Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)

IT’S not unusual for sprinters to win big races in consecutive years, but it’s certainly not the norm for them to flourish as late in life as Khaadem (Charlie Hills/Oisin Murphy), who landed back-to-back runnings of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, making him the only horse to achieve that feat since the race assumed Group 1 status. The last dual winner of the race, which has been known in the past as the All-Aged Stakes and the Cork And Orrery, being Right Boy in 1958 and 1959.

Sent off 80/1 when winning last year, the SP for the eight-year-old was a much skinnier 14/1 this time despite the fact that he had failed to make the frame in four runs since his shock success 12 months earlier.

He travelled well throughout the race, however, and pounced late on longtime leader Swingalong (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) to win by a comfortable half-length, with a length and a quarter back to Mill Stream (Jane Chapple-Hyam/William Buick) in third.

The runner-up did well to hang on for second having pressed the pace from the start, and she was running a blinder at this meeting for the second time, having been third at 66/1 in the Commonwealth Cup last season.

Khaadem, ridden by Oisin Murphy as Jamie Spencer preferred Fitri Hay’s other runner Mitbaahy, was also becoming the oldest winner of the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes in any of its guises.

Evergreen hero

Winning trainer Charlie Hills pair tribute to his evergreen hero, saying: “What a horse; to win two of these races, plus a Palace House, the Stewards’ Cup and King George at Goodwood. He is a very good horse.

“He got a fantastic ride and he never looked like he was going to get beat; he travelled beautifully through the race. He loves the place and it’s the first time he’s had the ground, pretty much since he ran here last time. I think fast ground is key to him.

“He had a lovely pitch, they went a good strong pace in front, but he just travels so well. He’s such a versatile horse; he was making the running over five furlongs two years ago. I just really felt there’s a different trajectory to running like a good horse over six, and it seems to have suited him very well.

“He’s a wonderful horse – you just wouldn’t know! He’s got a huge amount of ability, but he’s different one day to the next. One day he’ll pick up the bridle and you think he’s Nijinsky, the next you think he’s a plater.

“He knows more about the game than any of us, I think. He’s a hugely talented horse and has been an absolute pleasure to train.”

Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

THE victory of 16/1 outsider Isle Of Jura in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes provided a second win of the week for Victorious Racing, the ownership vehicle of Prince Nasser of Bahrain, and a first Royal Ascot winner for both trainer George Scott and jockey Callum Shepherd.

A winner three times in Bahrain earlier in the year, Isle Of Jura was successful on his return to British shores at Goodwood last month and proved better than ever with a comfortable three and three-quarter length win over French challenger Goliath (Francis-Henri Graffard/Maxime Guyon).

The well-fancied Middle Earth (John and Thady Gosden/Oisin Murphy) was third, beaten four and a half lengths in total, with favourite Continuous only fifth on what was his seasonal debut.

The early pace was set by Elegant Man, pursued by Candleford with Isle Of Jura and Goliath close up and the market leaders waited with. Candleford was first to kick for home on the turn, but Isle of Jura soon had him covered and quickened clear at the furlong pole for a convincing victory, which was particularly sweet for Callum Shepherd, having lost the ride on Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly after romping home at Lingfield.

Amazing

Shepherd said: “Isle Of Jura has been amazing. We took him over for that handicap series in Bahrain initially, and obviously you hope he’s going to be better than that, but at that stage we had no idea. He just kept improving; he’s never let us down and has got better with every start.

“He has become very straightforward, and he has a real desire to win as well. He was rusty at Goodwood, but you still saw that innate desire to pass the post in front, which is so important. It’s so wonderful for his owner, Sheikh Nasser; it was lovely he went over there so they could enjoy him on home soil, so to speak, and he’s come back and continued to climb.

“Isle Of Jura loves quick ground and stays a mile and a half very well. Six weeks ago, I thought I’d found my diamond and that wasn’t to be, but Isle Of Jura has certainly blossomed into one.”

Echoing those comments and confirming that the horse will be back at Ascot in July for the King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Scott said: “Isle Of Jura has improved all the time and has been a pleasure to train. He has just kept improving physically – he is the most ginormous horse. He is a beautiful mover, and a lot of hard work has gone into him at home.

“The finish was a moment I will never forget, everything stopped for a minute, and I could enjoy the last half-furlong. Most best-laid plans go to pot, but this has been a long-term plan.

“This was an obvious race for him. We knew Goodwood would bring him on, and it has. We knew he would get the ground, and he has. It was a scintillating performance, so we shall enjoy it. All roads lead to the King George, 100%.”

Jersey Stakes (Group 3)

WATHNAN Racing posted its fourth winner of the week when new recruit Haatem (Richard Hannon/James Doyle) landed the Group 3 Jersey Stakes in gritty fashion.

The colt, placed in both the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish version at the Curragh, was forced to carry a 3lb penalty for his win in the Group 2 Craven Stakes.

Ridden forward by Doyle, Haatem quickened to lead over a furlong out, but the 7/2 shot had to be very game to hold off the whirlwind finish of Kikkuli (Harry Charlton/Oisin Murphy) to win by a short-head.

