Hey Jonesy and jockey Kevin Stott
Hey Jonesy and jockey Kevin Stott

Royal Ascot review: More from Saturday's card where Kevin Stott rode a double


Latest news from this afternoon's meeting at Royal Ascot where Kevin Ryan and Kevin Stott combined for a six-furlong double.

Dream double for Ryan and Stott

Click the image to watch the free video replay
Click the image to watch the free video replay

Hey Jonesy (18/1) completed a 94/1 sprint double for trainer Kevin Ryan and jockey Kevin Stott as he clung on to win the Wokingham.

Less than an hour had passed since the two combined to land the Diamond Jubilee with Hello Youmzain, and it was again a tight finish here as Stott's mount looked for the line.

With Summerghand (15/2) flying it was nip and tuck and they flashed past together, before it was confirmed that Stott's mount had held on to take him from Royal Ascot maiden to two-time winner in the space of two races.

Spanish City (16/1) and Gulliver (12/1) followed the runner-up down the stands' side to fill the places ahead of Silent Echo in fifth.

"Kevin said ride him with loads of confidence," said Stott. "I thought there's no point coming across. He loves the ground. He's one of them character, he needs a bit of help - putting the blinkers on and encouraging him to do his best did the trick.

"You can't describe it at all. It's just amazing."

Adam Ryan, assistant to his father, said: "For whatever reason the last sort of six months he hasn't clicked, but he came back sound after Tuesday (having finished down the field in the Buckingham Palace Handicap) and we thought running quickly might spark him back to life.

"Kevin gave him a positive ride and it's worked. It was tough watching the final furlong with them closing on him.

"He had some class form as a two-year-old and it's all about catching him right.

"We won't ever forget this last half hour, that's for sure. The last few months have been tough for everyone, but there were no complaints from the staff - this is down to them.

"This is the only day I've been down all week so I got the right day!"

He added: "We have full faith in Kevin we always have, and he's getting better with experience and confidence. The owners are happy to have him and he's an integral part of the team."

Fellowes strikes again with Chief

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Click the image to watch the free video replay

Chiefofchiefs benefited from a drop in trip to land the Silver Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot and strike for the first time since January 2019.

Having been campaigned over seven furlongs and a mile, connections felt this consolation race for the Wokingham later on the card was the right race to try six furlongs.

They were proved right, as the seven-year-old came with a strong late run to hit the front in the closing stages and give trainer Charlie Fellowes his second winner of the week after Onassis in the Sandringham Stakes.

William Buick bided his time on Chiefofchiefs (20/1), as Vintage Brut set the pace. Nahaarr took over and set sail for home, but he was collared in the last 100 yards.

Chiefofchiefs was in control at the finish to score by a length and quarter, with Burmese Waltz second and Nahaarr a head away in third.

Fellowes said: “That’s the worst training performance you’ll see here all week. He’s a seven-year-old yet that is the first time I’ve run him over six furlongs.

“I’ve called him every name under the sun thinking he wasn’t putting everything in, yet actually it’s all been my fault. All’s well that ends well.

A strong finish wins the Silver Wokingham for Chiefofchiefs
A strong finish wins the Silver Wokingham for Chiefofchiefs

“I’m over the moon for his owner/breeders, who only have a couple of mares. I know how much this will mean to them – we need people like them in the game and I’m over the moon for the lads in the yard to have two winners as the last few months have been tough.

“We put a visor on him in Dubai and Richard Mullen told us we were running him over the wrong trip so we brought him back to six. Also, he has some good runs at Ascot to his name, the track suits him like it does a lot of mine.”

He added: “To have three winners here in two years – I feel very lucky. We came here thinking we had two decent chances with King Ottokar and First Prophet. Those two it didn’t fall right for, but I actually had a few quid on this lad as he was 50-1 last night which was a bit insulting.”

Buick said: “It’s a stiff six furlongs and in the ground it takes a bit of getting. We went a good pace which suited, we got some nice cover and the race panned out perfectly.

“He had some smart form in the book if you looked back far enough. As long as he didn’t get outpaced early, I fancied him to run well.”

Keep it cool my son...

Click the image to watch the free video replay
Click the image to watch the free video replay

Who Dares Wins landed some big bets in the concluding Queen Alexandra, providing jockey Tom Marquand with his first Royal Ascot winner.

A Grade Two winner over fences during the winter, the eight-year-old, sent off the even-money favourite, relished every yard of the near two-mile-six-furlong trip as he held The Grand Visir in a tight finish.

It was a fitting end to a superb week for trainer Alan King, who sent five runners to Royal Ascot - and won with three of them.

One of those was ridden to victory by Hollie Doyle, Marquand's partner, who pipped him to a breakthrough success at the meeting just 24 hours earlier.

"Watching her ride the winner the other day... it just makes you want it even more," confessed Marquand.

"I rode Who Dares Wins first when I was a 5lb claimer and he's been an incredible horse all the way through.

"It's a fairytale end to the week."

The Grand Visir (11/4) took second with Mukha Magic third.

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