Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3)

TRINITY College (5/2 favourite) bagged his first Group-race prize with a dominant display in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes, providing Ryan Moore with his 90th Royal Ascot success.

Lining up after a fourth in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, the son of Dubawi set even fractions before pouring it on in the straight, ultimately winning by a commanding three and a half lengths.

Runner-up Tornado Alert (9/1) appreciated the drop back in trip after finishing sixth in the G1 Derby. All-weather Listed scorer Glittering Legend (11/1) was a length further back in third.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “Ryan gave Trinity College a beautiful ride. He had him in a lovely rhythm and, when he started getting him to move, he really kept going to the line, so you would be very happy with him now.

“Ryan was going to go forward. He does that a lot and is happy to be forward. I didn’t ask him, but I imagine Trinity College would be happy to get a lead as well. He got it exactly spot on.

“Trinity College would have a lot of options. He could be an Eclipse horse or an American Derby horse. I would say he is improving. We always thought he was a high enough class horse last year as a two-year-old, but things just didn’t fall for him. He has probably matured and got stronger now.”

Ryan Moore said: “He quickened up very well and had the race in safe-keeping at the two – a smart colt. It was a big run in the French Derby and a quick turnaround. His mother sort of came out of nowhere and got better as a three-year-old, and he’s a Dubawi – they usually progress.”

Britannia Stakes

ARABIAN Story (15/2) made his first start on turf a winning one as he claimed the Britannia Stakes for Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy.

With the field spread across the track entering the final furlong, it was the stands’ rail where the leaders emerged, with the first five home drawn in stalls 29-30-28-27-31.

Arabian Story repelled La Botte (7/1) by a neck in a bunched finish, with Fearnot (12/1) and Dividend (50/1) a head and a neck further behind. Supido (100/1) finished fifth.

Arabian Story ran twice on dirt at Meydan at the start of the year before taking a maiden impressively on the all-weather at Chelmsford last month.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: “We had Arabian Story in Dubai and physically he improved a lot there. We gave him a race at Chelmsford and he pleased me. We thought, okay, let’s go to Royal Ascot.

“I talked to Oisin and said this horse is a mile-and-a-quarter horse but, over the mile, you have to be handy with him. He gave him a good ride. Oisin is the best jockey in the world.

“Arabian Story is still improving. We will find a race for him now, maybe a Group race. I talked to Oisin after the race and he said to me that the horse is Group class.

Murphy said: “He will be a Group 3 horse going a mile and a quarter. He was the first one off the bridle, and it’s very hard to win at Ascot on the straight course when that happens, so he’s got a fair level of ability. It is lovely to win one for Saeed.”

Buckingham Palace Stakes

ANDREW Balding’s Never So Brave (4/1F) powered up the stands’ rail to land a gamble in the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes.

The No Nay Never colt travelled smoothly and was able to take the gaps when they came, with Oisin Murphy hitting the accelerator going into the final furlong.

Never So Brave immediately opened up daylight on the opposition, with just over two lengths separating him and runner-up Akkadian Thunder (7/1) at the line. Holguin (16/1) and Myal (18/1) made the frame as those drawn high dominated.

Formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Never So Brave finished an unlucky second to Myal on his first start for Balding at Chester last month.

Balding said: “Never So Brave was gelded over the winter, which may have helped him, but I know Sir Michael always had a high opinion of him. He ran in the Jersey Stakes last year and was probably a group horse in a handicap today.

“He has an excellent turn of foot if he can do that. He has been easy to train, although the guys at home have done a brilliant job because he is not a very patient horse.”

Murphy said: “Never So Brave was very good. His work has been excellent. I was worried he might get stuck in traffic from that draw [28], but he didn’t, and I deliberately started a bit further back to allow the race to happen in front of him. He got there very easily.”

Thursday attendance

THE crowd figure for day three of Royal Ascot was 65,718, up by 5.1% on last year’s total of 62,549.

7 out of 7 Irish-bred winners

4m 15.02s - Trawlerman’s winning time of 4m 15.02s eclipsed the previous record set by Rite Of Passage 15 years ago.

40th Royal Ascot winner for Saeed bin Suroor

18th Royal Ascot winner for Oisin Murphy

90th Royal Ascot winner for Ryan Moore

96th Royal Ascot winner for Aidan O’Brien

Notes from the stewards’ room

IN the Ribblesdale Stakes, an enquiry was held to consider interference inside the final furlong involving Life Is Beautiful, fifth, ridden by Tom Marquand, Serenity Prayer, sixth, ridden by Oisin Murphy, and Lady Vivian, unplaced, James Doyle. Marquand was suspended for three days for careless riding for switching his mount left-handed, taking the other two off their intended line.

An enquiry was held to consider why W J Lee, the rider of Catalina Delcarpio, appeared to use his hand in an attempt to encourage his mount during the race after dropping his whip inside the final half furlong.

The stewards reminded Lee of his responsibilities under Rule D(2), that only an approved whip should be used to encourage a horse during a race.

IN the Britannia, an enquiry was held to consider interference one furlong out involving La Botte, placed second, ridden by Jamie Spencer, and Thunder Wonder, unplaced, ridden by Joe Fanning. Spencer was suspended for two days for careless riding for switching left-handed into an insufficient gap causing Fanning to have to take a check against the rail.

Harry Davies, rider of Sea Scout, was suspended for two days for careless riding in the Hampton Court Stakes.