A record-breaking Royal Ascot for Aidan O’Brien ends up on Saturday with the Irishman saddling seven runners at the famed fixture’s finale.
The Irishman is doubly represented in a trio of races - the Jersey, Chesham and Golden Gates Stakes – and Changingoftheguard, winner of last year’s King Edward VII, is back for a crack at the Hardwicke.
On Tuesday O’Brien overtook Sir Michael Stoute as Royal Ascot’s winning-most ever trainer.
It turned into more of a “family day” Friday as O’Brien’s son Donnacha saddled a first winner at the meeting through the Frankie Dettori ridden Porta Fortuna in the Albany. It was followed by his brother Joseph who landed the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes with Okita Soushi.
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In contrast O’Brien Snr had a frustrating trio of runner-up placings including with the odds-on Little Big Bear who found Shaquille too good in the Commonwealth.
There was nothing any O’Brien could do to prevent Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra from justifying 8-13 favouritism in Friday’s Group One feature, the Coronation Stakes.
The Aga Khan’s filly added to her Irish 1,000 Guineas success with a last to first burst under jockey Chris Hayes who enjoyed a maiden success at the meeting.
It is half a century since Weld broke his own Royal Ascot duck and Tahiyra brought the Curragh maestro’s career tally there to 18.
“Her sister [Tarnawa] was unbelievably tough and stayed really well, won the Breeders’ Cup Turf and won those two very good Group Ones in France for me and was just beat a neck in the Arc when the ground was too dead for her on the day.
“A brilliant race-mare, her sister and this one is equally as good – but they are different. This one has more pace,” Weld said.
Hayes had to resort to Plan B after Tahiyra slipped coming out of the stalls but commented: “The boss told me to ride her with confidence. She is the fastest filly in the race and I just rode her like she was the best.”
Saturday’s Group One feature, the retitled Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, is a rare top-flight contest without an O’Brien starter although an international field does include the leading Hong Kong sprinter, Wellington.
Freed from Coolmore commitments, Ryan Moore takes the mount on Richard Gibson’s veteran.
“It is morale-boosting that Ryan is on board, showing faith in him,” Gibson said.
“The Hong Kong sprint division has always been strong globally and his times have been good. There are not many horses who have won six million in prize-money,” he added.
Australia’s Artorius, third in the race a year ago, is back for another try and is joined by compatriots Canonball and The Astrologist. Big Invasion goes for the US.
The home defence appears to be led by Highfield Princess, runner up in Tuesday’s King’s Stand.
O’Brien has a record six wins already in the Chesham Stakes with a pair of fillies included.
He has two fillies in it this time and Pearls And Rubies looks the clear stable No. 1. She makes a quick return to action after a recent winning debut at Navan that suggests a step up in trip should suit.
The Antarctic is tried at seven furlongs for a first time in the Jersey Stakes, a significant move considering he’s a brother to the flying Battaash.
The vagaries of the draw have played rather too prominent a role at times this week but seven furlongs and quick ground should be perfect for Olivia Maralda who’s in an outside stall.
Canute is a regally bred colt who stepped up to win at Navan last time, comfortably accounting for Malbay Madness. He could be well ahead of the ratings in the Golden Gates.
A boost to his chance might have come 40 minutes earlier in Down Royal’s €100,000 Boylesports Ulster Derby.
O’Brien’s topweight Tower Of London is upped to a mile and a half but his biggest problem might wind up being a massive weight concession to Malbay Madness.
The latter’s Navan effort was a first run for Emmet Mullins who runs him from 2lbs ‘wrong’ in the handicap. Siobhan Rutledge taking 5lbs off a featherweight 8.7 is hard to argue against, though.
The Ascot extravaganza winds up with the longest race on the calendar, the Queen Alexandra Stakes, that shapes once again as a potential Irish benefit.
Willie Mullins’s Stratum goes for three-in-a-row but has a significant task against Weld’s Falcon Eight and Charles Byrnes’ Cesarewitch winner Run For Oscar.
Best of all however could prove to be Dawn Rising, a dour-staying Graded winning hurdler owned by JP McManus who ran third in the Savel Beg last time.
Ryan Moore in the McManus silks might prove irresistible to punters in the traditional “getting out stakes”.
