Order Of St George bounds clear in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
St George puts O’Brien in seventh heaven at Ascot
Report: Royal Ascot, Thursday, Gold Cup In Honour of The Queen’s 90th Birthday (Group 1) 2m4f, 4yo+
ORDER OF ST GEORGE delivered trainer Aidan O’Brien a seventh Gold Cup success, answering any stamina doubts in definitive fashion in a messy running of the prestigious contest.
Still on a high after registering his 50th Royal Ascot victory in the previous race with Even Song, O’Brien was celebrating again after the 10-11 favourite overcame a troubled passage in a stop-start race under Ryan Moore.
A post-war record field of 18 left the gates but Mille Et Mille and jockey Thierry Thulliez grabbed the attention by setting a searching pace throughout much of the marathon trip.
Thulliez applied the brakes on the tearaway front-runner down the back straight and on the approach to the final bend the majority of the field in behind were stacked up and short of room.
In command – once gaps came
At this point, Moore had a wall of horses in front of him but he angled out his mount and swinging for home the gaps came.
Once he had a clear run, Order Of St George charged up the home straight and was well on top at the line.
Sagaro Stakes winner Mizzou (10-1) finished strongly in second with Sheikhzayedroad (40-1) third and the enterprisingly ridden Mille Et Mille fourth at 33-1.
Order Of St George announced himself as a potential star stayer with an 11-length rout in last season’s Irish St Leger and much to the delight of his rider he handled the six-furlong step up in trip with aplomb.
‘He’s just class’
“He’s a very exciting horse,” said Moore. “He has lots of class and it was a very messy race with 18 runners in there. He’s just a class animal.”
O’Brien, who won four Gold Cup in a row with the mighty Yeats, said: “It was a little bit messy and rough and because he had never run over the trip before, Ryan had to put him to sleep. He’s a horse that loves racing.”
William Hill rate Order Of St George a 5-2 chance to successfully defend his Gold Cup crown in 2017, while in the short term O’Brien mentioned a return for the Irish St Leger and possibly the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later in the year.
Placed horses
Andrea Atzeni, rider of runner-up Mizzou, said: “He ran a blinder. He jumped well, got a nice enough position, and when we hit the rising ground he picked up well, but Ryan Moore on my outside was picking up just a little better than me. He’s tough and consistent and he goes on any ground. We just bumped into one.”
David Simcock was equally thrilled with Sheikhzayedroad in third. He said: “He’s a very brave, game horse, very honest and a lot of fun. He makes a lot of money too. I think the owner fancies Australia and remember he’s not a slow horse, although Order Of St George made him look quite slow today.”
Even Song (Ryan Moore) kicks clear of Ajman Princess in the Ribblesdale
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Even Song comes good for Moore and O’Brien
Report: Royal Ascot, Thursday, Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) 1m4f, 3yo fillies
FOLLOWING a quiet Wednesday, Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien were back in familiar territory here as Even Song gave the Ballydoyle machine their second victory of the meeting.
The daughter of Mastercraftsman, always well placed under Moore, struck the front with a furlong to run and kept on well to see off the pursuing Ajman Princess, with Queen’s Trust and the fast-finishing The Black Princess in behind.
RELATED LINKS, Full result
Even Song, the 15-8 favourite, was always going best under Moore, who did well to get his filly settled as the field blasted out of the gates. From there Ted Durcan set only a steady tempo on Shall We and his mount and Ajman Princess were in A1 position rounding the home turn. But the gaps opened nicely for the winner, who quickened up well and never looked like being caught, winning by a length and a half.
“She’s a nice filly with a good turn of foot,” said Moore. “We did go slow, but she relaxed well and when she got a gap she really quickened smartly.”
Ireland next
Even Song had finished third in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on her previous start when not getting the cleanest of runs and, following this victory, the Irish Oaks could be next on the agenda according to O’Brien.
“After her run in Newmarket we decided to come straight here and it worked out. Before this we were thinking about going to the Irish Oaks if it went well.”
The Roger Varian-trained Ajman Princess ran a cracker to fill second spot, while there was less than three lengths covering the next seven home, indicative of how slow they went through most of the contest. Oaks runner-up Architecture never threatened, finishing eighth.
Also on Thursday, King George V Stakes 1m4f, 3yo
DESPITE drifting markedly left in the last two furlongs, Primitivo hung on to give Alan King and Willy Twiston-Davies their first victories at Royal Ascot.
Having won his previous three races, the 13-2 shot went into the contest as the form horse and he accelerated impressively before holding off the fast-finishing Platitude.
“This means so much as I love the place and Flat racing and it’s something very special,” said King. “The owners got offered ridiculously money but they wanted to come here and I thought they were mad.”
The Queen’s Guy Fawkes was a fatally after falling early in the race.
Prince Of Lir storms to give Luke Morris a breakthrough Royal Ascot win
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
First royal win for Morris as Prince takes Norfolk
Report: Royal Ascot, Thursday, Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) 5f, 2yo
Prince Of Lir held off The Last Lion in a repeat of the finish to Beverley’s Continental Trophy.
