Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot
June 29 (UPI) -- Trainers Aidan O'Brien and John and Thady Gosden certainly enjoyed the first three days of the Royal Ascot meeting, as O'Brien saddled three star-bound 2-year-olds and the Gosdens sent out the winners of the three biggest races.
The Godolphin team also landed a few blows as the fashion-filled week passed its midpoint, handing out Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" tickets along the way. Here's a look, including a few other stops around the globe.
Around the world, around the clock
Royal Ascot
The Royal meeting got off to a surprising start as Docklands, a 15-1 chance, put his nose in front of the favorite, Rosallion, at the end of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Cairo, at odds of 100-1, finished third.
Docklands, an Australian-bred 5-year-old, was second in the 2024 Queen Anne, but was dispatched at 15-1 odds, as he was winless in 11 starts since bagging the Brittania Stakes at the 2023 Royal meeting. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf Nov. 1.
Things got better later, but the Queen Anne did not throw down an auspicious start for the big outfits as Rosallion represented Sheik Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, while Godolphin's Notable Speech finished fourth,
Juddmonte's Lead Artist was seventh and Coolmore's Diego Velazquez reported ninth. American hope Carl Spackler raced prominently but faded to get home sixth.
The Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds, slotted right in the middle of the first day's schedule, was bookmarked by many as not only the day's best race but the best of the meeting. The English, French and Irish Guineas winners faced off, representing Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte, respectively.
And the winner is: By a knockout, Field of Gold. The Irish Guineas winner, a Kingman colt, found a seam near the top of the Ascot straight, kicked away 2 furlongs out and won by 3 1/2 lengths over French Guineas winner Henri Matisse. Ruling Court, who defeated Field of Gold in the English Guineas, was third. That's Juddmonte, Coolmore and Godolphin 1-2-3.
Trainer John Gosden, now handling probably European racing's hottest commodity, said Field of Gold's scheduling hasn't totally gone to plan thanks to the trip to Ireland to atone for the loss at Newmarket and might call for a tap on the brakes.
American Affair, a homebred Washington, D.C., gelding from a small Scottish stable, upset the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, a 5-furlong dash, winning by a neck over Frost at Dawn. Believing, the favorite, finished 10th and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Starlust was fourth.
American Affair earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Gstaad looked like a potential superstar for the Irish Coolmore "lads" as the Starspangledbanner colt dominated the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Gstaad raced alone between the inside and outside groups in the big field and jetted away to win by 3 lengths, improving to 2-for-2 as the first in what turned out to be a trio of 2-year-old triumphs for the Irish juggernaut.
Wednesday
All Ombudsman needed in the final furlong of the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes was a place to go. After idling behind a very hot pace set by the Coolmore duo of Continuous, and Los Angeles, jockey William Buick found himself with a handful of horse and tiring rivals in a line in front of him.
He jinked right, then left, finally found a seam and the 4-year-old Night of Thunder colt did the rest, shooting off to win by 2 lengths. Anmaat and Sea the Fire were second and third.
Ombudsman earned another prestigious trophy for Gosden and a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.
Crimson Advocate rallied like a shot outside rivals to win a high-quality renewal of the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths from Cinderella's Dream. Fallen Angel took third, giving Wathnan Racing first and third around the Godolphin color-bearer.
Reinvented this year as a miler by trainer Gosden, she had finished second and first in preparation for the Duke of Cambridge.
True Love overwhelmed 22 other 2-year-old fillies in the opener, the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at 5 furlongs. The No Nay Never filly, a plus-sized O'Brien trainee, started from the stands-side gate, took her time winding up, found her rhythm and won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Extreme longshot Flowerhead edged Gulfstream Park-based Lennilu for third in a good effort by both. True Love became the second impressive 2-year-old score of the Royal meeting for Coolmore.
Carmers, the first-ever Royal Ascot runner for trainer Paddy Twomey, improved to 3-for-3 with a victory in the 1 3/4-mile Group 2 Queen's Vase for 3-year-olds. Further and Rahiebb were a tight second and third with pacesetter Shackleton also close in fourth.
Carmers, a Wootton Bassett colt, started his career with victories at Ballinrobe and Vavan in Ireland, both at 1 5/8 miles.
Thursday
The midpoint of the meeting featured the Group 1 Gold Cup with Godolphin's Trawlerman defeating Coolmore's Illinois by 7 lengths. Trawlerman, second in last year's Gold Cup to the recently retired Kyprios, led throughout the 2 1/2 miles and responded eagerly when asked by jockey William Buick with 3 furlongs left.
The other Godolphin entry, 9-year-old Dubai Future, stayed on gamely to finish third.
"Trawlerman just goes off," trainer Gosden said. "I said to William, 'What did you do?' and he said, 'I threw the reins at him. He can judge pace better than me.' And off they went together."
Charles Darwin gave O'Brien, Coolmore and Moore yet another great 2-year-old performance in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. The No Nay Never colt accelerated smoothly through the last of 5 furlongs to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Godolphin's Wise Approach.
Sandal's Song, who qualified via the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park, got nearly to terms with the winner and ran on well to finish third.
It was the third straight win for Charles Darwin, all by big margins, and earned him a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
That was the first of three victories on the day for the group, also including the Group 2 Ribblesdale for 3-year-old fillies, won by 7-1 shot Garden of Eden, and the Group 3 Hampton Court for 3-year-olds, won by Trinity College by 3 1/2 lengths over another Godolphin runner, Tornado Alert.
South America
After handing out this week's "Win and You're In" bids at Royal Ascot, Breeders' Cup this weekend turns its attention back to South America.
Sunday's Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, grants the winner a pass to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.
The Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru, is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.
It's a quiet week in North America, with the $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown and the $300,000 Grade II Chicago Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs atop the schedule.
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Galen was third, with Los Angeles 3 lengths back of the winner.
