Review: Saturday at Royal Ascot including replays and reaction

Double Rush (5/1) maintained his rapid progression since joining Andrew Balding from Charlie Hills in the Wokingham Stakes.

A heavily backed winner on debut for the yard at Newmarket, he followed up at racing's headquarters despite a hike in the weights and was then put away for this historic contest.

The 28 runners were spread across the wide Ascot straight but the white and green silks, carried by Shane Foley, emerged from towards the stands' side of the group in the middle and burst clear.

Completely Random and Ryan Moore flew home but ran out of room. Soldier's Tree was third and Far Above Dream fourth.

Double Rush will surely now be stepped up to pattern company and holds an entry for the Group One July Cup at Newmarket.

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The winning trainer said: “He is a high class horse that deserves a go out of handicaps now. I’m just thrilled. He was given a very good ride as well. In fairness Charlie Hills was the first to congratulate me. He was devastated when the horse came to us as he really rated him.

“He was right, and he has been a big part of his development. I’m grateful to him, and he has been extremely sporting in the circumstances. We sort of ended up in the middle. It seems to be odd today. I would like to think wherever he was drawn he would have taken a lot of beating.

“I think Royal Ascot is important whatever race you run in. We just felt that if he couldn’t win the Wokingham that he wasn’t going to win a Group One. We know he likes Newmarket so there is every chance we will go to the July Cup with him.”

Harry Charlton said of the runner-up: “He ran huge. Ryan just felt the winner went left across him in the final furlong and it meant he had to go inside. That might have just cost him that head, but he has run huge and there are no complaints as that is the best race he has run.

“He was fifth in it last year. He likes this kind of track and a fast pace. I’m not convinced he likes running down hill in something like a Stewards’ Cup. He is in the Bunbury Cup, and that is a possibility. He is a bit of an all-weather pro for the end of the year.”

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