Tony McFadden highlights three horses who didn’t run at Royal Ascot but whose reputation received a boost through the exploits of others.
There were 15 runners in what appeared a competitive edition of the Wolferton Stakes but two furlongs out the eye was drawn to one horse who was clearly going much better than the others.
Israr, carrying the Shadwell colours also associated with his Oaks-winning dam Taghrooda, had tanked through the contest and quickly assumed control inside the final couple of furlongs to register a dominant three-and-a-quarter-length success.
That was not the first time that Israr, a Group 2 winner last season, had looked a very smart performer, but on his previous outing at Chester he had been readily put in his place by an upwardly-mobile colt who now looks like an even brighter prospect.
Passenger, just like his sire Ulysses, had found the Derby coming too soon in his development but he was brought along patiently for the rest of his three-year-old campaign and, based on his impressive return in the Huxley Stakes, seems set to reap the rewards this term. As well as visually impressing with how readily he picked off Israr inside the final furlong, Passenger also smashed the track record at Chester.
An infection prevented Passenger from taking his chance in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes but if he recovers quickly enough to contest the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown next month a clash with City of Troy has the potential to be one of the races of the season.
A couple of juvenile fillies from Ballydoyle were responsible for two of the most impressive performances at Royal Ascot, albeit those victories were achieved in markedly different fashion as Fairy Godmother did really well to overcome trouble in running for a narrow success in the Albany while Bedtime Story was able to stamp her class on the Chesham and powered nine and a half lengths clear.
Given how impressive Bedtime Story was at Royal Ascot it seems remarkable that she was the stable’s second choice on jockey bookings – and in the market – when making a winning debut at Leopardstown earlier this month.
Bedtime Story wasn’t well positioned in a steadily-run race but quickened up really smartly under a hands-and-heels ride, earning a good sectional timing upgrade, to win by a cosy length and a quarter from her seemingly better-fancied stablemate Giselle who was the 8/11 favourite on debut under Ryan Moore.
Giselle, who is by Frankel and out of dual Grade 1-winning mare Newspaperofrecord, was a bit short of room on the home turn but she also quickened up well in the straight and there was clearly no shame in not quite being able to match Bedtime Story. She’s another highly promising filly at Ballydoyle.
It was a chastening week for the Charlie Appleby stable who for the the second year in succession failed to have a winner at the Royal meeting, but there are still likely to be plenty of big days ahead for the yard this season.
One who arguably looks more interesting now than before the start of the week is Noble Dynasty considering he gave impressive Buckingham Palace Stakes winner English Oak 15 lb and a two-length beating when the pair met at Newmarket last month.
Admittedly, Noble Dynasty benefitted from a well-judged front-running ride at Newmarket and may also have had a fitness edge as he’d made his comeback from a long layoff at Meydan a couple of months earlier, while the rapidly progressive English Oak has clearly come a long way in a short space of time.
But in taking such a notable scalp from a lofty BHA mark the six-year-old Noble Dynasty could be better than a handicapper, and his powerful connections presumably think so given they’ve persisted with this lightly-raced half-brother to Barney Roy despite missing all of 2023.
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