By Elaine Belval
In my opinion, there is no greater racing event than the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. And what a five days it was…again!
What notes can breeders take from the results this year?
First, that there is reason to persist with Starspangledbanner, who was taken out of service in Ireland for sub-par fertility, returned unsuccessfully to training, and now back at stud in Australia. An Australian-bred by Coolmore Stud shuttler Choisir, Starspangledbanner was himself a winner at Royal Ascot, having won the G1 Golden Jubilee S. He also won the G1 July S. at Newmarket as part of his “European invasion.” His first, small crop of two-year-olds are racing in Europe this year, and what a start they’re off to! Son The Wow Signal was an impressive winner of the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday, the day before daughter Anthem Alexander won the G2 Queen Mary S. It would be a shame if fertility issues kept Starspangledbanner from reaching more such lofty heights.
Another freshman sire to keep an eye on is Quality Road. The Wesley Ward-trained US invader Hootenanny won the Listed Windsor Castle S. on Tuesday. As a son of Elusive Quality, it should not be surprising that Quality Road has had a big winner on the turf. While it is too early to gauge lasting success as a stallion, Quality Road having a two-year-old winner at Royal Ascot in his first season bodes very well for this Lane’s End stallion.
A third freshman sire had a two-year-old winner at Ascot. Fast Company (a son of Danehill Dancer, like 2013 European freshman sire Mastercraftsman). Fast Company won the G3 Acomb S. at finished second in the G1 Dewhurst S. to New Approach before being injured, and his colt Baitha Alga won the five-furlong G2 Norfolk S.
High Chaparral is no longer “the other Sadler’s Wells” at Coolmore in Ireland. His Toronado was an impressive winner of the G1 Queen Anne S. at eight furlongs on Tuesday. (And kudos to Verrazano, owned by a Coolmore entity, for finishing a strong second in the race. He is creating an impressive race record for a future stud career). High Chaparral also had the Listed winner Contributer at Royal Ascot later in the week.
Dansili has proven again and again to be one of the best stallions in Europe. His daughter The Fugue was an impressive winner of the G1 Prince of Wales’s over Champion Magician and Horse of the Year Treve. That same day, his daughter Muteela won the Listed Sandringham H.
Certain to join Dansili in the barn at Banstead Manor is another Juddmonte homebred, Kingman, impressive winner of the G1 StJames’s Palace S. A son of leading sire Invincible Spirit out of French 1000 Guineas winner Zenda, he has an impressive pedigree to match his race record.
Rizeena won the G1 Coronation S. on Friday for her sire Iffraaj. This son of Zafonic has steadily created a lovely stud career without a lot of fanfare. Rizeena, who won the G1 Moyglare Stud S. last year at two, is the fourth G1 winner for Iffraaj. Three of his four G1 winners are G1-winning 2yos, which is surprising because although Iffraaj won a maiden two, he did not win his first stakes race until he was four.
And a final, sad note: We were reminded yet again what a major blow Montjeu’s death at age 16 in 2012 was to breeders. His son Leading Light just got up to beat the Queen’s filly Estimate, the defending champ, to win the Gold Cup at 20 furlongs. That same day, daughter Bracelet won the 12-furlong G2 Ribblesdale S.