Royal Ascot 2024 day one review & replays

Rosallion lands St James’s Palace

Rosallion came out on top in the eagerly-anticipated clash of three 2000 Guineas winners in the St James’s Palace Stakes, as he lived up to all of Richard Hannon’s billing as the best horse he has ever trained.

Hannon has not been shy in making it known how highly he regards his colt, although he could have been forgiven if his confidence had been slightly dented when he was beaten by Notable Speech at Newmarket.

In accounting for stablemate Haatem in the Irish Guineas he as expected got back on track, and duly lined up against a very deep field in the day one highlight at Royal Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien’s Breeders’ Cup winner Unquestionable set the pace, with fellow Ballydoyle runner Henry Longfellow just in behind, while William Buick dropped Notable Speech out in the rear.

Rosallion (5-2) was briefly trapped in behind horses as Darlinghurst was on his outside, but Sean Levey waited for the right time to press the button and once in the clear he showed an electrifying turn of foot to chase Ryan Moore and Henry Longfellow down.

Henry Longfellow stuck on well for second and was only beaten a neck, with three lengths back to French Guineas winner Metropolitan. But the big disappointment of the race was the 6-4 favourite Notable Speech, who never really threatened to get in a serious blow.

Hannon said: “He was special before today. It’s not about today, unfortunately we lost a was in the Guineas, but he has always been brilliant – physically, mentally. He got a bit upset beforehand today. I couldn’t believe he got beaten in the Guineas the way he was travelling. He won the Irish Guineas very well. He’s a complete package. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in our place.

“It’s about the only race I’ve won more often than my dad!

“He’s doing nothing wrong over a mile. He was bred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and is a great advert for a new stallion. Quite often you call these horses something that they’re not, because you want them to be the best horse you’ve trained – and quite often you are disappointed. That’s an occupational hazard. But this lad has never let me down. That one day at Doncaster… I still can’t explain it. I don’t know how we messed it up, but that’s behind us now.

“He’s in the Sussex, he’s in all those big races, and I can’t wait. He’s already done enough for me if he never does another… It’s not about being proven right either, it’s about the work that goes into these horses from everybody at home. We’ve been watching him all winter, this kind of makes it a shorter winter.”

On Sean Levey, Hannon said: “He’s a brilliant jockey, always has been. Very loyal, a fantastic rider, Sheikh Obaid has let him ride the horse, he’s our man and delighted to have him. He’s had a baby boy this year, so he’s already had a good year.”

Levey added: “I would have loved to go a bit further forward early but I couldn’t risk him being a bit too competitive. Look, he had to be good today. He travelled so well, he picked up strong and he was very tenacious to the line.

“I think once I had him out in the open I always thought I would pick the leader up. This horse really has to have something to aim at, I think he showed that at the Curragh. As soon as I got him out, there was always going to be plenty in the tank.

“I just really hope the that one day they go a really good gallop so that we get to see him really show his true potential. At the moment he’s just showing how versatile he really is.

“It means the world to me, and everyone at home, there is a lot of work that goes into this horse.

“I always said I always had great belief in the horse. I always hoped he would be that horse I’ve been waiting for all my career. People say to me you remember the horse along with who rode it.”

Charlie Appleby, trainer of the disappointing favourite Notable Speech, added: “We probably won’t have an explanation at this moment to be honest with you and Will rode his race as he has done many a time, we have always sat off the pace and he’s a horse who has always picked up when asked,” said Appleby.

“Will said when he pulled him out and asked him to pick up, he didn’t, and more importantly he didn’t run through the line, that is probably the biggest thing I’ll take out of it at the moment as well as getting beat.

“All seemed fine afterwards and there were no abnormalities, he just didn’t fire, which is disappointing when you look at the result and how it played out.

“We’ll see if anything comes out in the wash, and the one thing is, we always questioned the mile and whether that would be the end of his gauge. Whether this horse with racing has got quicker and so maybe coming back in trip might be what we need to be looking at.

“It’s exciting and there’s races for him like the Prix Jean Prat and a nice, sharp, turning Breeders’ Cup (Mile). It’s early days and with these unbeaten horses there is always disappointment when they get beaten. But the other side of it is, if you run them enough times, they will eventually get beaten.”

Just a neck behind Rosallion in second place was the Aidan O’Brien-trained Henry Longfellow, who bounced back from finishing only eighth after encountering a troubled passage in the French Guineas.

“We were delighted with him, he ran a great race and we think there is more to come,” said O’Brien.

“He didn’t have much of a race in France, it was a non event, so that is his first real race (of the season) today and he handled the ground. I think we will stay at a mile, looking at him today he could step up a little bit further, but we will see.

