Coventry Stakes (Group 2)

BRADSELL (Archie Watson/Hollie Doyle) blitzed his rivals on his debut at York and proved that was no flash in the pan with a brilliant win in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.

The 8/1 chance confirmed every bit of his Knavesmire promise by scoring by a length and a half from favourite Persian Force (Richard Hannon/Rossa Ryan), with Royal Scotsman (Paul & Oliver Cole/Jim Crowley) a neck away in third.

First and third were drawn in the lowest two stalls, but both came across to the middle of the track, complicating any thoughts of track bias.

Royal Scotsman led outright over a quarter of a mile from home, and looked to be travelling best, but was quickly tackled by Bradsell, who found everything Hollie Doyle asked, forging to the front at the two-furlong marker and staying on powerfully.

Persian Force had to work his way through runners but kept on well to deprive Royal Scotsman of second close home, with Aidan O’Brien’s Blackbeard taking fourth having been outpaced at a crucial juncture of the contest.

Successful female

Doyle was registering her third Royal Ascot winner, leapfrogging Hayley Turner as Royal Ascot’s most successful female rider. She reflected on the winning ride afterwards.

“It was an impressive performance. Bradsell got squeezed out of the gates, which was frustrating, but to begin with I thought I was drawn on the wrong side. However, once I got into a handy position on the girths of them, I knew the further I went, the better I would go.

“I have done most of his work at home and the further he goes the better, so I was not too worried that that it was a long way from home when I committed because I knew he’d keep galloping.

“His instant response surprised me, as in his gallops he is a little bit lazy, but he turns it on at the track. He hit the line hard, and I struggled to pull him up after.

“Off the back of that, the world is his oyster. He is a 12,000gns yearling and a £47,000 breeze-up buy. It just shows no matter what you pay, a good one can bring you here.”

Winning trainer Archie Watson said: “I said to my fiancée Brodie (Hampson) last night whatever wins this by daylight will be a superstar, I am delighted it is us!

“I said to Hollie before to try and get them to take you as far forward in the race as you can before you press the button. She pushed it two down and it was plenty far enough to go! He won nicely and it is just incredible.

“I’m delighted for the whole team, delighted for the owners, Victorious Racing, who bought him. It means the world to all of us.

“He has won his Group 2, he has won the best Group 2, so he’ll go to the Phoenix Stakes or the Prix Morny. If he is to run before, I should imagine it might be the Prix Robert Papin, but I am not sure he needs to do that.”

Ascot Stakes

Wolferton Stakes

Copper Horse Stakes

THE Ascot Stakes provide a first Royal Ascot win for claimer Callum Hutchinson, who steered Chester Cup runner-up Coltrane (Andrew Balding) to a gutsy win after the pair had to muscle their way out of trouble early in the straight, beating fancied Irish pair Bring On The Night and Arcadian Sunrise.

His conqueror at Chester, Cleveland, had to settle for second in the finale, where Danny Tudhope landed the second leg of a double aboard Get Shirty (David O’Meara), having earlier landed the Wolferton Stakes with Dubai Future (Saeed bin Suroor), the double paying 356/1.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor and jockey Danny Tudhope had already hit the frame with Real World in the Queen Anne Stakes and the pair went one better with Dubai Future who was beaten 11 lengths last time out by Bay Bridge.

David O’Meara said after winning the last with Get Shirty: “Danny gave him a great ride and he’s had a double today, which is brilliant for him.

“We’ve had some Royal Ascot winners over the years with the likes of Lord Glitters, but they are hard to come by and are all very much appreciated.”