Read all the reports from Royal Ascot trials day here as Stradivarius landed Sagaro Stakes victory on his seasonal return.
Stradivarius back with a win
STRADIVARIUS got the job done in workmanlike fashion on his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday.
The 4/7 favourite was held up by Frankie Dettori who had to switch his mount to the outside as the bell rang on the turn for home.
As he got in the clear John & Thady Gosden's horse showed all his usual zest as he cruised to the front, with Ocean Wind and Nayef Road under heavy pressure towards the far rail.
Those two opponents dug in to make a race of it and Stradivarius didn't lengthen clear, but he was always doing enough and connections will be pleased with a length win on his seasonal comeback.
Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook both trimmed the winner to 6/4 from 7/4 for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.
The son of Sea The Stars will be going for a fourth consecutive Gold Cup as he bids to emulate the mighty Yeats.
"He's a gorgeous fun horse to be around," Gosden sr said. "To have a horse like this - [winning] four Goodwood Cups, three Ascot Gold Cups is a dream come true.
"He's still got his enthusiasm as you can see, his last two races were on bottomless ground and he didn't really like either of them.
"Obviously he likes the Gold Cup distance and he'll come straight back here for the Gold Cup, I don't see the point in going anywhere in between."
A delighted Dettori said: “These horses are what you get up for. He’s been in great form at home and he has the same old enthusiasm he has always had. I wanted to be close and didn’t want them to get away from me, but he has got a turn of foot and when I asked him to quicken, he got there too soon. He is an incredible horse.
“Bjorn [Nielsen, owner] was a little worried that he may not have the enthusiasm, but he has always had that and he’s shown me no signs that he has lost that. John has been very happy with him all winter and he has the ability to win over shorter trips than the Gold Cup.
“Yeats won four Gold Cup and people said that would never be done again, but for us, the dream is still alive!”
14:45 Ascot | Full result and free video replay
1st 6 Stradivarius (IRE) 4/7f
2nd 4 Ocean Wind 9/2
Winning Trainer: J & T Gosden | Winning Jockey: L Dettori
Oh This Is a 66/1 shock in Paradise!
OH THIS IS US landed a 66/1 stunner in the Listed Charlie Waller Trust Paradise Stakes under Tom Marquand on the same card.
Stradivarius' stablemate Haqeeqy was sent off the 5/4 favourite following his impressive Lincoln success but he was never happy on the wide outside under Jim Crowley and finished out of the places.
Prince Eiji hit the front with a furlong to go and looked likely to edge a tight battle, but the eight-year-old Oh This Is Us finished best of all to scrape in at huge odds for Richard Hannon.
Sir Busker was third under Oisin Murphy.
15:55 Ascot | Full result and free video replay
1st 5 Oh This Is Us (IRE) 66/1
2nd 6 Prince Eiji 8/1
3rd 8 Sir Busker (IRE) 5/1
Winning Trainer: R Hannon Winning Jockey: Tom Marquand
Rohaan takes advantage in Pavilion
ROHAAN landed a 22/1 shock under Ryan Moore in the QIPCO British Champions Series horseracinghof.com Pavilion Stakes as hot favourite Supremacy flopped badly.
Clive Cox's son of Mehmas was sent off the 10/11 favourite on the back of an excellent juvenile campaign that culminated in Group One Middle Park glory last September.
That was the last time he was seen on the track and Cox warned beforehand that his horse would need the run, but he was beaten at a very early stage here and finished last of the eight runners.
Both Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power pushed him out to 12/1 from 4/1 and 9/2 for the Commonwealth Cup.
This was a trial for the Royal Ascot contest but the winner, Rohaan, isn't in that race at this stage with David Evans taking a pop at this contest following a fifth in a Newmarket handicap last time out.
He stayed on best of all for the surprising win, getting the better of Saint Lawrence who had looked the likely winner deep into the contest until the winner's late flourish.
Moore said: “Rohaan has a lovely turn of foot. Dave (Evans) has done some great work with him.
“I think a level track helps him, and he’s been in great form all year and he has a super attitude. The race fell right for him, and I think he will get seven furlongs.
“That was the third time I have ridden him, and he is a very honest horse who has a good turn of foot. The strongly-run race suited him, and he gets this six furlongs well.
“I didn’t think we’d beat an in-form Supremacy. I think he is a good horse – but for whatever reason, he wasn’t running his race at halfway.
“My horse was in good shape, and fair play to Dave and the owners for putting him in here – he got his just rewards.
“Rohaan in the Commonwealth Cup would not be crazy on today’s performance. But the rain just helped on the good ground. It helped take the sting out of the ground.”
Trainer Cox could offer no excuses for the favourite’s run, and said: “I’m going to check on Supremacy. Nothing is obvious at all.
“This is easier ground than we have run on before with this rain, but I’m searching for excuses myself.
“I’m just a bit surprised, because he was first beat. I’ll be disappointed if something doesn’t show, but I’m not aware of it right now.”
15:20 Ascot | Full result and free video replay
1st 7 Rohaan (IRE) 22/1
2nd 8 Saint Lawrence (IRE) 7/2
3rd 9 Spycatcher (IRE) 12/1
Winning Trainer: P D Evans | Winning Jockey: R L Moore
Creative result for Appleby
CREATIVE FLAIR justified 9/4 favouritism in the Naas Racecourse Royal Ascot Trials Day British EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday.
Charlie Appleby's daughter of Dubawi got her three-year-old career off to a winning start with a comfortable victory in the hands of William Buick.
Her two-year-old form had a solid look to it in this company as she beat Fred Darling runner-up Statement when last seen at Sandown last August and she handled the step up in trip to a mile well.
Auria stayed on well for Andrew Balding to fill the runner-up spot while William Haggas' Ready To Venture wasn't far away in third.
"There's a lot to come from her," Buick said. "It was her first run of the year and naturally she'll improve from it. It was a very good performance she's got a nice stride.
"She was there to be shot at and she beat some smart fillies in behind."
14:10 Ascot | Full result and free video replay
1st 2 Creative Flair (IRE) 9/4f
2nd 1 Auria 8/1
Winning Trainer: C Appleby | Winning Jockey: W Buick
Chipotle sees off The Gatekeeper
CHIPOTLE ground out victory in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial Conditions Stakes for Eve Johnson Houghton.
The Havana Gold colt won the Brocklesby at Doncaster on the first day of the campaign and supplemented that win at Ascot by getting the better of Musselburgh winner The Gatekeeper following a good battle.
The pair pulled clear of the two newcomers with Chipotle prevailing by a length.
13:35 Ascot | Full Result and free video replay
1st 1 Chipotle 6/5
Winning Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton | Winning Jockey: Charles Bishop