RELATED LINKS, Ascot Day 3 results
The son of Kodiac provided a first royal meeting winner for jockey Luke Morris, while trainer Robert Cowell celebrated a third success at the meeting but the first with a juvenile.
Morris, who was due to head off to Chelmsford and then Lingfield for the rest of the day, was in no doubt as to the importance of his success on the big stage.
Morris said: “It is a great buzz. You work hard and spend your mornings getting up early and it is days like this you work for really.”
Hard going at the finish
Prince Of Lir looked to be under pressure at the two furlong marker but, on ground that appeared to have gone a bit dead, fought bravely to get to the front before holding off his old adversary in a finish which unfolded up the stands’ side rail.
“He has only had one start and he is a little bit inexperienced,” said Morris. “Once he met the rising ground and got rolling he put the race to bed. I thought it was somewhere in between good to soft and soft. It has definitely dried out a bit.”
Cowell hails “pocket rocket”
The son of Kodiac was a £170,000 purchase at the Goffs Doncaster Breeze-Up sale and provided Cowell a Norfolk Stakes to go alongside two previous wins in the King’s Stand Stakes at the meeting.
“He is an absolute pocket rocket,” said Cowell. “He is not very big but he is very well formed, very mature and has shown a brilliant attitude in the little time we’ve had him. He has been brilliantly prepared by the vendors who sold him to us.”
Hawkbill powers away from Prize Money to win the Tercentenary Stakes
PICTURE: Getty Images
Also on Thursday, Royal Ascot: Tercentenary Stakes (Group 3) 1m2f, 3yo
Godolphin landed a one-two in the Tercentenary Stakes when Hawkbill fended off Prize Money, to give the operation their fourth royal winner of the week.
Ballydoyle’s Long Island Sound Sound finished third.
Fellow Godolphin contender Race Day cut out the early running, and when he faded entering the straight the always-prominent Hawkbill picked up the baton and stayed on tenaciously.
The 4-1 joint-favourite Prize Money could make no impression in the straight while the other 4-1 joint-favourite, Abdon, was disappointing, making no impression after being held up.
The winning time was 2mins 09.59sec, nearly two seconds faster than Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes over the same trip, which suggests the ground is drying out.
Winning trainer Charlie Appleby said: “He’s done a lot of travelling this horse and he couldn’t really handle it but he went to Dubai and did great over there.”
“We didn’t know how good he was until he went to Newmarket and since then he’s thrived. It was a great ride from William and a great win for the team.”
Jamie Spencer looks across to see if he has landed the Britannia Stakes
PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)
Royal Ascot: Britannia Stakes 1m, 3yo
A thrilling photo finish decided the Britannia Stakes as Defrocked weaved from last to first to hold off a strong challenge from Abe Lincoln.
Stepping up markedly in class, the unexposed Jamie Osborne-trained gelding had to come right through the field after emerging awkwardly from stall 12. It was a superb ride from Jamie Spencer, who used all his experience to guide his mount back into the race.
Travelling smoothly between horses, he hit the front with more than a furlong remaining and looked to have established clear daylight on the run to the line. However Abe Lincoln rallied on the stands’ side to push the Michael Buckley-owned runner right to the finish.
Perfectionist Osborne was delighted but clearly relieved their long term target had come off.
“He’s got his quirks and he was probably in front too soon, but he’s won so that’s great. The race has been the plan since the autumn and it’s great when a plan comes off because they so often don’t,” he said.
The pair pulled two-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Chief Whip for Richard Hannon, and 66-1 chance Arcanada who held on for fourth.
 |
ASCOT RESULTS |
GOING: SOFT (Stands’ side:7.2, Centre:6.7 Far side:7.0, Round, 6.3). Weather conditions: overcast.
