Royal Ascot:Paco Boy conclusively proved he can stay a mile at the top level with an emphatic victory in the Royal Ascot curtain-raiser, the Queen Anne Stakes. The mount was the first of three winners for jockey Richard Hughes after hitting the front a furlong out and bounding clear of the opposition
The 100-30 shot, trained by Richard Hannon, scorched home by a length and a half from Cesare with Aqlaam half a length away third. Godolphin’s Gladiatorus was a huge disappointment.
Gladiatorus burst out of the stalls and was five lengths ahead at one stage but the 9-4 favourite was a spent force two furlongs out and faded into sixth.
Aqlaam went on but Paco Boy was going ominously well with Cesare and Main Aim also trying to make their bids.
But once a confident Hughes pressed the button, the race was as good as over with Paco Boy winning in great style.
Hughes and Hannon successfully combined again when Canford Cliffs turned the Coventry Stakesinto a procession.
The 7-4 favourite never gave supporters an anxious moment, leading from over a furlong out and storming home by six lengths from Xtension.
Rakaan was three-quarters of a length away in third.
Hughes completed an 88-1 treble on Judgethemoment, when he outstayed his rivals to land the Ascot Stakes.
The 13-2 chance, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, came with a smooth run on the far side and led a furlong out before getting the better of Irish raider Sesenta by half a length.
Royal Rationale was three-quarters of a length away third with Gala Evening fourth in this two-and-a-half mile handicap.
Chapple-Hyam said: “This has been a six-month plan and it has worked out, thank goodness.
“It’s Royal Ascot and you can’t get any higher than that. The owner would like to aim him at the Melbourne Cup but I’m not so sure and I think the Northumberland Plate could be the one for him.”
Hughes added: “I’ve never had five better rides in one day. He’s so good this horse and I had luck on my side coming round the bend. It does make all the sweating every day seem worth every minute.”
Scenic Blast blew away his rivals to give Australia a fourth win in the last five King's Stand Stakes.
Steven Arnold bided his time on Dan Morton’s five-year-old, who was drawn on the outside in stall 15.
Tucked in behind in the early stages as last year’s winner Equiano made the running, Scenic Blast showed a devastating turn of foot to put daylight between himself and his rivals.
Fleeting Spirit put in a strong bid but she had to settle for second place, beaten three-quarters of a length. Anglezarke was a further two and a three-quarters away in third.
The 11-4 favourite was adding this British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge to his success in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
Strike The Tiger hit the mark for California-based handler Wesley Ward to give the Americans their first ever Royal Ascot winner in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
The juvenile may have won his only start in his homeland but he was sent off a relatively unconsidered 33-1 chance for this Listed contest.
Always handy under crack pilot John Velazquez, the juvenile began to stretch away inside the final two furlongs and although Fratellino tried hard to reel him in, Strike The Tiger was a neck ahead at the line.
Ward said: “I think this just proves if you get a horse right on the day it doesn’t matter if they are running in Australia or China or anywhere, as the Australian horse (Scenic Blast) proved earlier today.
“I would have preferred to have won a Group One race but this is a great day for us and hopefully my better two-year-olds can be competitive later in the week.