Wokingham Stakes

WHILE names like John Gosden, Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Appleby are bandied around with good reason in the argument about top Royal Ascot trainers, veteran Dave Evans pulled off one of the most remarkable handicap achievements in recent memory at the fixture when producing Rohaan to win his second successive Wokingham under Ryan Moore.

Dream

To win this race once is the dream of many trainers, but to win twice with the same horse is a feat only two trainers have managed since Captain Ossie Bell sent out Concerto to score in 1932 and ’33.

Jack Berry did so with Selhurstpark Flyer, and now Evans has added his name to that concise list of trainers, but coaxing Rohaan back to his best for a repeat of his win as a three-year-old last year.

Ryan Moore did well to work his way across from the middle in order to challenge under the stands rail, helped by Rohaan’s late-running style, and while the margin over runner-up Popmaster (Ed Walker/Tom Marquand) was just three-quarters of a length, the victory was a deceptively easy one. Given Ascot seems to suit the son of Mayson, it would appear that the British Champions Sprint should be his main target, with this performance certainly on a par with that of Naval Crown in the Platinum Jubilee.

Bad fall

This win is all the more remarkable as Rohaan is reported to have taken a bad fall on the gallops earlier in the year which put his career in serious jeopardy, so huge credit must go to Dave Evans and his team for getting him back to his very best after flopping in the Duke of York Stakes as recently as May.

Holloway Boy shocks on debut

Listed Chesham Stakes

IT’S been a good season for Karl Burke, particularly with his juveniles, and after Dramatised’s Queen Mary win, he doubled up for the week as newcomer Holloway Boy came from the back of the field to produce a shock result in the Listed Chesham Stakes, winning at 40/1 from rank outsider Pearling Path (John O’Donoghue/David Egan).

Aidan O’Brien’s favourite Alfred Munnings was easy to back and finished a disappointing sixth.

The winner was the first to make a winning debut at the meeting since Shamikh landed the corresponding event in 1996 for Saeed Bin Suroor. Connections will hope Holloway Boy’s win is a better omen, as Shamikh raced only once more after his win, when soundly beaten in the 2000 Guineas.

It’s clearly hard to rate this form, with the market leader disappointing and the frame filled by outsiders, and the winner only took part as his owner was unable to secure a box, so wanted to have badges for the Owners and Trainers stand for the day instead!

Golden Gates Stakes

Queen Alexandra Stakes

JAMES McDonald teamed up with George Boughey to take the Golden Gates Handicap aboard Missed The Cut, bringing his total to three winners from just 10 rides at the meeting. Boughey was registering a double at the fixture after Inver Park’s success in the Buckingham Palace Stakes earlier in proceedings.

Stratum pounces

The Queen Alexandra Stakes saw Stratum pounce late to score for Willie Mullins and Will Buick, his stamina taking him over the line for owner Tony Bloom. The winner was following up on last year’s triumph in the same race and had been successful over hurdles and fences in the meantime at Thurles.

Buick said: “He won the race last year, and Willie said to me before the race, pick one horse off at a time, fill him with confidence and he’ll finish well. Once I switched him inside and I got the run, and the others were probably stopping a little bit, he really motored home.

Title winners

Ryan Moore secured his ninth leading jockey title with seven victories, two ahead of William Buick, with an honourable mention for Danny Tudhope with four winners of his own.

Broome’s victory in this afternoon’s Hardwicke Stakes sealed an 11th leading trainer award for Aidan O’Brien. The Ballydoyle handler sent out five winners in total, one more than Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, although Godolphin just pipped the Coolmore partners as leading owners.