Global Sprint Challenge

A dream came true for Hayley Turner as the most successful female jockey in British history gained a first Group One success aboard David Simcock's Dream Ahead in the Darley July Cup.

Only three years ago Turner became the first female rider to partner more than 100 winners in a year and she added another ground-breaking success to her record as last year's joint top-rated juvenile excelled dropped back to six furlongs.

Simcock's three-year-old was rated as Frankel's equal in 2010 but failed to see out the mile behind Henry Cecil's unbeaten colt when making his seasonal debut in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After being given the go-ahead to run despite the quickening conditions, Dream Ahead raced towards the stands' rail and Turner was left to thread her way through runners inside the final two furlongs.

With Dream Ahead's regular partner William Buick riding for John Gosden at York, Turner only received the news that she was to partner Dream Ahead in recent days.

And after consulting with Buick, she followed his instructions and produced her mount as late as possible to reel in Bated Breath and score by half a length.

Turner is only the second female rider to partner a British Group One winner following on from Alex Greeves, who dead-heated aboard Ya Malak in the 1997 Nunthorpe Stakes.

Turner said: "I only found out I was riding him a couple of days ago. Trainers have been complaining that there were too many meetings today but I wasn't complaining and it has played into my hands.

"I had not sat on the horse before so can't take much credit for the win; that has to go to the Simcock team and I have to thank David and the owner (Khalifa Dasmal) for putting me up.

"Alex Greaves did win a Group One too and I know she is here today so I should really get a picture with her. I am so thrilled.

"This was on my list of things to do and fair play to David and his team for giving me the chance.

"It was just a matter of the gap coming in time and Steve Drowne's horse (Bated Breath) hung slightly and caused some interference but I picked my way through.

"I spoke to William Buick this morning and he told me how to ride him. He said not to get there too soon so it has suited me the way the race has worked out."

Simcock paid tribute to Turner but was keen to ensure his colt got the credit he deserved. Simcock said: "This is important for the horse. He was joint champion two-year-old last year and I was very protective of his rating so this is more relief than anything."It is great for Hayley and she deserves to win a Group One, but you wouldn't put Vettel in a Mini and win the Monaco Grand Prix so the horse is important.

"There was not really anything for him before Ascot so we had to go down the mile route there and he didn't stay the distance.

"This was the first real target for three-year-olds over six furlongs and it is relief that it has come off.

"He won the Prix Morny in a fast time last year and I think the ground was faster than good that do so I just wanted to make sure it was safe today and if it was then we were going to run.

When pressed about future jockey plans, Simcock intimated that Buick would be back aboard, saying: "Loyalty is very important and there is not enough of it round at the moment."

He added of Turner's booking: "William would have been first choice and Jamie Spencer would have been second, but he is in America. Hayley has ridden winners for me before and actually has a good strike-rate for the stable."

SOCIETY ROCKS JUBILEE FIELD

Last year’s Golden Jubilee Stakes runner-up Society Rock went one place better this afternoon when belying his 25/1 starting price with a half-length success in the Group One, giving jockey Pat Cosgrave a first Royal Ascot victory.

Winning trainer James Fanshawe commented: “We have kept plugging away with this horse and it is fantastic that he has come good.

“I am absolutely thrilled with the horse because he was slightly forgotten last year when he was second and then he was never really right afterwards. He has taken his time to fire this spring and the last two bits of work have been very good but you never quite know if they are going to go on the ground or not. He has never raced on the ground but he obviously liked it.

“It’s fantastic result for his owner Simon Gibson. He’s not here because he had a fall down his stairs and banged his head. He’s recovering and this will make him feel a lot better.

“It’s great for Pat because he has been riding for me for the past year and he has ridden a fantastic race today.”
Cosgrave added: “I think a lot of people doubted this horse on his first two runs this year but I think James has had this as his target all along.

Over the past three weeks, he has been showing the old Society Rock to me. I would have probably appreciated quicker ground but that’s the way it is and he handled it well and showed how good a horse he is.

“I jumped too good and myself and Richard Hughes were getting a bit tight for the first furlong - it was just a case of two of us going for the one gap. I thought my chance might have disappeared at the start when we were hampered. I couldn’t really get out because I was travelling a little bit keen but I eventually got out the back and followed Richard Hughes - he gave me a nice lead - and I ended up getting the splits at the right time.

“To be fair to the horse, he put his head through a gap that was pretty tight and picked up good.

“I know it was a competitive field but I was quite confident beforehand with the main concern being the ground because he has a turn of foot and had done all his winning on a quicker surface.

