Docklands edges out Rosallion in the Queen Anne

Eustace working back from QEII date with Queen Anne hero Docklands

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Mon June 23, 2025 · 6M ago

Harry Eustace will plot a path back from British Champions Day with Docklands who provided the trainer with one of two Royal Ascot winners last week.

Course specialist Docklands gave Eustace the perfect start to proceedings when landing the opening Queen Anne Stakes on day one, getting the better of Rosallion in a photo finish, and a return to Ascot later in the season would appear to be a priority, although a trip to France could be in the office before then.

Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, the trainer said: "Docklands seems to have come out of winning the Queen Anne well. He’s back and being ridden, and in all likelihood, he’ll go to France for the Prix Jacques Le Marois in August. He obviously thrives over the straight mile, so Deauville ought to suit him, and we’ll be building him up for a tilt at that.

“The obvious target beyond the Marois would be to head back to Ascot for the QEII on Champions Day. He does take his racing notably well, though, so there may be other races in between Deauville and Ascot for him.

“Having landed the Queen Anne, he obviously earned a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile. That race wouldn’t look to be his ideal conditions, but we’ll have a chat with Terry (Henderson, Director of OTI Racing) and see how we feel about a trip to the US."

'The stuff of dreams'

Eustace doubled up at Ascot courtesy of Time For Sandals' surprise victory in the Commonwealth Cup.

He said of the filly: "Her victory in the Commonwealth Cup made last week the stuff of dreams and she’s come out of the race super as well. There was chat about going for the July Cup after Ascot, but we deliberately didn’t enter her for that. We thought backing up for it might be a bit too much for a three-year-old filly after such a big performance.

“I would think that the Flying Five at the Curragh or the Nunthorpe will be likely options, and the Haydock Sprint Cup would be something worth considering too. She obviously relished the quick ground at Ascot, which ought to be harder to find the longer the year goes on. No concrete plans have been made for her yet, but there should be plenty of nice targets to look forward to."

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There was almost a superb treble landed as the Eustace-trained La Botte was a slightly unlucky second in the Britannia Stakes. Australian targets now await the promising three-year-old.

Eustace said: “La Botte has also come out of Ascot well. The Britannia had been the plan for a while, and of course it was a disappointment to see him get beat, but he ran his heart out and we couldn’t have asked for more from him. In all likelihood he’ll be aimed at an Australian spring campaign, so he’s probably set for a bit of a mid-season break now.

“Before going Down Under, he’ll probably have a run over seven furlongs or a mile, which we’ll firm up nearer the time. We’d be looking at something like the Group One pair of the Epsom Handicap and Golden Eagle, but again, those plans are fairly fluid at the moment, and he’s set for a break now.”

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