Royal Ascot reports: Review of Saturday's action
Wonderful Hardwicke winner
Wonderful Tonight was a stylish winner of the Hardwicke Stakes on her seasonal reappearance.
It represented a fantastic training performance from David Menuisier, his filly travelling on the bridle for much of the contest under William Buick. She picked up too, putting the race to bed with a great turn of foot two out.
Her exertions began to take a toll inside the distance as Broome came from the rear of the field with his run but the leader wasn't for catching, holding on by a length.
Hukum ran well in third.
Buick said: “She’s got a turn of foot and a lot of stamina as well. I rode her on Champions Day like a stayer as she won in France over a mile and six furlongs, so I made plenty of use of her.
“First time out today I took a lead, she dropped her head after a couple of furlongs and she really took me by surprise, she’s a very classy filly.
“She does everything right, David had her in tip-top shape today and it’s great for Chris Wright (owner) as well. I think David will work back from the Arc.”
Wonderful Tonight is 12/1 from 25s with Betfair and Paddy Power for the King George back here next month and the same price for the Arc. Sky Bet are 10/1 for both races.
Menuisier said: “She keep on amazing me this filly, she is only 85 per cent fit today and you can tell that she will improve, but she runs her heart out and I’m so proud of her – I have no words to describe her.
"It means the world to have my first winner here. You carry the monkey on your back until you do it, I’m absolutely thrilled. I’m thrilled Her Majesty was here to see Wonderful Tonight!”
He added: “She’s in all the big races and she will go wherever the ground is the softest. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the King George, the Yorkshire Oaks – anywhere where there is a good downpour – and hopefully end up in the Arc.”
15:40 Royal Ascot Full result and FREE video replay
1 15 Wonderful Tonight (FR) 5/1
2 2 Broome (IRE) 9/4 f
3 5 Hukum (IRE) 8/1
Winning Trainer: D Menuisier. Winning Jockey: W Buick
Godolphin dominate the Jersey
Creative Force led home a Godolphin one-two in the Jersey Stakes.
It was slow-motion stuff inside the distance with the two principals having led the groups down the centre and stands' side respectively throughout.
The winner, wearing the distinguishing white cap under James Doyle, wandered around as he tired but he was always doing enough to score by a length-and-a-quarter.
Winning trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Both were in great order so full credit to the team. I worked them together 10 days ago and I did say to my assistants that we didn’t want to do that again as they are both very genuine and it was a stronger piece than I wanted.
“William knew it was a hard choice. He said he’d do what he ended up doing, but he knew he might be teeing it up for Creative Force. We’d have liked to have split them, but stepping up in trip could bring out improvement in the winner on his pedigree.
“We could look at the Prix Maurice de Gheest, for both really, although I’d rather not keep running them against each other.”
15:05 Royal Ascot Full result and FREE video replay
1 4 Creative Force (IRE) 5/1 j
2 12 Naval Crown 5/1 j
3 19 Vadream 28/1
Winning Trainer: C Appleby. Winning Jockey: James Doyle
Lonsdale lands Chesham gamble
The well-backed 10/11 favourite Point Lonsdale wore down long-time leader Reach For The Moon to win an attritional renewal of the Chesham Stakes.
The Queen was in attendance and she owns the runner-up who made a bold bid to make all under Frankie Dettori.
For a long time he looked like doing it too but Ryan Moore galvanised the winner inside the distance and he got on top in the final strides to win by three-quarters-of-a-length.
The front two pulled nicely clear of Great Max in third.
Moore told ITV Racing: “He’s typical of the Galileo family. He’s green still, he’s still learning but he was very efficient in these conditions. He’s doing this through pure class. He doesn’t need this ground, he just handles it. He’s got plenty of heart.”
O’Brien said: “He was very brave, it was only his second start. He more or less made the running on his debut so he didn’t learn too much. It was nice he got a little lead today. He fought well, but the first two pulled clear so they are probably good colts. He’s full of Galileo, his head goes down and out when you ask him, so we’re delighted.
“He’s very smart. For a horse bred to be a middle-distance horse he’s always shown a lot of speed. He might got to the Curragh for the Futurity and the National Stakes and then the Dewhurst, all those types of races.”
Sky Bet make the winner 12s from 14s for next year's QIPCO 2000 Guineas and 7/1 for the Cazoo Derby. Betfair and Paddy Power are 16/1 for the Guineas and 20/1 the Derby.
Sky Bet Head of Sports PR Michael Shinners said: "Despite looking green Point Lonsdale kept his unbeaten record in tact. He is clearly very talented and if will be interesting to see where he goes from here."
Thady Gosden said of the runner-up: “It was a great run and we’re really happy with him. That was only his second career run, he is still very inexperienced. I think Reach For The Moon and the winner Point Lonsdale got lonely in front, but they both ran on well and look two nice prospects.
“Obviously our lad handled the ground, but he would also prefer better ground in the future – he is one to look forward to.”
14:30 Royal Ascot Full result and FREE video replay
1 4 Point Lonsdale (IRE) 10/11 f
2 5 Reach For The Moon 11/1
31 Great Max (IRE) 15/2
Winning Trainer: A P O'Brien. Winning Jockey: R L Moore
Famous five for Murphy
Oisin Murphy confirmed himself as top jockey at Royal Ascot with a fifth winner of the week aboard Foxes Tales in the Golden Gate Handicap.
Andrew Balding enjoyed a fine week himself and his charge here came from last to first with a terrific burst of speed at the two furlong marker.
He gave his backers a scare when drifting violently to his left inside the distance but was clear and in control at the time.
He went on to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Visualisation.
Murphy said: “It was an interesting race. He jumped well, but wouldn’t go and I was last. I decided to follow James Doyle and got a lovely run down the fence. Then he wandered across the track dramatically. It’s great for King Power Racing, they put so much into the game.
Balding said: “Four winners has been fabulous, but I’m so pleased to get a winner for King Power, they have been great supporters of ours so I’m delighted for them.”
17:35 Royal Ascot Race Card
1 10 Foxes Tales (IRE) 13/2
2 4 Visualisation (IRE) 16/1
3 14 Irish Legend (IRE) 22/1
4 11 King Frankel (IRE) 4/1
Winning Trainer: A M Balding. Winning Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Mullins lands finale
The concluding race of Royal Ascot 2021 went to the Willie Mullins-trained Stratum, whose victory at 4/1 in the marathon Queen Alexandra Stakes was a fourth of the week for Ryan Moore.
Mullins said: “I think he was in the position he wanted to be in and he came off the bridle just turning for home.
“I thought he’d be in the first four then and then of course Ryan just weaved his magic and it’s fantastic to have someone like him when we bring these horses over.”
18:10 Royal Ascot Full Result and FREE video replay
1 14 Stratum 4/1
2 6 Calling The Wind (IRE) 40/1
3 15 The Grand Visir 17/2
Winning Trainer: W P Mullins. Winning Jockey: R L Moore
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