Queen’s Vase (Group 2)

ELDAR Eldarov was one of the best-backed horses on the day at Ascot, with Roger Varian’s colt heavily supported into 5/2 favouritism for the Queen’s Vase despite having no experience outside of novice/maiden company.

The son of Dubawi had won a 10-furlong Class 5 novice at Newcastle on his return, but that race had already thrown up several winners, and plenty of punters were happy to back him upped markedly in trip and class. The confidence was well placed, although it took every inch of the one mile, six furlongs and 34 yards for him to put his nose in front of Freddy & Martyn Meade’s Zechariah (Colin Keane), with the pair just a neck ahead of the rallying Hafit (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) in what was the most exciting climax of the afternoon.

The winner wasn’t best away, leaving Egan to ride a waiting race, and Colin Keane looked to have ridden the perfect race on the runner-up, settling him in front of the chasing pack as Al Qareem raced into a clear lead. He took up the running with a quarter of a mile to go and looked like he would hang on until joined on the jam-stick.

Eldar Eldarov wasn’t best positioned in relation to the runner-up, but found plenty for pressure in the last 100 yards to gain his victory. He clearly stays the trip well, but it wasn’t just stamina that won the day, and he’d be worth a try in good company over a mile and a half.

Derby

Varian was hoping to prepare Eldar Eldarov for a Derby Trial, but he didn’t thrive in the spring, and was reportedly “only 90%” at Newcastle, but had to get a run if he was to make this meeting. It was no surprise to hear the trainer talking about Doncaster in September.

“He put in one hell of a performance,” said Varian. “You would think looking down the road that he could develop into a St Leger horse. Even looking to next year, hopefully he can keep improving.”

Penalty no hindrance to brilliant Beach

Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)

NO filly or mare had ever defied a Group 1 penalty in the Duke of Cambridge, and the record of those dropping back from the highest level has been poor, so the stats were against Saffron Beach (Jane Chapple-Hyam/Will Buick), but class came to the fore, and last year’s Sun Chariot winner looked better than ever as she rewarded those who backed her at 5/2 with an emphatic win over outsider Thunder Beauty (David O’Meara/Danny Tudhope) and Primo Bacio (Ed Walker/Richard Kingscote).

Bashkirova, sent off joint-favourite with the winner, couldn’t go the gallop before staying on late, and while this may simply have come too soon after her Princess Elizabeth win at Epsom, it’s more likely that she was not enjoying the much quicker ground. Mother Earth was wearing cheekpieces, but again failed to fire, and hasn’t looked to have progressed from a demanding three-year-old campaign, unlike the winner.

Novemba, as expected, made the running, but set only modest fractions, and Buick was quick to take advantage of his good track position, kicking Saffron Beach on with well over a quarter of a mile to run, and she quickly built up an unassailable lead. It needs to be acknowledged that her main rivals were below form, and it’s a shame that Sibila Spain had to be withdrawn at the start, as her participation might have given more depth to the form.

Saffron Beach certainly deserves to take her chance exclusively in Group 1 company from here on, and while it’s easy to get stuck on how others failed to shine, she was always in control here, and it’s hard to imagine what she could have done to make a better impression.

She was campaigned with classics in mind last year and taking in the Oaks on bad ground made it difficult to keep her at her peak, but she bounced back stronger in the autumn, and should show her true colours again now that she’s got her targets mapped out for her.

Meydan

She had been in action at Meydan in the spring, finishing fourth to Lord North in the Group 1 Dubai Turf, and Jane Chapple-Hyam felt she had benefited from that tough reappearance, saying: “It is hard going to Dubai off a winter break. She was up against hardened colts and geldings, as they showed in the finish. We didn’t have a prep race whereas here we went to Chelmsford and the July Course to get the work into her.

“I presume it will be the Prix Rothschild on August 2nd, the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, and then the Breeders’ Cup. We will leave it to the owners.”