Saturday Ascot review, reaction and free video replays

Amazing success for Osbornes

Jamie Osborne’s vision of how the Moet & Chandon International Handicap would be run might not have gone how he thought it would in his head, but there was no complaining about the result after Amazing Journey plundered first prize.

Officially five pounds ‘well in’, the son of Starspangledbanner added to his last time out success over six furlongs at the track in the £150,000 contest.

One of two interesting three-year-olds in the race, alongside the William Haggas-trained Extremely Zain, the 4/1 chance was always travelling well in the hands of Saffie Osborne.

As early leader Sword gave way inside the two furlong pole, a whole host of runners appeared to have some kind of chance, however none appeared to be going better than Amazing Journey.

And once hitting the front, the Gallagher Bloodstock Limited-owned gelding was not for passing on his return to seven furlongs with Osborne driving her mount home by a length and a quarter from last year’s winner Two Tribes.

The winning trainer said: “I had a vision in my mind of how the race would go, but it was nothing like it. Historically he has been a little bit awkward out of the gate, but he jumped the gate really well.

“She was a lot closer to the pace than I envisaged she would be, but it didn’t look like they went a massive gallop, so she was probably in the right place. I know Saffie’s body language so well that from three down I just had no concern. I got the feeling she always had enough horse underneath her.

“When he hit the front he was a little bit awkward, but he was clear of the other horses.

"Clearly he is on the upgrade, but he had a right to win that off his mark as he was five pounds well, but I didn’t expect him to win with quite so much ease.”

Amazing Journey is likely to try and bid to make a hat-trick of wins at the Berkshire track this year with the Lambourn handler hinting at an outing at the Shergar Cup for his improving gelding.

He added: “We are going to be in the hands of the handicapper. He has won off ninety, but he is already a ninety five horse. I think he will end up being a ninety seven or ninety eight horse so he could end up coming back here for the Shergar Cup meeting, where you would imagine he would start favourite.

“Is it possible he is a stakes horse in the autumn, he might well be as he will go with dig in the ground.”

There was a little gloss taken off the victory for Osborne - who went on to complete a treble [see below] - who was suspended for two days for careless riding as the stewards found she allowed Amazing Journey 'to drift left-handed under a right-handed drive without timely correction and when insufficiently clear, causing Marquand [Tom, riding 3/1 favourite Extremely Zain] to ease his mount and lose momentum'.

Moon lands Group 3 prize

Moonrise proved her liking for Ascot with a game success in the Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes.

Second at 66/1 in the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal meeting, Moonrise was sent off at 11/2 on this step up in class and lowered the colours of some well-regarded fillies with a game success.

Dee's Funny Girl finished well under Ryan Moore from an unpromising position but ran out of racing room and was a neck down at the line; Velozee was three-quarters of a length back in third.

The winner was ridden by Oisin Murphy and trained by Andrew Balding and the latter said: “She has a tendency to be exuberant in her racing style, but luckily there was plenty of pace on.

"That was only the third start of her career and she is learning all the time, but she is a proper professional. She got a nice into it today, which I think helped, and she was strong at the end of the race as well so I was very pleased.

“She had done some pretty good work before the Windsor Castle so we were really hopeful of a big run, and she nearly did it. I would be very happy with today’s performance.

“You are always fearful until they pass the line, but that was great. She is in the Lowther and that would look to be the next logical step.

“I don’t know if we would do any travelling near the end of the year as that is a long way away, and there are plenty of nice races close to home.

Kon Tiki earns Valiant victory

Moore went one better in the Longines Valiant Stakes as Kon Tiki (7/2) finished with a wet sail to land the Group 3 prize with something to spare.

Touleen was all the rage after her unlucky in running second in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes but she lacked the same finishing kick on this occasion and finished out of the frame for William Buick.

It was left to 40/1 outsider Esna to chase the winner home with Skydance filling out the places.

The winning distances were a length and a quarter and a length.

Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam said: “That meant a lot as it is good to be on the stage here at Ascot. I thought it looked easy, but you never know until they get over the line as something could have come late.

"The way she dominated from when they rang the bell was great.

“Ryan has given her a peach of a ride. I was a little bit worried when there wasn’t much pace on, and I was a bit worried about that as Mr Harris likes them dropped in to get cover.

“She was unlucky in her last start here at Royal Ascot as she got bumped coming out of the gates, and she didn’t have a good draw, so it was hard work. She was probably the eye-catcher in making up ground. Before that she ran a great race at Goodwood, and was second to the Falmouth Stakes winner.

