John Gosden's Coronet edged out favourite Mori to win a thrilling renewal of the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Check out our race report, reaction from connections and free video replay.
15.40 Royal Ascot - Ribblesdale Stakes
1st Coronet 9/1
2nd Mori 2/1 favourite
3rd Hertford Dancer 16/1
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Report
Olivier Peslier delivered Coronet with a perfectly timed challenge to win the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Silvestre de Sousa ensured that the Group Two was run at a furious pace sending The Sky Is Blazing into a lead of around 10 lengths.
The pair were still around seven lengths clear turning for home but the leader began to tie up as she straightened for home and she was soon passed by Hertford Dancer.
The Lingfield Oaks Trial heroine, trained like the winner by John Gosden, quickened impressively to take several lengths out of the field but Coronet and market leaders Alluringly and Mori, a daughter of the top class duo Frankel and Midday, began to claw back the advantage.
Alluringly's run flattened out but Coronet and Mori ran on stride for stride with Peslier's filly, a daughter of Godolphin stallion Dubawi, edging her rival by a neck with the pair pulling a length clear of the third.
There was drama further back in the field as the saddle slipped on the free running Naughty Or Nice, leaving Declan McDonogh to effectively pull up the Irish raider.
Reaction
Olivier Peslier: "It was a good gallop, which was a big help for me. After the last corner, I didn't really have the gap to come. I just let the filly come slowly, I didn't want to push her too hard.
"John did say the filly takes a bit of time, but when she comes she comes home well. That is why I didn't panic, I took a bit of time and came late."
John Gosden was pleased with the performances of both the first and third, saying: "That was great. There was a strong pace and it was a great test of a mile and a half.
"I thought Hertford Dancer had the race won. She'd been close enough to the pace, but she ran a great race and was ridden well.
"I told Olivier his filly would come on strong late. I thought Mori was going to win and then Olivier came and grabbed her.
"It was a great run from Coronet. She ran in the Oaks and liked the uphill but not the downhill. It was a high-class race today.
"We've got some very nice fillies. Enable will go for the Irish Oaks then the Yorkshire Oaks. She [Coronet] will get further than a mile and a half. The owner is quite game but I'll have to discuss it with him.
"I'll put her in the Park Hill Stakes and the other one (St Leger), but I will talk to the owner first."
Sir Michael Stoute said of Mori: "She took a big step forward and ran a big, big race. At the end of the day, she had every chance and that more experienced filly (Coronet) just found a little more than we did.
"It would have been nicer to win, but I'm delighted with her. I think we'll leave her at that trip for now. We brought her up to a mile and a half today, we were confident that she'd get the trip and she did."
