Queen’s Vase (Group 2)

IT’S been rather a mixed meeting for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, but you can never count that powerful combination out. After a whitewash of his four runners in the Commonwealth Cup, O’Brien bounced back with a deeply impressive winner in the shape of Santiago, who was steered wide of trouble on the home bend. The son of Authorized powered clear to beat Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) by two and three-quarter lengths, with a yawning gap back to Al Dabaran (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Born With Pride.

The winner had landed a maiden auction race on the last of his three starts as a juvenile, but has clearly improved enormously for the break and the sharp increase in distance, this win throwing down a big market for the St Leger. It also points towards the chances of English King in the Derby, given how well the horse he slammed at Lingfield ran here.

Rest of the card

THE opening race of the day was one of the new additions, and saw Tim Easterby’s Art Power look in a different league to his rivals, much as the betting suggested. A son of Dark Angel out of Evening Time, who was a smart sprinter for Kevin Prendergast, Art Power looked high-class when winning novices at York and Newcastle by wide margins, and he was able to run off the mark he’d been allocated prior to the later win early this month.

It was no surprise to see Art Power dominate the market with Easterby preferring this to stepping his colt straight into group company, and those who backed him into 6/4 favourite had not a moment’s worry once the field had settled down.

Silvestre de Sousa did not have to ask any serious questions to pull three and a half lengths clear of Keep Busy and Dancin Inthestreet. This seemed sure to be a competitive handicap when it was mooted as an addition to the meeting, but ended in a bloodless win, and only three horses started in single figures, eventually finishing in the order the market expected.

Machine

Tim Easterby, speaking from home, said: “He’s a machine. He’s still an inexperienced horse and he could do with some more experience before taking on those big guns. We had in our minds after Newcastle this race was the race for him. He’s just a natural. He doesn’t pull or anything – he just does everything right. He reminds me of Pipalong in that he’s a very clean-winded horse and a complete natural.”

The trainer nominated a possible clash with Battaash in the King George V Stakes at Goodwood and/or the Nunthorpe at York as potential targets for his new superstar.

Doyle’s first success

The last race saw a great result for Hollie Doyle who claimed her first Royal Ascot success after a fine ride on Scarlet Dragon in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.

Doyle had to weave her way through the pack on the 33/1 shot, who was able to overcome Deja and favourite West End Charmer.

Trainer Alan King had an excellent Royal Ascot with two wins and a second.

Doyle said: “He’s a strong traveller and you need that sort of horse underneath you to do those kind of manoeuvres, especially at this track. I was lucky.”