“Ryan (Moore) was surprised that the winner came and got him. I would imagine we could meet him again (in the Sussex) probably. We’re treating this as his first run and we learned about him today.”

Metropolitan was third for Mario Baratti, who said: “That’s racing. I find him quite unlucky; he’s a horse who is never travelling very strongly.

“I wouldn’t complain at Alexis (Pouchin); I’m happy with the ride, but he started galloping the last 200 metres when he had the gap. When he saw the horse coming along it was too late, the other two went already. But it was good to see that he is of the level to run with the best.

“I think we will stay at a mile again. With more pace early in the race, you never know, he might have got it. It wasn’t an easy race, but I’m very happy with the horse.”

Charyn crowned in Queen Anne

Charyn (10/3 favourite) landed his first Group 1 win in the opening Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot for trainer Roger Varian and jockey Silvestre De Sousa.

The four-year-old grey has improved this season, winning a Listed race at Doncaster and the Group 2 bet365 Mile at Sandown, while he was second to Audience in the Lockinge at Newbury last time out.

That rival hit the lead towards the stands’ side again at Royal Ascot, but this time De Sousa had the move covered and he was looking around for dangers inside the quarter mile.

Docklands emerged from the chasing pack to lay down a challenge, but Charyn had enough in the tank to repel the runner-up and had two-and-a-quarter lengths in hand at the line. Docklands finished second with Maljoom third.

Varian said: “It doesn’t get any better, a Group One at Royal Ascot. I’m so delighted. I’m really so delighted for his owner (Nurlan Bizakov), who has invested so much in the game, he’s supported me for a number of years.

“I’m delighted for my team, everyone works so hard at home. It’s a great day and we’ll enjoy it.

“You have to say he’s improved as he’s got older. He ran some fine races in defeat last year, he was in the biggest races, on the top table and he didn’t disgrace himself.

“He seems to have found another level of form this year. His run in the Lockinge last time was an outstanding run, and he’s confirmed that today, so I’m thrilled.

“Silvestre is convinced he will stay a mile and a quarter, and I kind of agree with him, but he’s not doing much wrong over a mile at the moment, so I wouldn’t be in a rush to change things.”

He went on: “He’s obviously improved with age, but he was a good two-year-old – he was a Group Two-winning two-year-old, he has done it through the ages. You only have to look at him in the paddock physically to see how mature he is, he’s a bull of a horse, and that is fantastic.

“He has been good all year, at Doncaster and then Sandown, and he ran a great race in the Lockinge where he came right away from all the horses he raced with. I need to watch it again, but he looked pretty good today, and it’s exciting.

“At Doncaster and Sandown he maybe had to run to the level he showed last year to win them, but I think even with defeat in the Lockinge, his run told us he was a Group One horse and today confirmed it.

“It’s a good start to the week and he deserved that, he’s been great all year. He’s a fine horse, very consistent and seems to be thriving.

On future plans, he added: “He’s well entered up and we need to decide what we do with him.

“He started early and his first race was at Doncaster in March, so I don’t think we can go bang, bang, bang all summer. We would love to be back here for Champions Day later in the season, with a couple of races along the way during the summer.”

Of his relationship with De Sousa, Varian said: “We have an arrangement with James (Doyle), but every owner is independent and James will ride a lot of horses this year who won’t be in our stable.

“Nurlan was keen to keep Silvestre on Charyn after his winning start at Doncaster and it was Nurlan’s decision to keep him on right the way through.

“We are very fond of Silvestre as a person and he is riding at the top of his game. He delivered a Guineas (on Elmalka) for us when James was out of the country so he has taken his chances, but we are in a spoilt position this year of being able to use James and Silvestre and not to mention a hard-working team of supporting jockeys back home.”

For De Sousa it was confirmation of a return to the very top in Britain, after his spell in Hong Kong ended prematurely following a 10-month suspension imposed for breaching betting rules.

He said: “He’s a lovely horse, he appreciates a bit more give, but he’s a horse who has been running great races and deserves to get one of these big ones.

“It’s great and I can’t believe how things are going. A Classic win in Italy and in England and now a Group One again and at Ascot, it is amazing.

“I’m just thrilled how things are going for me.”

Hayley Turner was proud of the performance of Docklands after the pair combined to fill the runner-up spot.

“That was a really good run, it’s just a shame to miss out. He deserved it and we really thought he had a chance,” said Turner.

“Annoyingly I never felt I was going to get to the winner, but I can’t fault him. I’m so pleased and the connections are so happy, he’s definitely got a Group One in him.

“The tracks he’s not performed well at are Goodwood in a small field and France with a slow pace. He’s such a strong traveller and he likes to be buried in amongst them, he can creep into it on the straight here. I’m just hoping he doesn’t go to Australia!”

