran Shoemark before being produced late, overhauling More Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and the brave front-runner Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) in the final stages.
At the line, Ten Bob Tony had half a length to spare over More Thunder, with Opera Ballo holding third, a head away, after setting a strong tempo under Billy Loughnane. Zeus Olympios (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) finished fourth, completing a remarkable result for Night Of Thunder, who sired three of the first four home.
The result also underlined the growing influence of Dubawi (Ire) through his sire sons, with Night Of Thunder dominating the finish and Ghaiyyath represented by the tough third placegetter. Dubawi’s own son Notable Speech (GB), sent out the 9-4 favourite, again failed to fire at Ascot and finished a disappointing sixth.
“He travelled superbly and I didn’t think we were going over-quick, but he cruised into it so easily,” Shoemark said. “He is clearly thriving and in a good frame of mind. I’m somewhat surprised, but he’s turned up where it mattered and I feel very fortunate to be part of that team.”
Walker said Ten Bob Tony had come out of his Epsom win well enough to justify the Group 1 roll of the dice. “He came out of Epsom fresh and the ground is like a carpet out there, so we thought we’d have a go,” he said. “He’ll probably have a few months off now because of the ground and we’ll bring him back in the autumn for the Foret.”
G1 St James's Palace Stakes to Bow Echo (just)
It may have been super-smooth at Newmarket, but Tuesday's G1 St James's Palace Stakes offered a different test to Bow Echo (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) which he duly passed despite a late scare.
Whereas Billy Loughnane had enjoyed a trouble-free run through the 2,000 Guineas, this was a messy affair with some scrimmaging but nothing could disturb the rhythm of George Boughey's luminary and turning for home the writing was on the wall. Taking it up two out, the 5-6 favourite may have been idling in the centre of the track as Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner) came on strong having been shuffled back early, but the line came in time for a short-head success.
Godolphin's Talk Of New York (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was 1 3/4 lengths away in third.
“It's brilliant that he got it done–he was rolling around when he got to the front and huge credit to the runner-up who was gallant today, but he's a superstar,” the trainer said of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's homebred sensation, who was making it a true red-letter day for Night Of Thunder who also had the one-two in the Queen Anne.
“It was a little bit muddling and didn't work out how I imagined, but he's got sheer guts,” Loughnane said. “He showed how good he is today to win, he's so tough and a true superstar.”
G2 Coventry Stakes delivers a dozen for O'Brien
Aidan O’Brien added a 12th G2 Coventry Stakes to his Royal Ascot record on Tuesday, with Great Barrier Reef (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) delivering a typically professional Ballydoyle juvenile performance under Wayne Lordan.
The Marble Hill S. winner started at 6-1 and had to make his run away from the main stands’ side action after jumping from stall three, but he found the right passage late and struck the front inside the final 50 yards. At the line, he had half a length to spare over Adaay Of Scarlett (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), with Royal Heritage (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) a neck away in third for Wathnan Racing.
The result gave No Nay Never another high-profile Royal Ascot juvenile, while O’Brien’s other runner, Confucius (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), finished sixth as the 2-1 favourite under Ryan Moore. O’Brien said Confucius was the sharper worker at home, but Great Barrier Reef had shown the right race-day temperament.
“This horse is obviously one of those who just minds himself,” he said. “He will get seven and could get a mile as a three-year-old.”
Lordan was also taken by the winner’s attitude and stamina at the finish.
“I got a lovely lead and it was a good performance,” he said. “He is very straightforward, he has pace and stays well. He was looking for company late on, but hit the line well so he feels like he can step up trip.”
