Gold Cup (Group 1)

THE Gold Cup over two and a half miles remains the feature race of the Royal Meeting and last year’s runner-up Trawlerman (John & Thady Gosden/William Buick) made it a race to remember by making all to beat Illinois (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) by seven lengths, the 85/40 favourite lowering the course record in the process. Dubai Future (Saeed Bin Suroor/James McDonald) finished third, a similar margin away in a race which was pulled apart by the impressive winner, who shaded favouritism at 85/40.

Second to the now-retired Kyprios 12 months ago, Trawlerman always looked comfortable as he had when winning the Henry II Stakes last month and, while Illinois briefly looked like he would throw down a challenge on the home turn, he was comprehensively outstayed, albeit too good for the others, of whom the well-backed Candelari was a particular disappointment.

Trawlerman’s winning time of 4m 15.02s smashed the previous course record of 4m 16.92s, set by Dermot Weld’s Rite Of Passage in the 2010 Gold Cup.

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 and picked it up from five out. He is an out-and-out galloper and William judged it perfectly – it is not an easy thing to do over two and a half miles. If anyone is going to go by him, they will know they have been in a race, but they never got to him because he simply outstayed them.

“He is a wonderful old horse, and a great team look after him. He is a favourite, part of the furniture really. He ran Kyprios to a length last year and they were both all out.

“I think he deserved to come back and show that he is a proper horse. We like the Cup races and those lovely staying horses. I remember the great horses – Lester Piggott rode Sagaro and he could turn the last six furlongs in 1m 12s flat. That is what I like, a horse than can go the distance and then go, and you can’t catch them. That is style.”

Discussing plans for Trawlerman, Gosden said: “I think he should be aimed at coming back next year, and he shouldn’t be over-raced at all in between. Do not be surprised if you don’t see him again until the Henry II next year. I will discuss it with Sheikh Mohammed, but he doesn’t need to be going to all these races.

“Last year was tricky,” added the trainer. “We didn’t have the horses, and it didn’t quite work out, but everybody has worked very hard. We have aimed at this for four, five, six months. Some horses are aimed at it for a year, like the winner yesterday, so it’s great when it comes to fulfilment. It is down to the team.”

Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

AFTER Gstaad in the Coventry and True Love in the Queen Mary, it was 8/13 favourite Charles Darwin (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) who scorched the Ascot turf on his way to victory in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs, enhancing the Ballydoyle stable’s dominance with its juveniles at the meeting.

Like True Love, Charles Darwin is an impressive looking sort by No Nay Never, and he broke smartly to lead before Moore settled him in front. Joined briefly at the halfway point, he was asked to stretch and did so in some style to record victory by two and a quarter lengths and three-parts of a length over Wise Approach (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Sandal’s Song (George Weaver/James McDonald). He stopped the clock in a time of 58.87s, just 0.07s outside his sire’s track record, set in this corresponding race in 2013.

O’Brien said: “Charles Darwin is very fast – a big, powerful, strong horse. He has a very good mind as well, so he is very exciting. Ryan has always loved him – and everyone at home loves him. He looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds.

“We were hoping that he would get a lead. He never sees the front at home in his work. He is always very happy to sit back, but he is very strong and very quick. Ryan does his own thing always. The gates open and he decides, so he was very happy. Ryan said he powered through the line.”

Moore concurred, saying: “Charles Darwin is a very professional horse with a super attitude. He jumped very quick and showed good speed. I was just trying to control him the best I could. They came to me at about the two and a half, so I asked him to go, and he picked up well.

“He is a very good horse. He has a good brain and is a very strong, mature two-year-old, another No Nay Never like the filly yesterday. He is doing everything right and I could not be happier with him. He will get six furlongs.”

Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2)

A STEP up in trip has been the making of Garden Of Eden (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) and the daughter of Saxon Warrior progressed again trying a mile and a half to land the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes.