“I ended up having a nice draw with the good horses around me and although there was a tight gap to go through near the furlong pole it worked out for me.

“He’s probably had a hard race and James and the horse will tell us where we go next. I’m not totally sure the track suits him for the July Cup.”

“All Group Ones are nice but it is nice to get a first Royal Ascot winner and to meet the Queen was fantastic.”

GALLANT CHEVALIER'S GOLDEN DEFEAT

Monsieur Chevalier could not land a blow when down the field in the five furlong King's Stand Stakes here on Tuesday but the Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old relished the extra furlong of the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes as he failed by half a length to see off Society Rock.

The Chevalier four-year-old, who did not race at all last year due to suffering from recurring problems with back muscles, reminded everyone of his high-class two-year-old form as he burst from off the pace under Kieren Fallon to challenge for the lead inside the final furlong, only for the winner to sweep by him.

Richard Hannon jnr, assistant trainer to his father, said of the 25/1 shot: "The horse has run an absolute blinder - we are delighted. He has had a long time off and Kieren said he just didn't see the horse on the far side. We will take that and I am very happy.

"We will look at the July Cup and all of the above - six furlongs rather than five. He has always been a gentleman and he looks a picture.

"I think he might have liked the ground. It takes a bit of speed out of the others."

First season trainer Roger Varian was pleased with fourth-placed Elzaam and could also be looking to the Group One July Cup at Newmarket next month for the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned three-year-old.

He said of the 12/1 shot: "I am really thrilled with how he ran. I thought in the last two furlongs he made up more ground on the field than anything and at least it shows he can do it at this level.

"I think you will see a much better horse on faster ground. Today, on this ground, I'm really pleased with him.

"I think that provided he came out of this race well and we were happy with his training, I would like to look at the July Cup. On the back of this, he looks up to that level. If he got better ground, he would be quite exciting."

JULY CUP NEXT FOR STAR WITNESS

Australian visitor Star Witness, who ran second to Prohibit in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday, was again in the places as he finished third to Society Rock in the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Danny O’Brien, Star Witness’s trainer, said after the race: “We are really pleased, he ran super on Tuesday and super here.

“He probably found the ground a little testing here today - he was really tired in the last 50 metres. He was travelling like the winner at the furlong but just peaked at the end. Steven (Arnold, jockey) said you could attribute that to the ground.

“He travelled really well throughout and had a good little kick but the ground just found him out.

“I brought him over here with the intention of running him the three times so I would think we would go for the July Cup now. He has showed he is running to his true form and we would love to win one.

“We have three weeks now so we will see how he comes out of this race but we will probably go for the July Cup (Newmarket, Saturday July 9).

“The horse is really enjoying Newmarket and we are really enjoying being part of the big races here over the summer, the only thing that would make it better is getting a win on the board.”

Steven Arnold added: “I had a nice run and he travelled great. I could see the outside ones were getting away from us a bit so I decided to go, but when we got to the front on that wet ground he just bottomed out with 50 metres to go.

“With dry ground it might have been a different story. The ground is wet and there is a bit of a headwind which has made it a bit too testing for him.”

RESULT - 2011 KING'S STAND STAKES- G1

1000m / 5f

4th LEG GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE

TRACK: Good

PROHIBIT EARNS GROUP ONE LAURELS

Prohibit gave both trainer Robert Cowell and jockey Jim Crowley a first Royal Ascot triumph when pouncing late to take the Group One King's Stand Stakes over five furlongs by half a length form Australian raider Star Witness.

The experienced and much-travelled six-year-old, sent off a 7/1 chance, was also giving the delighted pair their first taste of Group One glory in Britain.

A delighted Cowell said: "I cannot believe this has just happened - has it happened? Has it really? I am just overwhelmed. I have got glasses on, so you won't notice that I am crying.

"I was almost getting a little bit of flak from everybody saying that I run him too much but he thrives on his racing. All I do in the morning is open the door and he will just walk out to his paddock - he will be in his paddock for two weeks and within four day, he will have put on all the weight he had lost during a race.

"Racing takes nothing out of him and he is a game, game horse. I am just chuffed to bits for everybody.

"This is the best day of my racing life without a shadow of a doubt. I am really just so pleased for everybody - it is just fantastic and I can't tell you how much emotion is running through me right now.

"He's obviously a very talented horse with an amazing amount of talent. Over five furlongs he is incredibly talented but six furlongs is too far for him - a yard past five furlongs is too far for him.

