Royal Ascot may have been devoid of any atmosphere with the meeting taking place behind closed doors, but the action on the famous course was as thrilling as ever. Dettori’s win on the Jessica Harrington-trained Alpine Star in the Coronation Stakes completed the full house for Dettori; he has now won all of Ascot’s eight Group One races in his career.
While Jim Crowley only missed out on the top jockey award due to Dettori having more second-place finishers, John Gosden took the leading trainer’s award. Gosden also had six winners, including the talented Palace Pier who had won all three of his previous races but was untested at Group level.
Dettori’s final day treble with Campanelle (9-1), Alpine Star(9-2) and Palace Pier (4-1) netted backers a 150-1 treble. Bookmakers would have faced a potential record pay-out had Dettori won in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes on 2-1 favourite Sceptical. However, despite hitting the front with the Denis Hogan trained gelding, Dettori faded into third, enabling a historic victory for Hello Youmzain ridden by Kevin Stott.
An emotional Stott was in tears after riding his first Royal Ascot winner Hello Youmzain in the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes. The 25-year-old, who hails from near Copenhagen, claimed his first Group One race and then immediately followed it up with another win in the five-furlong Wokingham Handicap on Hey Jonsey. Speaking after the double victory, Stott said, “I don’t know what to say really – I can’t find the words. An hour ago I didn’t think this would ever happen, and now I’m standing here with two Royal Ascot winners; things that you could never dream of.”
In an interview with the Yorkshire Post before Royal Ascot, Stott said it wasn’t every day you get a chance like this. Adding, “I’ve never had a winner at Ascot before, never mind Royal Ascot. If I could win a Royal One, and a Group One too, I would be very, very happy”.
The biggest surprise of Royal Ascot came in the Coventry Stakes when Nando Parrado became the longest priced winner in the history of Ascot. Priced at 150-1, few gave Clive Cox’s colt a second glance. Nando Parrado was beaten into fifth on his debut at Newmarket earlier this month but showed vast improvement over six-furlongs at Ascot.
Taking the lead after a couple of furlongs, Nando Parrado had enough to see off a late challenge by Qaader who finished second. 25-1 shot Saeiqa finished third. Favourite Admiral Nelson (5/2) trained by A P O’Brien and ridden by R L Moore finished a disappointing eighth.