“We dropped her in class today to give her some confidence, and she has shown that today.

“I might take in the Atalanta under a penalty then put a sneaky entry in the Sun Chariot at the end of the year. I think she is better than a Group Three and is probably a Group Two level filly. She could probably be placed in a Group One.

“Mr Harris is at his grandson’s wedding today so I hope the bride looks pretty and the groom is happy.”

Never good enough

Never Enough appears to have a bright future in store after putting his previous experience to good use when securing a front running success in the Dentakay EBF Crocker Bulteel ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes at Ascot.

Finding only one too good on his debut at Windsor 26 days ago, the son of No Nay Never built on that experience when going one better in the six furlong contest under William Buick.

Although a shade keen early on, the 11/8 favourite was not for passing out in front with the two-time champion flat jockey steering his mount to glory by a length and a half from newcomer Izuba, who caught the eye when running on into second.

Walker said: “He was so laid back at Windsor, and he was so laid back in the prelims here, but he just pinged the gates and grabbed hold of the bit. I was worried he was doing a bit too much. Maybe he is just a bit speedier as he is bred to be quick as his dam was very quick.

“He has got that wonderful laid back attitude at home so he probably doesn’t show his speed. I thought we would use our experience, but there is a bit of a headwind, and when he was tanking along in front into the headwind I started worrying a bit.”

Although Never Enough holds an entry in Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York next month, which he was trimmed into 33/1 from 100/1 for by Paddy Power, the Lambourn handler admitted he might keep his sights lower for the time being.

Walker added: “The dam was a good two-year-old, but I think this guy has got massive scope to go on in the future. It is very important he gets black type for the mare as the mare was very good. He is the second foal out of the mare, and the first foal was disappointing.

“Will is adamant he will go further in time. I think we will keep him at six for now with the way he jumped and travelled. He is a real exciting one for the future. Whether we go into a novice with a penalty, or something better straight away, I don’t know. He is still mentally quite backward.

"I don’t think we will throw him into something smoking hot straight away. I think we might miss the Gimcrack as I think he is just too backward and is not ready for that. I think he could be a nice three-year-old, but I would like to have a crack at an autumn stakes race if he is up to that.”

I think he saw the Timeform quote this morning

The decision to spend 22,000 guineas to buy back Primo Lara proved a shrewd bit of business by Newmarket handler Chapple-Hyam following his victory in the Ascot Shop Handicap.

Having previously trained the five-year-old during his younger days, the gelded son of New Bay made his return to training with the Group One-winning handler a triumphant one in the mile and a half prize.

In a race few truly got into, the 4/1 shot was not for wanting in the stamina department after defeating Masterinthewoods by a length and a half, a victory which provided both winning rider Osborne and the triumphant trainer with their second wins on the card.

Chapple-Hyam, who also part owns the winner, said: “I’ve only had him back a short time, but he has done very well, however I knew him as a young horse. I’m glad he has come back in the yard.

“He was well fancied for the Golden Gates a few years ago, but he got injured, however he has come back strong.

“I saw him in the sale and I thought I would have him back as I believed in him. When I had him before he got up to a mark of ninety one. We will try and creep him back up.

“His brother got further so that gave me a bit of confidence for today. We were lucky to get a good draw as you need it over this trip around here in a big field.”

There was further success for the Osborne father and daughter team after Hickory returned to winning ways in the Betfred Handicap.

Having been largely out of form this season the evergreen eight-year-old left some moderate effort well behind when prevailing by half a length in the mile test.

While the win for the 10/1 chance was a second on the day for the successful trainer, it was a third on the card for his daughter as well as a third at Ascot for the eight-year-old who has also finished second and third at the course on a further four occasions.

The younger Osborne said: "We just love him, he's so cool! He's like a yard pet.

"He's quirky, there's no sort of method or reason to when he wins, I can always tell at about halfway whether it's a going day or it's not. He travelled so well I didn't think they'd gone fast enough for him and I couldn't believe it that even when we quickened he was still on the bridle.

"I think he saw the Timeform quote this morning that said he wasn't the horse he once was and I think he wanted to show them that they were wrong!

"I thought all my rides today had chances but it would have been a bit adventurous to think that three of them were going to win. I love riding at Ascot, it's a place that's been very lucky for me - apart from the Royal meeting - and this is why we do it, to ride on these big days and to have a treble on King George day is very special."

Osborne was first home on her side in the closing Whispering Angel Handicap but that was only good enough for sixth as Gina Mangan claimed the honours aboard All Ways Glamorous (8/1) for her staunch supporter Christopher Mason.

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