Watch Me Irish connections
THERE is a strong Irish connection to the Coronation Stakes winner Watch Me. The filly is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, who is married to Godolphin’s French representative Lisa Jane Moeran. From Co Tipperary, Lisa Jane is daughter of Virginia Moeran, breeder of star stayer Vinnie Roe.
Marnane smiling
CON Marnane is no stranger to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure. The Bansha House consignor was back again yesterday celebrating with Phoenix Thoroughbreds after the Commonwealth Cup. But Con had nothing to do with the winner, Advertise. He was congratulating the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate on finishing second with the Aidan Fogarty-trained Forever In Dreams, which Con sold to them for £430,000 at the Goffs London Sale on Monday evening.
It was also a great result for the sale itself which is getting closer to providing a Royal Ascot.
Sectional times
ASCOT provided furlong by furlong sectionals time for each horse on every race and they made for interesting comparisons, even to the uneducated in time analysis.
Contrary to how it looked on TV, Crystal Ocean was not the fastest horse through any of the four furlongs in the last half mile of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
While in the Gold Cup, Stradivarius covered each of the final two furlongs faster than A’Ali had run the final furlong of the five furlong Norfolk Stakes.
Phoenix boost
THE success of Advertise in the Commonwealth Cup was a boost for the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. Advertise was the first British-trained winner of the Curragh race since 1997. This year’s Phoenix Stakes has attracted 73 entries, an increase of 20 entries from 2018. The race will be run on Friday evening, August 9th.
Horses To Note
Romanised – Queen Anne Stakes
Ken Condon’s Irish Guineas winner did not have the clearest of runs through the latter stages and was beaten over a length and a half. He could well have troubled the winner with a clearer run. This might not have been the greatest of Group 1s but the colt should be able to pick up a few Group 2s at least this season.
Makyon – Coventry Stakes
The Mark Johnston-trained son of Make Believe showed terrific speed to the Coventry field on the stands side into the final furlong and a half before being swamped late. Dropping back a furlong, and at a track like Goodwood where his trainer has a great record, he could get back to winning ways.
Buildmeupbuttercup – Ascot Stakes
National Hunt fans might have been surprised to see the mare Buildmeupbuttercup (7/1) at such short odds for the Ascot Stakes given her jumping form. She is one to note going forward as she was held up out the back off a slow pace and had a lot to do in the straight, but only just failed to overhaul The Grand Visir. She was rated 91 coming in to this and looks sure to notch up a few flat wins this season.
Stylehunter - Royal Hunt Cup
The John Gosden-trained Stylehunter (22/1) lost a few lengths at the start in the Royal Hunt Cup and was briefly last along with Clon Coulis. He made ground gradually and had to move to the outside of the standside group to come with his run. He is worth watching in the mile handicaps through the summer.
Cross Counter - Gold Cup
The Melbourne Cup winner was held up to stay the trip and never really got in a blow off a slow gallop and sprint finish, not showing the turn off foot that had won him the Cup in Flemington. Back on better ground at Goodwood, where he won the Gordon Stakes in track record time last year, he could give Stradivarius something to think about over half a mile shorter in the Goodwood Cup.
Eagles By Day - King Edward VII Stakes
Missunited’s son stayed on for third after not the smoothest of passages and looks to have stamina in abundance. It would be no surprise to see him fair well come the St Leger but a mile and six furlongs is right up his street.
Quotes Of The Day
“I’m sorry, I’m getting a bit emotional, but I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me get to this point. It’s a big step in my career. My grandfather Dessie Hughes was a big person in my life and this one is for him.” David Egan after riding his first Royal Ascot winner on Daahyeh
“It was as you would expect him to win really, he was third in the Derby. I reckon he is the best of the lot, this wasn’t a surprise. The surprise was the price!” Derrick Smith after Japan won the King Edward VII Stakes at 6/4
“Coming into today we had absolutely nil confidence, you never know despite how well they are working at home!
“It’s huge elation - to win a Group 1 at Royal Ascot, it doesn’t get much better than that - but there is certainly relief because the horses have been a little but under par. It’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.” Trainer Martyn Meade after Advertise had won the Commonwealth Cup.
“It’s a week you dream of. As I was saying on Sunday, you get up every morning to do this job and to be part of the game at this level.
“That’s why I set up in Chantilly - I wanted to win classics and big races. It happened on Sunday, which was a big day for a Frenchman, in France, and I was confident today again. I trusted in my filly, and she has worked well, which gave me confidence.” Watch Me’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard
“I went into the weighing room today and there are five girls there. We know each other really well as we are racing every day and the standard of girls jockeys has risen so much. We all wanted one of us to have a winner - it is nice that it was me!” Hayley Turner after her winner in the Sandringham.
QIPCO leading jockey
Standings after four days
Jockey 1st 2nd 3rd
Frankie Dettori 7 3 1
Ryan Moore 5 6 1
Danny Tudhope 3 - 2
QIPCO leading trainer
Trainer 1st 2nd 3rd
Aidan O’Brien IRE 5 6 2
John Gosden 2 3 2
William Haggas 2 1 2
Royal Ascot leading owner
Owner 1st 2nd 3rd
Coolmore 5 6 2
Khalid Abullah 2 - 1
Hamdan Al Maktoum 1 1 2