Chicago Critic (Johnny Murtagh/Ben Coen) outran big odds to finish third, just a length behind the winner, but River Tiber, just behind Haatem at the Curragh and favourite to turn the tables on 3lb better terms, failed to fire, and could finish only eighth.

This looked a better-than-average renewal of the Jersey with the winner proven at Group 1 level and the promising runner-up a half-brother to Frankel, so even with the disappointment of River Tiber, it’s form to be positive about, as the winning trainer reflected.

Hannon said: “I have never known a horse get such a following from the general public. Haatem is a pleasure to have around, and I would love to think we will have an association for a few years to come. He deserved his day in the sun and hopefully there will be many more.

Very easy

“He carried a 3lb penalty today. He got to the front very easy, and I’m just delighted for the horse. It’s a Group 3 but I think this Jersey was an awful lot more than it normally is. He has credit for a lot more than that and I’m sure a Group 1 is coming very soon.

“There are some very good races for him in Australia, America, France but we’ll take him home first. I just don’t think there is any need for him to take on Rosallion. It’s not a race I would enjoy watching, it seems a little unfair.

Doyle, who rode a treble at the meeting in the Wathnan silks, said: “There was plenty of pressure coming into this week to perform.

“It’s no secret about the money that’s been invested by Wathnan, so it’s great that we’ve got some results on the board through the week.”

Chesham Stakes (Listed)

BEDTIME Story (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) took the opening race on Saturday’s card, the Listed Chesham Stakes, in the style of a nascent superstar, living up to her lofty pedigree to slam Pentle Bay (George Boughey/Tom Marquand) by nine and a half lengths, with Brian (Sylvester Kirk/Liam Keniry) a further half-length away in third.

By Frankel and a daughter of the Nunthorpe winner Mecca’s Angel, Bedtime Story is bred to be smart and could hardly have been any more impressive as she travelled strongly under restraint and burst to the front when briefly shaken up over two furlongs from home, clearing away from her rivals with Moore not having to ask a serious question of the 11/8 favourite.

Stable-companion Fairy Godmother had been equally eye-catching in the Albany and it’s no surprise that the two fillies are already dominating the betting for the 2025 1000 Guineas.

O’Brien said: “We never let Bedtime Story go before. This was the first time she was asked to stretch. Ryan said he couldn’t believe it; he said everyone fell away, he said: ‘go on,’ and she just took off. He didn’t even give her a slap down the shoulder.

First time

“We thought she was probably a Group 1 filly, but thinking is one thing and seeing is another, so everyone saw it together today. It was the first time she was ever dropped down, really.”

Regarding comparisons with Fairy Godmother, and the prospect of them meeting this season, he replied: “They haven’t ever worked together. The lads are great, and they never put anyone under pressure, so we didn’t have to look. We felt she had done enough to come here for her second run, and it’s a lovely way to be.

“There are plenty of races for them all I think…. Bedtime Story will be staying at seven furlongs.”

Rest Of The Card

IT was a moderate week all told for leading trainer William Haggas with no Ascot winner until Saturday, but Unequal Love gave the exiled Yorkshireman plenty to smile about when winning the Wokingham Handicap at 12/1 under Tom Marquand.

The four-year-old was the only filly in the contest and was only running at the request of Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud. The filly progressed again to gain her sixth win from just 10 career outings, leading just inside the last furlong and holding fast finishers Dark Trooper (Alban de Mieulle/James Doyle) and Orazio (Charlie Hills/Saffie Osborne) to win by half a length and a head.

Maureen Haggas said: “Unequal Love is the most gorgeous, lovely, genuine filly – and it’s great to have a winner for Cheveley Park. They are top-class owner-breeders and huge contributors to British racing, so for us to have a winner for them at Royal Ascot is fantastic. They’ve been supporters of ours for donkey’s years. They put a lot into British racing, and they really do deserve to be winning races like this.”

World Cup memories

On the anniversary of Argentina’s infamous defeat of England in the 1986 World Cup, it was apt that a horse called Hand Of God (Harry Charlton/William Buick) should win, and the 9/4 favourite turned out to be the handicap blot he was mooted to be, winning the competitive Golden Gates Stakes by a length and three-quarters from Aidan O’Brien’s Cambridge (Wayne Lordan) with the rest of the field well beaten.

This was Charlton’s first Royal Ascot winner since taking sole charge of the licence, following a couple of agonising seconds from King’s Gambit and Kikkuli.

The winner, like King’s Gambit, is owned by Mohammed Jaber and will remain at 10 furlongs with a step up in class on the horizon. The Listed Steventon Stakes at local track Newbury next month would look an obvious target.

The meeting ended with the Queen Alexandra Stakes and non-runners reduced the field to nine runners. The finish was dominated by Irish stables, with Joseph O’Brien saddling first and third with Uxmal (Dylan Browne McMonagle) beating Run For Oscar (Charles Byrnes/Maxime Guyon) and 2023 winner Dawn Rising (William Buick). The 2/1 favourite Uxmal looked the winner some way out and scored by an easy five lengths to give O’Brien consecutive wins in the two and three-quarter mile contest and McMonagle what he hoped would be “the first of many” at the big meeting.