Bow Echo gets the better of Gstaad in the St James's Palace Stakes

Bow Echo won the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot | report, reaction & replay

Horse Racing

Wed June 17, 2026 · 1M ago

Bow Echo got the better of Gstaad in a nailbiting finish to the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Bow Echo (5/6 favourite) comfortably accounted for Gstaad in the 2000 Guineas to the delight of trainer George Boughey but the runner-up had since impressed in the Irish 2000 Guineas and they faced a different scenario to Newmarket in having to race round a bend.

There was some early scrimmaging as the jockeys looked to bag their preferred spot behind Puerto Rico and Power Blue - with Ryan Moore picking up a three day ban for careless riding - who went head to head at the head of affairs but as they settled down, Talk Of New York got across to the rail to claim third, ahead of Bow Echo with Gstaad shuffled back to fifth.

Moore on Gstaad went for a brave run up the inside rounding the home turn and found space on the inside of the weakening Puerto Rico but wide on the track, Bow Echo and Billy Loughnane appeared to be travelling the better.

Talk Of New York was in between the pair but gradually wilted as the two big guns fought out the finish. Gstaad kept finding for Moore, eating into the deficit but as they passed the line there was a short-head between them.

Paddy Power left Bow Echo at 7/4 for the Sussex Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The stewards held an enquiry to consider whether Christophe Soumillon rode Puerto Rico in a manner to benefit stablemate Gstaad and, in doing so, 'caused minimal interference to Power Blue'.

They decided to suspend Soumillon for 8 days 'for riding his mount in such a way that intended to give an advantage to another horse from the same stable, in that he moved his mount away from the rail thereby ensuring a clear run for Gstaad on his inside'.

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Loughnane said: “The first furlong was crucial, but we got squeezed out early. There was five of us in a line and I slightly lost my position from there on. Bow Echo then laid up and I was trying to manage him and get him back behind the Amo Racing horse. He came back in our lap so it meant I had come out and move a little bit sooner than ideal, but his guts got him through.

“He is very determined to win this horse. He has a fantastic turn of foot with a lot of ability.

“You have to adapt from there on [after the scrimmaging at the start]. It is just a case of getting him back relaxed and trying to get him breathing again and into his rhythm. Once he found that he was powerful. There was a little bit of pressure coming here today with him being a 2000 Guineas winner that was unbeaten, but thankfully he managed to get the job done.

“He travelled very powerfully and he has got a great turn of foot. Gstaad and Ryan probably had a more economical route than we had so we probably wasted a bit of ground, but he is a very talented horse and was tough towards the business end.

“There is pressure riding a horse like him, but it is a pressure that you want. I’m very privileged to be in a position to partner him and I can’t wait for the next couple of races to come up. It is special having the family here as I drew a blank at the meeting last year so to be able to get back in the winner’s enclosure in a Group One at the biggest festival in one of the biggest races in the world is fantastic.

“There was a touch of an anxious moment as it was obviously very close, but he is a very talented horse that has guts and determination. It is a pinch yourself moment. I can’t thank George and his connections enough. They have really put faith in me to partner a horse like him and I’m very lucky.”

Boughey added: “He’s a very tough horse to do what he’s done today especially as things didn’t quite go according to plan. To show that fight late on is really what he’s all about. He’s a horse who has shown a turn of foot to get to the front and Billy probably had to move earlier that he wanted to.

“He’s still raw, he’s immature, His two-year-old career was only a short career at the back-end and he’s really learning how to race now. I think we’ll go to Goodwood, that’s the plan. It will be a big test against the older horses for the first time but we’re still learning about the horse.

“Billy might ride with him a little more restraint that today and it’s very exciting.”

Billy Loughnane celebrates Bow Echo's success at Royal Ascot

Rest of the reaction

Aidan O’Brien said of the vanquished Gstaad: “I’m delighted. Ryan gave him a great ride, but it was a little bit rough early for him. He gets it very well. He is coming forward and I’m looking forward to him.

“We knew that he was coming forward all the time. It was a little bit rough early, and Ryan was a bit further back than he wanted to be. As you saw going to the line he was closing and closing, but we are over the moon with him.

“We always thought he was a horse that would get further, and I would say we will if we ever need to step up, but he does get the mile well.

“It was a tough race and they were all holding their position everywhere and a furlong down you never say he was going to run him that close, but every stride to the line he was closing and the line just came a bit quick.

“It was always a possibility that he could go over ten furlongs at the end of the season, but you wouldn’t be afraid of going back with him over the mile again.”

Charlie Appleby said of Talk Of New York: “The betting has proven right as it was the favourite, second favourite and third favourite that finished in that order. What I take out of it is that we have a nice horse that will progress with his career. He still showed signs of inexperience there. He got a bit warm in the paddock, that didn’t really concern me, as it is a warm enough day with a hood on.

“It was a bit rough for the first furlong or two and he just ran as though he got a bit frightened amongst it. He got a bit latched on and a bit keen there. Taking that experience with him now that will hopefully toughen him up, but we are not too far off them.

“If you watch the winner and the second they have had to come from behind us, and they have not had the runs they ideally wanted, but we were lit up a bit too much for the first furlong and it has probably just told in the last one hundred yards.

“I think this horse will continue to progress.”

Royal Ascot 2026

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