BRITANNIA STAKES

(HANDICAP)

MUCH was said and written about the weather and the soft ground but Ascot produced such a beautiful covering of lush turf that the horses seemed to skim over it. That was certainly the case in the fiercely competitive Britannia Stakes, one of the hottest mile handicaps of the year, where 13/2 chance Defrocked just resisted the furious late charge of 20/1 outsider Abe Lincoln. The pair were nicely clear of Chief Whip and Arcanada.

Jamie Osborne is no stranger to winning these multi-runner Ascot handicaps and in Jamie Spencer he has the perfect ally. Held up well off the pace, Defrocked threaded his way through and was being called home by many when hitting the front before the furlong pole. However, he then drifted towards the far rails and Abe Lincoln, surging down the centre of the track, all but nailed him in the last stride, failing by just a short head.

Both of the first two are lightly raced and that was the key to this fascinating puzzle. Defrocked, by Lope de Vega, was making it three wins from five outings and will surely go in again, though the handicapper will make things tricky.

“He’s an unusual horse,” Osborne said. “He has all the ability in the world but is a big child who doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’ll end up being a very good horse one day but we need to get his mind focused.”