<>Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes (Handicap)
CONFUSION reigned in the aftermath of the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap when Bacio went from looking like one of the most impressive winners of the week to then appearing almost certain to lose the race after his rider initially weighed in light.
However, following an inquiry, a dropped overgirth in the winner’s enclosure was found to have been the cause of 20-time Grade 1-winning jockey Juan Hernandez weighing in 1lb light, and he was confirmed the winner after a brief period of major uncertainty.
Wesley Ward was then able to really celebrate his first Royal Ascot winner in five years, and he did it in a sprint handicap that produced a US-trained 1-2, with Wathnan Racing’s 40/1 shot Sandal’s Song (trained by George Weaver) finishing second.
It looked a tough ask for the handicapper to place a rating on last-time-out Churchill Downs winner Bacio after winning three of his four starts in the US. However, a mark of 100 proved well wide of the mark on this evidence. He turned this 28-runner affair into a procession as 3/1 favourite for an ownership group of My Racehorse, Shockley, Hanna and Messenger.
Explaining the drama that unfolded surrounding the weighing in procedure, Hernandez said: “You have to draw the weight when you come back and I dropped my overgirth. I was weighing in 1lb light. My horse was getting a little excited and we lost the girth in the first-place area. When I went to weigh in, I didn’t know I’d dropped it. The stewards checked my tack, we found the girth, I weighed in and everything was fine.
“My horse was much the best and he showed up today. Wesley did a beautiful job with him and the horse won the race after being so good out of the gate. He went beautifully all the way to the wire. I rode him the last three times, his performance was good last time and he strengthened up after his layoff.”
Such was the style in which he won from stall 31, the Maclean’s Music colt probably would have won with a fair deal more weight on his back anyway.
‘There’s more in the tank with Causeway’
King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)
CAUSEWAY (evens favourite) continued his rise from Madrid Handicap winner to Royal Ascot hero with a fifth win on the bounce in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes - leaving Ryan Moore on the cusp of his own century of winners at the Royal Meeting.
Punters seemed eager to row in behind the recent Gallinule Stakes winner all day in a race that had been billed as another chapter in the Gosdens-Aidan O’Brien series, with Water To Wine (13/8) representing the six-time British champions’ operation.
There was an ordinary showing from the Gosdens’ big hope, however, and Causeway proved the answer in his typical no-frills fashion. In a sense, it always felt inevitable that the Wootton Bassett colt would get the better of his prolonged battle with Epsom Derby eighth Ancient Egypt (10/1).
Speaking after the neck success, O’Brien said: “We stepped him up from a mile, to a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half. He’s very lazy, it’s hard to know what’s in there. Ryan said that he was toying with him and when he gets there he’s lazy.”
Moore, now on 98 Royal Ascot wins, added: “He was just doing what he had to do; I was just keeping him going to keep him interested. There’s more in the tank, I hope.”
Sandringham Stakes (Handicap)
JOSEPH O’Brien brought his 2026 Royal Ascot tally to five winners in four days when the well-backed Green Carrera (8/1 from a morning price of 20/1) essentially came home alone down the stand’s side rail in the Sandringham Stakes.
Mickael Barzalona, sporting the colours of a partnership involving Rancho Temescal, Farfellow Farm and Chivalry, could be spotted from some way out travelling noticeably strong from a long way out.
The Lope De Vega filly, who was purchased privately from Simon Munir and Isaac Souede following her previous win at the Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend, had two lengths to spare over her rivals, with Donnacha O’Brien’s Glyfada (7/2 joint-favourite) best of the remainder from an Irish perspective in fifth. O’Brien said: “She has a big kick, and used it in the Curragh on her last two runs. She ran very big and today we were keen that she relaxed. Mickael gave her a super ride, she had a great set up. I’m delighted for the guys, they’ve obviously just bought her recently from Simon and Isaac and they’ll be delighted, as we all are today.
“She got a dream run up the rail. I think if Dylan [Browne McMonagle] could have made the weight [8st 8lb], he probably would have chosen her, but it’s very hard choosing in these races.”