Melbourne Cup winning Zahra heads for Ibiza with a Royal Ascot victory
Australian jockey Mark Zahra celebrates after claiming his first Royal Ascot win on Docklands, in the opening race of the meeting, the Queen Anne Stakes (Reuters for Beat Media Group)
By James Toney at Royal Ascot
From the ultimate garden party to the ultimate party island, Mark Zahra is living the dream.
The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey had one ride at Royal Ascot and duly piloted Docklands to victory in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes.
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Zahra didn't have much time for those who say course experience is vital here in Berkshire, timing his charge to the front to perfection and duking it out with red-hot favourite Rosallion.
He dropped his whip in the final furlong, but Zahra stayed gritty to deliver a first major race win for trainer Harry Eustace.
'I was so scared about the whip rules, I thought it would just be easier to throw it away at the 200 metres,' he said.
'Harry has been pumping me up the whole way. This just started as a stop-off on the way to a trip to Ibiza, so to turn it into a massive win like this is very special. The closer we got, the more Harry filled me with confidence – and he was right.
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'It was a very slow speed and I just crept as much as I could. I got room at the right time and Docklands burst through and kept responding, kept responding.
'What an amazing feeling, it's unbelievable. I have to thank the boys who put me on him. One of the top days of my career for sure.
'Hearing all the Aussies over the fence – even though the horse is English – you'd have thought he was Aussie by all the screams. An amazing experience for unbelievable people.
'Both Docklands' runs this season have been really good. I rode him in Hong Kong with blinkers, whereas he had them off today, and just looking at him in the field, he's a completely different horse.'
Irish Champion Jockey Colin Keane delivered in his first major Royal Ascot ride since joining the powerhouse Juddmonte operation as their number one jockey.
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Keane partnered Field of Gold to victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and followed up with an impressive win in the St James's Palace Stakes, taking on the respective Guineas winners from England and France and winning in style.
'Good horses make it look easy,' said Keane, now a three-time Royal Ascot-winning jockey, with this Group One prize his biggest win yet.
'It was a very good renewal of the race. I don't know when the last time three Guineas winners clashed, but Field of Gold was very good at the Curragh and very good again today.
'I'm fortunate enough to be riding him and, at this moment, he is the best horse I have sat on. I'm in a very privileged position. I've been lucky enough to join this team. It's a very new relationship and to get a horse like him so early on is amazing. I've had nothing compared to this in recent years, so it's a very special day.'
Aidan O'Brien left his fastest horse at home but still saw his understudy scorch to victory in the Coventry Stakes.
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This six-furlong two-year-old dash is often the graduating stage for future stars, with O'Brien having won on ten previous occasions, including with Caravaggio – the fastest horse he's ever trained.
This race was the long-term target for Albert Einstein, Ballydoyle's number one speedster, but in his absence, Gstaad soared to victory in eye-catching style.
'I am absolutely delighted,' said O'Brien, after landing his 92nd win at the meeting. 'Gstaad looks a very good horse, doesn't he? We have always loved him. He'd only had the one run, but he has always worked like a good horse and I'd imagine a Group One will be next.
'We hoped to have Albert Einstein here but he's having an easy few weeks after spraining a joint.
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'He feels like something we didn't have before. The first day he worked, he was probably the most different horse we have ever seen – he was so quick. We haven't had horses as quick as he is but as big as he is. He is very exciting.'
Elsewhere, there was Group One success for Scottish trainer Jim Goldie – his first Royal Ascot win – as American Affair landed the King Charles III Stakes, while jumps trainer Henry de Bromhead won the Ascot Stakes as Ascending led home an Irish 1-2-3-4.
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