Prominent in the pack behind trailblazing stablemate Island Hopping, the 7/1 chance took over around two furlongs out and powered away to beat the staying-on Understudy (John & Thady Gosden/Rab Havlin) by three and a quarter lengths. Catalina Delcarpio (Paddy Twomey/Billy Lee) led briefly before the winner took over and kept on at one pace for third, another half length away.

This was a 95th Royal Ascot win for O’Brien, whose century could be imminent, while this was also a third consecutive Ribblesdale for the trainer and Coolmore partners after Warm Heart and Port Fairy in recent seasons. O’Brien said: “I was impressed with that. Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day [Blue Wind Stakes at Naas] and she improved a lot.

“She is by Saxon Warrior and, when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there – we will have to see.”

Moore said: “Garden Of Eden was very impressive. She has been gradually improving. Aidan kept saying every time she steps up, she will get better. We went a hard pace and got a bit detached.

“She kind of dropped the bridle and ran in snatches. Billy sneaked down the inside but, when I asked her to quicken, Garden Of Eden quickened very well. Just typical Aidan – he keeps making them better.”

King George V Handicap

MERCHANT (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) produced a strong late run to take the King George V Stakes, giving owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing a fifth win in the contest.

Merchant was a warm favourite at 3/1 having received an entry for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes here next month.

Held up behind the strong pace, the son of Teofilo finished with a flourish to beat Serious Contender (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) by a length. The first two emerged from the outside stalls in 20 and 21, adding to the fine record of high-drawn horses in course and distance handicaps.

Haggas said: “A lot of people don’t understand what trainers go through. Yesterday the horse coughed 10 times at exercise - never coughed before. Then the seeds of doubt come in; are we doing the right thing, do I tell Harry [Herbert]? Yes, we are doing the right thing, we must run, and the horse is fine.

“Then going into the saddling box, he slipped just as he was going in. He then held his left-hind all through saddling, so we went out and trotted him up twice. He seemed alright, but I said to Tom if you’re not happy with him at the start, take him out. We couldn’t tell anyone; we’ve got 50 people here. It is not all plain sailing, so when they win, it is absolutely fantastic.”

Day three comment

IT wasn’t to be for Illinois in the Gold Cup on Thursday with the heir apparent to Kyprios’s mantle failing to lay a glove on the relentless Trawlerman, but Aidan O’Brien still came out of Thursday smelling of roses thanks to wins in the Norfolk Stakes and the Ribblesdale to edge closer to the holy grail of 100 Royal Ascot wins, a reward that this week may yet bring given the strength of his team.

Trawlerman broke Rite Of Passage’s record for the Gold Cup on ground Timeform called firm, but Charles Darwin looked something out of the ordinary in the Norfolk, only just failing to match his sire’s time for that race, with No Nay Never’s rapid 58.8 seconds remaining the target for others to aim at. Faster than all his rivals over the first half-furlong, Charles Darwin went fast early but within his comfort zone, and when he was challenged at half-way, Ryan Moore asked him to go again and he quickly put his race to bed in the style of a horse who will be just as good, if not better, when tackling another furlong, as Moore reported afterwards.

Fast juveniles don’t always retain their form after Ascot, but this colt looks an exception, and No Nay Never certainly stamps his stock, who tend to be powerfully built and well-grown as two-year-olds. True Love, the Queen Mary winner, is also in that mould, and it certainly helps their chances of progressing again in the second half of the season.

With Gstaad looking like he will improve for seven furlongs after his impressive Coventry win, O’Brien has another very exciting team of juveniles, and that is not considering how good Albert Einstein might be. The Marble Hill Stakes winner was reportedly considered head and shoulders above his contemporaries this spring (even having his name changed to reflect his status), but missed Ascot due to a setback. A slightly awkward interview with Matt Chapman on ITV failed to elicit a definitive pecking order from O’Brien after the Norfolk but working that out must be a wonderful conundrum to be faced with.