As Docklands carries the colours of Australian-based owners OTI Racing, he is set for a trip to the southern hemisphere later in the year.

“Very, very proud. He’s been an absolute star for us. He ran super, he really did. He just keeps turning up for us, he loves this track,” said Eustace.

“Dropping in with plenty of runners is what he needs and he hasn’t had that yet this year. It was a standout effort and we were just second best.

“We were confident in the way he was training at home and we knew he’d improve for it (his last run). We were confident coming here, it was just a question of running him the right race and hopefully we have, we’ll see!

“The Wolferton was the alternative but it’s on the round course and you need a lot more racing luck on there.

“We’re very happy with him and now we just have to make him a winner this year. We haven’t thought past this, Australia has always been an end-of-year target and we’ll work backwards from that.”

Maljoom finished an honourable third for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

The five-year-old had made it to the track just twice since his fast-finishing fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes two years ago, but he served notice there may still be a big prize on his horizon with a pleasing performance.

“He’s obviously bounced back to that solid Group One form that we knew he had, but hoped he’d remain at,” said Marquand.

“It looks like we will get him right back to the force of what he was looking like at one point. He’s not had much racing and I think he has just been a little bit rusty – he looks the best he has done for a long time. He’s coming back.”

More Australian success in King Charles III Stakes

Australian sprinting star Asfoora justified the long journey across the globe to power to King Charles III Stakes glory.

Henry Dwyer’s charge had finished fourth on her British debut in the Temple Stakes at Haydock last month, but she clearly enjoyed the faster ground at Royal Ascot to become Australia’s sixth winner of this race by a length.

Market leader Big Evs (Tom Marquand) quickly took control of the five-furlong contest, but there was no stopping Asfoora once she made her move towards the closing stages.

At the furlong marker the daughter of Australian star Flying Artie sat alongside the early leader before clicking into top gear for Oisin Murphy to bolt ahead and score at 5-1, with Ed Bethell’s Regional (Callum Rodriguez) claiming second ahead of the Mick Appleby-trained 11-4 favourite Big Evs.

Asfoora joins Choisir (2003), Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009) and Nature Strip (2022) on the Australian roll of honour in what was formerly the King’s Stand Stakes.

A jubilant Dwyer said: “We’ve got so many people here – not only the owners of Asfoora, but 40 or 50 of my owners from home who would saw the end of their leg off to have a runner at Royal Ascot. It’s amazing. I think there will be the mother of all parties tonight!

“We needed a lead-up run at Haydock, so she came over early, but just with the changing of seasons we wanted to be here before it was too cold in Australia and too warm over here. We came over in the nice interchange period, and we need not have worried because she settled in brilliantly, and the proof was in the pudding today.

“That was my third Group One winner. To do it here, at Royal Ascot, is just amazing.”

Dwyer continued: “We’ve got a good stable but it is very hard to find these horses when you only have 40 or 50 in work. We don’t expect to have these owners and it’s an absolute luxury to have them and for the owner to trust me.

“It’s such a gamble bringing her over and it is such an expensive trip. We’re getting a bit of help from Ascot, but it is still expensive and the owner is funding it. Hopefully we’ve paid our way today.

“It is sublime and some great names from Australia who have won here have trained over 150 Group One winners and that’s only my third. To do it in Europe, and at Royal Ascot, is brilliant.

“I’ve never been here with a runner before but it’s a bit more fun winning than watching. This meeting brings the best of the best from around the world together and who would have thought I would get to meet King Charles – it’s amazing.”

Murphy was impressed with the mare’s attitude in victory and delighted to have had the opportunity to ride.

He said: “When push came to shove she was very gutsy because I wasn’t sure and the other group with Big Evs was a long way in front of me. I have to admire her tenacity to go and run them down.

“It’s special to be a part of and it’s a very difficult feat to bring her over here at this time of year when it is approaching the Australian winter and prepare her – Henry has done a top job.

“It was great that they thought of me and to win for them was really great. When I sat on her, they publicised the times and we didn’t go very fast at all, so it was very hard for me to say I would win the King Charles III Stakes beforehand off the back of that.

“I was unsure at halfway when I said go, but she really picked up and ran on well.

“To be presented with the trophy by the King was a privilege and it was great to get the opportunity.”

Trainer Mick Appleby was rightly pleased with the performance of Big Evs in defeat and will now look to campaign his stable star on more speed favouring tracks, like Del Mar in November.

“He’s run very well, he showed a lot of speed early on and the stiff finish just caught up with him in the last 100 yards,” said the trainer.

“He’s taking on the older horses, the best sprinters in the world, and he’s held his own against them. He’s only going to improve on that as he gets older, I’m very pleased with the run.

