The big race of Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, the Gold Cup (Gr1), went to the hot favourite Order of St George.
The race was led at a good pace by Mille et Mille, who still had the lead 300m out. However, last year’s Irish St Leger Stakes winner came bearing down on the French horse, giving him no chance. Mezzo and Sheikhzayedroad took second and third places respectively, while the courageous Mille et Mille kept fourth place.
Jockey Ryan Moore said: “He’s a class horse and class horses win races. He picked up very well and after two and a half miles, he was pouring it on at the end.”
Part-owner Michael Tabor added: “It looked a rough race to me, they all bunched up and he’s a special horse.”
Aidan O’Brien, who won his seventh Ascot Gold Cup yesterday, said, “I’m delighted for the lads. Ryan relaxed him lovely and he rode him well. It was a little bit messy and rough and because he had never run over the trip before, Ryan had to put him to sleep. He’s a horse that loves racing.”
The Norfolk Stakes (Gr2) favoured the stands’ side of the track, as the first three home in the race for two-year-olds began from stalls 10, 8 and 11. The winner, Prince of Lir, seemed to be threatened momentarily by The Last Lion and Silver Line, but the brave colt found again to take the measure of his two rivals.
Hawkbill, carrying the colours of Godolphin, dominated in the Tercentenary Stakes (Gr3). The colt followed his leader, Race Day, and easily pulled away in the straight. Godolphin had the double, as Prize Money was second, in front of Long Island Sound, whose unbeaten run came to an end. The win was Godolphin’s fourth of the meeting.
Charlie Appleby, the winning trainer, said: “We always knew he was a nice horse, and it was a great ride by William Buick. Both myself and Saeed needed pace and Marin Lane did a fantastic job on the pacemaker. William was confident and he is a horse we feel will get a mile and a half. I said the best way to ride him was to ride him like the best horse in the race. Turning for home, I know they were travelling well in behind but he was travelling supremely well and he galloped all the way to the line, which he showed he can do at Newmarket. I’m delighted to get a winner on the board. Full credit to the team at home, they’ve done a great job in keeping him cool. We’ll get back and regroup, he’s growing up all the time and is not a horse I’d want to keep going to the well with too often.”
Even Song emerged as the winner of a tactical Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr2), which was run at an uneven pace. Ridden in sixth position, the filly made her effort down the centre of the track and won over Ajman Princess, who travelled up with the leaders. The Black Princess finished strongly on the outside to snatch third place.
O’Brien was delighted that the decision to bypass the Investec Oaks and coming straight to Ascot had paid off.
He said: “It’s unbelievable. She’s a lovely filly. Ryan rode her at Newmarket in the Pretty Polly and thought she was the second best filly so we decided to leave her and come here instead of going to Epsom. It worked great and he gave her a lovely ride. When it works, it’s great and we were looking forward to seeing her run. Ryan thought after Newmarket she would get a mile and a half well and handle ease in the ground well, and it all worked lovely for her. I thought she won snugly enough on the line. We were thinking we might go back to the Irish Oaks if all went well here, so that’s what we might do.”


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