Danyah proves International star
Danyah gained due reward for a string of good efforts when just holding off Star Of Orion to win the Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot.
The Owen Burrows-trained four-year-old had been placed in three big handicaps this season, including when second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes last time out.
Having travelled strongly to hit the front well over two furlongs out for William Buick, Danyah had to be game as the challengers mounted up.
It was Star Of Orion who got closest for Laura Pearson and Ralph Beckett – but even in receipt of lumps of weight, he could not get by.
“Watching it live, I thought he’d been done again, and it wasn’t until I saw the replay that I thought we’d won,” said Burrows. “He travelled so well. It was not the plan to make it – but it was a concern that there was not a lot of pace around us.
“These handicaps clearly suit him – and while he’ll be rated high enough to go for a Listed or Group Three now, they won’t be run to suit him. He goes on any ground, I’d been eyeing the Balmoral (on Champions Day), because he handles plenty of cut, and I was actually a bit worried the rain hadn’t come today.”
Zain claims thrilling win
Zain Claudette claimed the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes in the very last stride.
Desert Dreamer looked set to register a richly-deserved big-race win when hitting the front inside the distance.
However Ray Dawson conjured a fine charge from the Ismael Mohammed-trained winner and crucially the 15/2 chance had her head down at the line to snatch it by a nose.
The winning trainer said: “She’s a lovely filly and is doing very well. She worked very well last week. With each of her runs, she is improving. She’s had three runs, a second and two wins.
“We’re planning to go for some big races with her now – she’s already won a Group Three, so we’ll be looking higher than that.”
Guru compensation for Murphy
After an agonising near-miss in the Princess Margaret, champion jockey Oisin Murphy registered another winner in what is proving to be a red-hot spell when Guru got up late in the Porsche Handicap.
Without a win since his debut, the John and Thady Gosden-trained three-year-old had run well on his last start at the track behind Isla Kai, a non-runner on this occasion because the ground was too quick.
Sent off a 7-2 chance, he caught Marsabit in the final strides to win by a short head.
John Gosden said: “He’d lost his way a bit but has come back very well and was a bit unlucky the other day. They went no pace today and I liked the way he had to get into the race from a long way out. He’ll get 10 furlongs in time but a strongly-run mile is what he wants now.”
When the Cambridgeshire was suggested as a possible target, Gosden replied: “You can say that – but I can’t, because the minute I do, he’d go up another 5lb!”
Science strikes for Godolphin
New Science swooped late to take Listed honours in the Pat Eddery Stakes, the opening event on King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes day at Ascot.
Charlie Appleby’s colt was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the seven-furlong contest despite having disappointed when only seventh in the Chesham Stakes at the Royal meeting last month.
William Buick kept New Science well covered in the early stages, with just Nurseclaire behind him as Mr McCann set a steady gallop through the first half of the race.
Angel Bleu was the first to make his move in earnest, with a couple of furlongs to run, but Buick was tracking him on New Science – and once he gave him the signal inside the final furlong, New Science pulled clear to triumph by a length.
Angel Bleu drifted slightly across the track at the finish, but still held on to second.
Appleby was a notable absentee from the winner’s enclosure as the Godolphin handler is having to self-isolate after being pinged by the Covid-19 app.
Assistant trainer Alex Merriam said: “That was very pleasing. He pleased us the first day at Yarmouth, which turned out to be a half-decent race (Chesham runner-up Reach For the Stars in second), and then he obviously just didn’t handle the ground at Royal Ascot. I think it was as simple as that – we’ve just written that one off. Will said on the way to the start he knew he wasn’t handling it.
“He jumped nicely here, travelled well – and I’ve just spoken to Charlie, who said we’ll be looking to step him up in grade now. Something like the Solario could be a possibility. His pedigree screams a mile – it’s a staying pedigree, but the way Will rode him there, he said to stick to seven for the time being.”