“He’s rapid and he’s better on a quicker five, it’s a bit stiff here so we’ll possibly go back to Goodwood with him then hopefully we’ll go back to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Jockey Tom Marquand said: “He’s run a belter, he’s just incredibly quick and you just wonder whether when an Ascot five furlongs, now he’s a year older and feels even quicker and more purposeful, whether it gets him out on his legs late.

“He’s run a screamer and carried his Group One form from two to three, after York there wasn’t much doubt in my mind that he would be able to.

“Mick and the team have done a great job getting him here today in prime order and there’s definitely more big days in him, but he might just be a bit too quick for a stiff track like this.”Ed Bethell was similarly proud of the performance of Regional, who could now step back up in trip for the July Cup at Newmarket.

He said: “Fair play to the Australians, they won fair and square. They got their horse in great nick here today, so fair play.

“(I have) mixed emotions. Possibly should we be going up to six furlongs? We will go up to six, because we are hitting the line good.

“It’s just horseracing, isn’t it? We did all the donkey work, it was tremendous really and I’m delighted for the horse and delighted for Callum (Rodriguez) and delighted for these guys who have put their money into it – it’s great to have syndicates like this.

“Another half a furlong and we might have got there! That’s horseracing. We can be nothing but proud of our horse.

“He’s run a big race today, he had a good blow, so I would imagine we will try and aim towards something like the July Cup now. After that, I don’t know where we will go.”

Pledgeofallegiance for Prescott

Sir Mark Prescott celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner since Pivotal in 1996 when Pledgeofallegiance saw off all-comers to win the Ascot Stakes.

Prescott, who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Alpinista in 2022, was saddling just his third winner at the meeting in all, with Wizard King in the 1994 Britannia his only other success.

Drawn one, jockey Luke Morris had been worried about being able to take up an early position, but with Boher Road going a good early gallop, he was able to slot in behind before striking for home a long way out.

Divine Comedy burst out of the pack to chase him down, but the 20-1 chance – who went for 450,000 guineas as a yearling – held on by half a length.

Prescott said: “He’s a lovely horse and the only thing he has done wrong in his life is cost all that money and then after that the expectation is so high on him. If he couldn’t win the Derby then the next best thing was to win at Royal Ascot and I’m glad he has.

“I was very concerned about the draw, I had a thoroughly bad day when I found out his position. My secretary is very good, but not completely racing-minded about the minute details and I came back from third lot to find out Trooper Busier had been balloted out by one at 9.59am and I said ‘don’t tell me the other horse is drawn one’ – she said ‘oh yes’, which was just what I didn’t want.

“Luke got it right and there was enough room for him to keep pushing and get where we wanted. It was one of those races where I can’t remember one going so well since Alborada got the pacemaker and High-Rise didn’t (in the 1999 Champion Stakes). Everything went just as we planned it.

“I like planning, it gives me great satisfaction. I like feeling that we have been a part of the process and it is not just because it’s a good horse. It has been the obvious race for him since last year and we’ve just had to creep there. The owners have been very good and said if that is what you want to do then go for it.

“It’s been too long without a winner here and Pivotal was a long time ago. I’d honestly forgotten it was that long ago. It’s very good and when those plans go right then you are churlish if you don’t enjoy it.”

Israr makes most of class drop in Wolferton

Israr fairly bolted up in the Listed Wolferton Stakes for John and Thady Gosden under Jim Crowley.

The 5-2 favourite was dropping markedly in class having chased home the very promising Passenger last time out at Chester in the Group Two Huxley Stakes.

With Ancient Rome streaking clear under Jamie Spencer the early pace was red hot, but when it unsurprisingly collapsed, Crowley found himself upsides with a double handful.

For a horse with a lot of placed efforts to his name, he kept going strongly to win by three and a quarter lengths from the Wathnan Racing-owned duo of Haunted Dream and Torito.

Gosden said: “He’s a grand horse and we’ve freshened him up for Ascot. He’s won it well and he might have to move up in company now.

“He’s been bumping into some good horses and he’s a tough old dude, he’s Taghrooda’s brother.

“He looked better than a Listed horse today and he got the dream run up the inside. Normally it doesn’t open up, but they went a good gallop and the Red Sea parted and Jim said he got there too soon, but he did it very well.”

Mullins strikes again

The Copper Horse Handicap brought day one of the Royal meeting to a close and having struck gold with Vauban in last year’s renewal, Willie Mullins doubled up with Belloccio at 4-1.

Formerly trained on the Flat by David Menuisier, the grey made a successful debut over hurdles at Punchestown last month and was among the leading contenders on his return to the level.

William Buick produced his mount with a sustained challenge from the home turn and he eventually ran down Lmay to score by a length and a quarter, with My Mate Mozzie just a short head behind in third.

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