STALLS: Straight course – Centre; Round course – Inside
2:30 - Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)5f, Class 1, £56,710.00 1 Prince Of Lir 8/1 11 ran Distances: ½l, nk, ½l Jockey: Luke Morris WIN £10.50 PL £2.60, £4.70, £1.80 |
3:05 - Tercentenary Stakes (formerly The Hampton Court Stakes) (Group 3)1m2f, Class 1, £51,039.00 1 Hawkbill 11/2 9 ran Distances: 1¼l, 2¾l, 1¾l Jockey: William Buick WIN £6.60 PL £2.30, £1.60, £1.60 |
3:40 - Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies)1m4f, Class 1, £113,420.00 1 Even Song 15/8F 14 ran Distances: 1½l, 1l, nk Jockey: Ryan Moore WIN £2.80 PL £1.50, £7.00, £2.60 |
4:20 - Gold Cup In Honour of The Queen’s 90th Birthday (British Champions Series) (Group 1)2m4f, Class 1, £226,840.00 1 Order Of St George 10/11F NR: Curbyourenthusiasm (IRE) 17 ran Distances: 3l, 2¼l, 2¾l Jockey: Ryan Moore WIN £1.90 PL £1.02, £3.60, £15.60 |
5:00 - Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (Colts & Geldings)1m, Class 1, £74,700.00 1 Defrocked 13/2 NR: Perkunas (IRE), Storm Rising(IRE) 28 ran Distances: shd, 2¼l, 1¼l Jockey: Jamie Spencer WIN £8.90 PL £2.90, £7.80, £3.50, £20.50 |
5:35 - King George V Stakes (Handicap)1m4f, Class 1, £56,025.00 1 Primitivo 13/2 NR: Soldier In Action (FR),Southdown Lad (IRE) 16 ran Distances: 3¼l, 3l, 2½l Jockey: William Twiston-Davies WIN £7.40 PL £1.90, £3.50, £2.50, £3.10 |
Royal Ascot, day 3: Order Of St George domina la Gold Cup per Padre Aidan! Even Song, Hawkbill e Prince Of Lir i nomi caldi del Ladies Day
50 e 51. Aidan O’Brien al settimo cielo, 7 come le vittorie nella Gold Cup G1, in omaggio ai 90 anni della Regina Elisabetta nel Ladies Day, e la vittorie numero 50 e 51 al Royal Meeting. Possiamo raccontarlo con i numeri, che sono sempre certezze cubiche ed inespugnabili. Padre Aidan ha vinto 2 corse e 2 l’ha vinte Ryan, cominciando nel pomeriggio con Even Song (Mastercraftsman), cavalla stragiocata sin dalla mattina, che ha vinto in maniera abbastanza chiara le Ribblesdale G2 sui 2400 metri, nei confronti di Ajman Princess(Teofilo) e The Black Princess (iffraaj). Malino Architecture (Zoffany), la cavalla allevata da Massimo Passamonti, seconda in una edizione delle Oaks G1 che si è confermata molto debole. A parte Minding, ovviamente. Architecture è apparsa opaca a 13 giorni dalla Classica, e su terreno colloso. Ora che è entrata in forma, l’obiettivo di Even (dotata di gran cambio di marcia), saranno le Irish Oaks G1 del 16 Luglio. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI. IL VIDEO DELLE RIBBLESDALE QUI.
La perla delle perle padre Aidan per il Coolmore lo ha realizzato nella Gold Cup (e nessuno come lui produce vincitori di Gold Cup) grazie ad Order Of St George (Galileo) che aveva puntato questa corsa da lontanissimo, dichiarandolo in Gennaio questo obiettivo, annunciandolo ai suoi proprietari Larry Williams, Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier e Derrick Smith. Ryan Moore ci ha messo del suo, rischiando sulla fuga di Mille Et Mille (Muhtathir) di rimanere troppo dietro. Ma a 200 dal palo, il grande scatto dopo 3800 metri di corsa, per tenere lontano tutti gli attacchi di Mizzou (Galileo), per Luca Cumani con Andrea Atzeni, ed al terzoSheikhzayedroad (Dubawi). IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI. IL VIDEO DELLA GOLD CUP QUI.
Nelle Tercentenary Stakes G3 per 3 anni sui 2000 metri, ancora un sigillo Godolphin (anzi, un 1-2), la quarta vittoria per il gruppo in blues nel Royal Ascot 2016. A vincere è stato Hawkbill (Kitten’s Joy) per Charlie Appleby e la monta di William Buick. Al secondo è arrivato un marciatissimo Prize Money (Authorized) ed al terzo, dall’esterno, un cugino di Zenyatta che si chiama Long Island Sound (War Front) ma è di proprietà Coolmore, ed ha conosciuto sconfitta dopo 3 vittorie consecutive. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI. IL VIDEO DELLE TERCENTENARY QUI.
Subito una sorpresa ad Ascot, nelle Norfolk Stakes G2. Nella prova sui 1000 metri a vincere è stato Prince Of Lir (Kodiac) il quale per Robert Cowell e con in sella Luke Morris, ad un certo punto si pensava non si potesse piazzare. Invece sotto il pungolo di The Last Lion (Choisir) e Silver Line (Dark Angel) è ripartito di slancio. Tutti a guardare le linee di Global Applause (ancora Ed Dunlop a picco con un favorito), ed invece a farsi valere è stato “Rocket” inglese titolare di una linea di una maiden di Beverley del 28 Maggio scorso dove il figlio di Kodiac (Danehill) battè al debutto proprio The Last Lion, quando questo era alla terza uscita stagionale. Bene il Godolphin, partito male ma autore di un buon cambio di marcia. Il vincitore veste la casacca bianca del The Cool Silk Partnership, era a 9/1, è prodotto della fattrice Esuvia (Whipper) ed è stato pagato £170,000 alle Goffs Uk Breeze Up Sales. Primo vincitore al Royal Ascot per Luca Morris, il terzo per Roberto Cowell, ma il primo con un puledro. Prince ha galoppato 1000 metri in
IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI. IL VIDEO DELLE NORFOLK QUI.
