Race 1 — Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap (3yo) 5f, 21 ran: Art Power earned himself a shot at a Group 1 contest after comfortably winning Day 4’s opening Palace of Holyroodhouse by three-and-a-quarter lengths from Keep Busy, the mount of Cieren Fallon. Despite being a 21-runner handicap for three-year-olds, the contest turned into a procession as the red-hot 6/4 favourite came home a hugely impressive winner. The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stales at York on August 24 is the target for the horse that was providing trainer Tim Easterby a sixth Royal Ascot win and a seventh for jockey Silvestre de Sousa.
Image Credit: AFP
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Race 2 — Albany Stakes (2yo) 6f, 14 ran: Trainer Karl Burke has an eye on next season’s 1000 Guineas following Dandalla’s impressive six-length victory over her rivals in the Group 3 Albany Stakes over six furlongs. With Ben Curtis letting his filly do her thing, the pair screamed home from Setarhe, the 11/4 favourite ridden by Andrea Atzeni, with Ryan Moore’s Irish raider Mother Earth a neck back in third. Dandalla was introduced as a 16/1 chance for the 2021 1000 Guineas with bookmakers. It was a first Royal Ascot win for Ben Curtis who said: “It is on every jockey’s to-do list. I have been coming down to Royal Ascot for a good while now and not really getting involved, so finally to get a winner is unbelievable.”
Image Credit: Reuters
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Race 3 — Norfolk Stakes (2yo) 5f, 12 ran: Champion jockey Oisin Murphy was at his beast aboard The Lir Jet in whom he found a willing partner to mow down American raider Golden Pal, the mount of Andrea Atzeni, in the Norfolk. It was a second Royal Ascot winner of the week for Murphy aboard the Michael Bell-trained juvenile. Imperial Force, ridden by James Doyle for trainer Andrew Balding, was four-and-a-quarter lengths back in third. Established in 1843 the race is part of the Breeders’s Cup Challenge Series as a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.
Image Credit: Reuters
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Race 4 — Hardwicke Stakes, 1m 4f, 9 ran: Trainer John Gosden looks to have another star on his hands in the form of Fanny Logan, a breathtaking winner of the Hardwicke under Frankie Dettori, riding his 70th Royal Ascot winner, 30 years after his first, Mark of Estee. Fourth behind Iridessa in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last season, the daughter of Sea The Stars revelled in the soft ground for a two-and-a-half-length victory over 40/1 outsider Alounak with the 6/1 Defoe back in third. It was a 54th Royal success for John Gosden and fifth of the week.
Image Credit: Reuters
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Race 5 — Commonwealth Cup (3yo), 6f, 16 ran: A big moment for Adam Kirby and Clive Cox after Golden Horde showed herself to be a top sprinter in the making when streaking home a compelling winner of the Commonwealth Cup. Run over six furlongs, it is the only Group 1 flat race in the UK exclusively for three-year-olds and the first age-restricted Group 1 race which is open to geldings in Europe. Kimari battled on well for second but could not catch the winner while 50/1 shot Ventura Rebel delivered a strong effort to finish third. In fourth place was rank outsider Royal Commando who secured fourth place ahead of front-runner Millisle.
Image Credit: Reuters
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Race 6 — The Queen’s Vase, 1m 6f, 8 ran: It’s been a rather quiet week by their normally high standards for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, but they came good when it mattered to win the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs with Santiago, who has now stormed into next month’s Epsom Derby picture. Trainer Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Rocco, who ran a big race when second to English King in the Lingfield Derby Trial earlier this year, finished best of the rest under Oisin Murphy, two-and-a-quarter lengths behind with Godolphin’s Al Dabaran a long way back in third. The Queen’s Vase is one of three perpetual trophies at the meeting, along with the Royal Hunt Cup and the Gold Cup, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners.
Image Credit: Reuters
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Race 7 — Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, 1m 4f, 14 ran: Hollie Doyle continued her fine season with a career-first Royal Ascot winner aboard 33/1 outsider Scarlet Dragon, who won the concluding Duke of Edinburgh Stakes on Day 4 at the meeting. Deja finished runner-up, with the 4/1 favourite West End Charmer third. Alan King’s galloper was without a win on the flat since 2016 and below form in a couple of all-weather starts this winter, but showed he is not short of ability under a good ride by Doyle.
Image Credit: AFP
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