Charyn runs out clear-cut Queen Anne winner

Charyn ran out a decisive winner of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, the opening race of the 2024 meeting.

Trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, the four-year-old has progressed at a rate of knots this season and went one better than last time out in the Lockinge at Newbury to win as the 100-30 favourite.

The race was something of a strange spectacle as two of the French raiders, Big Rock and Facteur Cheval, raced on their own on the far side, while the rest of the field followed Robert Havlin on Lockinge winner Audience.

De Sousa was not as far behind Audience as he had been at Newbury and looked to be holding all the aces with two furlongs to run when he kicked on. Hayley Turner and Docklands gave admirable chase to claim a clear second, beaten two and a quarter lengths, while Maljoom ran on for third, as Charyn claimed the first Group One victory of his career.