Racing:Aidan O'Brien's So You Think recorded his 10th Group One victory in the 150th Anniversary of Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. The former Australian superstar suffered a shock odds-on reverse in this 10-furlong prize 12 months ago, but he got the job done in good style on this occasion.
Always travelling strongly in the hands of the trainer’s son, Joseph, the six-year-old (4-5 favourite) looked likely to run out an easy winner when cruising to the front halfway up the home straight. The Queen’s Carlton House emerged on the far rail to launch a serious challenge, but So You Think saw him off, asserting close home to score by two and a quarter lengths.
Carlton House just held on to the runner-up spot from Farhh, who finished as well as anything having encountered traffic problems in the straight.
While So You Think may not have taken the European scene by storm quite as anticipated since joining O’Brien last year, this was still his fifth top-level triumph for his current connections. He had suffered defeats in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup on artificial surfaces, but he warmed up for his return to Ascot with a routine victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.
His young rider sat still in the saddle turning for home before unleashing his mount and he eventually ran out a comfortable winner to give O’Brien junior his first ever Royal Ascot triumph. A victory for the Queen in Jubilee year was not to be on this occasion, but Carlton House ran a perfectly respectable race given he was keen for the first half of the contest.
Farhh was undoubtedly the eyecatcher for the Godolphin team. Taking a huge step up in class from winning a Thirsk handicap, the Pivotal colt finished off his race with purpose, leaving the impression he could well have shaken up the winner with a clearer passage.
O’Brien snr said: “We expected a big run today, we felt like we had him in a place that he was never in before with us, which is incredible. I think we’ve had him a year and a half and it’s taken me that long to learn how to train him.
“We went back and listened to what everybody was saying about him, listened to what Bart (Cummings, former trainer) was saying and telling us what to do and what not to do. We listened at the end. We felt he was in a place today he’s never been in before.
“I was delighted to hear what Bart had to say as he was speaking from the heart and I was probably over-working the horse and galloping the speed out of him instead of letting him be natural. Everyone was of the opinion before we got him that he was all speed but I started off on the wrong leg with him and tried to make him stay a mile and a half and did too much with him.
“We knew we only had a few runs left (before retiring to stud), maybe today and Sandown (Eclipse) to get him back, so we listened to them and Joseph and the lads were confident it was going to come. It will be the boys decision when he goes to stud, but Sandown is in our head as a cut-off point. We’ll be pleading hard now that we have him in this place but it’s a business decision.
“We’re just delighted to get him back and all I can say is sorry it took me so long to get him back to where everyone in Australia said he was. If he wasn’t such a great horse I’d have made a right mess of him. He’s one of those special horses that can travel and has class. We were delighted with the ride he got, Joseph knew what he wanted to do.”
O'Brien was off the mark in the first race of the day as apparent second-string Ishvana claimed the Jersey Stakes.The master of Ballydoyle also saddled leading fancy Reply, ridden by son Joseph, but he failed to make an impact in the Group Three contest.
Although Ishvana had filled the runner-up spot in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her latest appearance, she was allowed to go off at 20-1. Seamie Heffernan sent his mount to the lead passing the two-furlong marker and she galloped all the way to the line to score decisively by a length. Sentaril finished off strongly to pip favourite Aljamaaheer for the runner-up
Anne-Marie O’Brien, who owns and bred the filly, said: “It’s absolutely incredible. I’d like to thank my dad who bought her at the sales for us, he’s picked out all our broodmares. We’re so happy to be here. She was very impressive and showed a great turn of foot. There are lots of races to run all our fillies in and they all want slightly different trips, I think seven furlongs suited her perfectly today.”
Heffernan, however, was suspended for seven days (July 4th-10th) for using his whip above the permitted level. Johnny Murtagh was found guilty of the same offence to a lesser extent and was given a two-day ban on the runner-up.
Joviality held off the late lunge of Chachamaidee to get John Gosden off the mark in the Windsor Forest Stakes.Sir Henry Cecil's runner-up could go down as an unlucky loser after missing the break completely and ultimately being beaten just a neck.
Joviality (11-1) had won the Musidora Stakes at York last spring and was always handy for William Buick but when Tom Queally asked Chachamaidee to quicken she made ground rapidly. Having hit the front a furlong out her early exertions just took their toll and Joviality fought back to win.
Lay Time ran far better than her previous run at Epsom to claim third but the Group One winners Emulous and Nahrain were both well beaten.
Gosden, who saw The Nile suffer a fatal injury in the St James’s Palace Stakes on the opening afternoon, said: “It’s probably a little short for her the mile and she didn’t handle Epsom. “We had to wait for her to come right in June but she’s got a lot of tenacity and I really respect Henry’s filly, who’s very fast.
“But I thought if we can be in the right place and she has to come to us, we might outstay her. It was a thrilling performance. She wants a mile to a mile and a quarter so there are some nice races for her like the Nassau Stakes and the Prix de l’Opera.
“That is the elite end and there are some rather nice fillies in France. We had a difficult day yesterday and it’s a strange game — it’s a game of vicissitudes.”
Ceiling Kitty (20-1) had her better-fancied stable companion Upward Spiral back in fourth place when landing the Queen Mary Stakes. But it was a good day for the Irish.Despite drifting left, the Tom Dascombe-trained filly had enough in hand under Richard Kingscote to hold Hoyam by a length with Hairy Rocket another length back in third.
“I expected to win the race but I can’t honestly say I expected her to do it,” said Dascombe. “We talked and talked about it and she had the experience and she is tough. I still say Upward Spiral is the better horse but not today. It doesn’t really matter. Andrew Black owns her and it’s a dream to give him a winner here after all the support and loyalty he has given me. We’ll have to give six furlongs a go now.”
Prince of Johanne (16-1) became the first horse since Sterope in 1949 to win both the Cambridgeshire and the Royal Hunt Cup. In the process he ended a 250-day lean spell on the Flat for his trainer Tom Tate when lifting Ascot's mile handicap. Excellent Guest threw down the biggest challenge but went down by half a length.
“When he won the Cambridgeshire he made all and put pace to the race so we tried him over a mile at York and he produced a career best,” said Tate. “We thought we’d stay down that route and come here as this was the obvious race, but when you see the grandee of racing here you think you have no chance. Now he’s won this he’ll have to try Listed races.”
Winning rider John Fahy was banned for seven days (July 4-10) for using his whip above what is permitted and fined £1,100. Duntle (4-1 favourite) ended a good day for the Irish with victory for trainer David Wachman and jockey Wayne Lordan by half a length over Alsaadi in the Sandringham Handicap.
“After she ran very well in the Leopardstown fillies’ trial we decided to wait for this. We’ve always thought a lot of her,” said Wachman.. “She’s likely to finish her career in America. We’re not sure when and I’m sure she’ll do great things over there. I’ll speak to Alan Cooper (racing manager) to decide where she goes before then.
“She’s a smart filly and has always shown us plenty, she’s got Group One entries. I won’t let go of her just yet.”