All the winners from Royal Ascot, Aidan O'Brien creates more history & what's to come this week
Who were the big winners at Royal Ascot? Read on for a full-round of the action from the royal meeting and all the big stories from around the world ๐
Royal Ascot delivered five days of world-class racing last week, with Ombudsman winning the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, brushing aside Arc hero Daryz by four lengths, becoming the first back-to-back winner of the race since 1995.
Before that, Royal Ascot week began with a shock - 50-1 outsider Ten Bob Tony downing four G1 winners in the Queen Anne Stakes for trainer Ed Walker. Aidan O'Brien, meanwhile, ended the week as leading trainer for the 14th time, reaching 100 career winners at the Royal meeting along the way.
The Irish Derby at The Curragh is the headline act this weekend, with Epsom winner Christmas Day set to line up once more, while in the USA, Horse of the Year Sovereignty faces Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude in what promises to be a clash for the ages.
Continue reading for a full round-up of the week's best action across the world and everything to look forward to in the days ahead.
What’s Happened
๐ฉ๐ช Germany ๐ฉ๐ช
Best Lightning won his second race on the bounce when landing the G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft at Dortmund on Sunday. Ridden by Benjamin Marie, the eight-year-old beat Petit Marin by a length and a quarter, for trainer Andreas Suborics.
๐ซ๐ท France ๐ซ๐ท
At Longchamp on Thursday, the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot went to Khovikhov who just held off the better fancied Silius by a short head. The three-year-old is trained by Mauricio Delcher Sanchez and was ridden by Alexis Pouchin.
๐ญ๐ฐ Hong Kong ๐ญ๐ฐ
Beauty Joy recorded his eighth Hong Kong win at Sha Tin on Sunday, successfully defending his crown in the G3 Premier Plate for trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Joao Moreira.
The G3 Premier Cup went to Little Paradise, who beat G2 winner Galaxy Patch by a neck under Zac Purton, for trainer Jimmy Ting.
๐ฎ๐น Italy ๐ฎ๐น
There were challengers from France, Germany and the UK but the G2 Oaks d’Italia at the San Siro remained in Italian hands when Piccola Piuma won it for trainer Stefano Botti. The daughter of Saxon Warrior, ridden by Fabio Branca, beat Lady Evi by three and a quarter lengths.
๐ฌ๐ง UK ๐ฌ๐ง
Royal Ascot started with a shock on Tuesday when Ten Bob Tony downed four G1 winners in the Queen Anne Stakes.
Trained by Ed Walker, the flashy chestnut and Kieran Shoemark came home half a length ahead of More Thunder, grabbing a spot in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on October 31st.
Things went more to plan in the later races, when Aidan O’Brien collected a big-race double courtesy of Great Barrier Reef, ridden by Wayne Lordan, in the G2 Coventry Stakes and Mission Central in the G1 King Charles III Stakes. Mission Central, ridden by Ryan Moore to a head success over Rayevka, could have The Everest on his agenda later in the year.
There was a great battle in the day’s official feature, the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes, when Newmarket 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo held off Irish 2000 Guineas winner Gstaad in a nail-biting finish. Bow Echo, ridden by Billy Loughnane for trainer George Boughey, remains unbeaten after five starts and could head to the G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Wednesday’s feature, the £1million G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes, was a fascinating clash between three-time G1 winner Ombudsman and Arc hero Daryz. In the end, it was one way traffic as Ombudsman and William Buick strolled to a four-length win over Minnie Hauk, with Daryz third.
It was another good day for Moore and O’Brien who took the opening G2 Queen Mary Stakes with Victorious, while Joseph O’Brien won the G2 Queen’s Vase with Limestone, who may now be aimed at the Melbourne Cup.
All the talk before Thursday’s G1 Gold Cup – the week’s official feature – was of defending champion Trawlerman, who sported a pair of equine goggles on the way to the start due to a newly-diagnosed sensitivity to light. He put in a superb performance, going down fighting to Scandinavia who ground out victory by a head, giving Moore and O’Brien another big one.
Friday featured two G1s, starting with the Commonwealth Cup which went to the favourite Venetian Sun – just. Karl Burke’s filly and Clifford Lee had to dig deep to see off Spicy Marg by a head.
The Coronation Stakes had a more clear-cut winner; Precise landing her fourth G1 by a length and a half for Moore and O’Brien, beating Touleen and stablemate True Love.
Earlier, Billy Loughnane and George Boughey picked up their second big win of the week, Libertango taking the G2 Albany Stakes.
Saturday saw a thrilling finish to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes when Almeraq just got up to deny Australian Joliestar and Japanese runner Satono Reve. It was a first G1 win for the William Haggas-trained colt, who was ridden by Tom Marquand.
Globetrotter Giavellotto collected his first Royal Ascot win at the first attempt when outbattling favourite Kalpana in the G2 Hardwicke. The seven-year-old, trained by Marco Botti, was the only winner of the meeting for Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy.
Clive Cox is always very astute with juveniles, and he sent out Orthodox for an impressive win in the G2 Norfolk Stakes in the hands of Rossa Ryan. The 1000metre contest is a Win and You’re In for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in October.
๐บ๐ธ USA ๐บ๐ธ
Eclatant made it three in a row in the G2 Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs, but Brad Cox’s filly had to work for the victory. Ridden by Irad Ortiz, she downed Foie Gras by a head to record her sixth success from nine starts.
On Saturday, trainer Steve Asmussen added a G3 success at Thistledown to his CV, taking the Ohio Derby with Chip Honcho. Third in the Preakness on his previous start, he beat Preakness fourth and Kentucky Derby third Ocelli by a length.
What’s Happening
๐ฆ๐บ Australia ๐ฆ๐บ
The final G1 of the season, the Tattersalls Tiara, takes place at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Dual G2 winner Splash Back is set to line up as favourite for trainer Grahame Begg.
๐ฎ๐ช Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
It’s G1 Irish Derby weekend at The Curragh with Epsom victor Christmas Day expected to line up for Aidan O’Brien. The G1 Pretty Polly, for fillies and mares, is the main supporting race, along with the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes and G3 International Stakes. Runaway G1 Oaks winner Thundering On is set to contest the Pretty Polly, trainer Joseph O’Brien announced over the weekend.
๐ฏ๐ต Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
The G3 Hakodate Kinen is the feature at Hakodate on Sunday, while the G3 Radio Nikkei Sho takes place at Fukushima on the same day.
๐บ๐ธ USA ๐บ๐ธ
The race many have been waiting for takes place at Churchill Downs on Saturday, when Horse of the Year Sovereignty takes on Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude and White Abarrio in a clash for the ages. The race, which has an increased purse of $2million, is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The card also features the G2 Wise Dan Stakes and the G2 Fleur de Lis.
๐ฌ๐ง UK ๐ฌ๐ง
๏ปฟ
A quiet week post-Royal Ascot, but Newcastle stages the G3 Hoppings Fillies Stakes on Friday and the G3 Chipchase and Northumberland Plate on Saturday