"To train a Group One winner has always been a goal of mine and with 25 or 30 horses in the yard you never think you will do it. We bought him for 85,000 guineas and he has won plenty for the owners, has travelled worldwide and done it for them.

"We will have to look at the Nunthorpe Stakes now. We can't go for Group Three or Group Two races anymore and we might have a look at taking him to Canada - we will play it by ear.

Crowley, who began his career as a jump jockey before switching to the Flat, was thrilled to have broken his Royal Ascot duck.

He said: "I am chuffed to bits. This is why we do it. To win on him here is great. I've won a Group One abroad but to do it here is special.

"Prohibit broke unusually well for him today and I could just sit. They went very fast and sort of split into two groups - one main group and a couple to the left. He got a nice tow off Overdose and travelled much better than he has done the last few times that I have ridden him.

"I was just pleased to get a lovely position throughout and he felt really genuine today when he hit the front. I wasn't sure the last time in France that he gave me 100 per cent but he certainly did today.

"He likes to come though horses so I switched him to the right and he picked up nicely. I thought he would have been pretty unlucky to have been beaten from a furlong out.

"I was really looking forward to riding him and my only concern was that the ground would be on the slow side. But it's absolutely perfect out there and he has been so consistent.

"It's amazing to ride a winner here. I was born in the hospital just across the road and it's great to come and ride a winner here, especially a Group One."

WITNESS COULD BE BACK ON SATURDAY AFTER GOOD SECOND

Trainer Danny O’Brien was pleased with the run of Star Witness, who finished half a length behind Prohibit in the King’s Stand Stakes.

He said: “It was a bit messy start and he ended up a bit further back than we would have liked. He didn’t have anything that side to drag him into the race and had to make his own running from about two furlongs out hard against that outside rail.

The trainer added: “Steven [Arnold] said that not everything went exactly to plan. We came here hoping to run the horse more than once and we’re not giving up on maybe winning on Saturday or the July Cup.

“He’s run really well today but we’ll see how he is first. It’s probably a run that says six furlongs would suit him even better.”

MILLARD SWEET AFTER HONG KONG RAIDER FINISHED THIRD

Hong Kong raider Sweet Sanette finished third in an international renewal of the King’s Stand Stakes to the delight of trainer Tony Millard.

“She was magnificent today,” said Millard. “She has always had a few tricks up her sleeve and is not easy and has learned a few more tricks since she has been over here.

“Jamie (Spencer) felt that she had a very high cruising speed and had to just hold her because of the hill at the end and that just got to her.

“She’s a real type for the Nunthorpe Stakes but that’s a while away and I’m not sure she’ll stay here for that. I’ll have to speak to the owners.

“I think the International Sprint at Sha Tin will suit her better and it would be interesting if we took on Black Caviar there. She has only raced against her pool at home and Jamie, who is a world-class jockey, spoke very highly about Sweet Sanette’s speed.

“It’s been a good experience coming here and we’ll definitely come back if we have the right horse. But I don’t think we’ll bring her again, she has given me too many headaches and a few new grey hairs!”

REACTIONS OF OTHER FOREIGN RAIDERS AFTER THE KING’S STAND STAKES

Andreas Suborics on the fourth-placed Overdose: “He showed a much better performance today than he did at Haydock in the Temple Stakes and the ground was much better today than it was there. I am very happy because today he showed he is one of the best sprinters in Europe. Today he showed his class.”

John Velazquez on Bridgetown, who came 12th, said: “He ran as good as he could but he lost the race before he ran. He got really nervous before the start. He went up with me a couple of times in the stalls and threw me out of the saddle so thats where he lost the race.”

Joel Rosario on Holiday For Kitten, who was 13th, said: “She just got away real bad. She was a bit of a handful today, acting up in the gate. We got away so slow and after that there wasn’t much chance.”

2011 KING'S STAND STAKES (G1) 1000m / 5f

Ascot Racecourse, United Kingdom

FOURTH LEG 2011 GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE

Tuesday 14 June, 2011

3:05pm (UK) 11:05pm (JPN) 12:05am (Wed)(AUS) 10:05pm (HK & SNG)

NO.	HORSE	JOCKEY	TRAINER	WGT	BARRIER
1	ARTIC	P SHANAHAN	TRACEY COLLINS	9-4	6
2	BRIDGETOWN	J R VELAZQUEZ	T PLETCHER	9-4	11
3	GROUP THERAPY	S KELLY	D BARRON	9-4	19
4	IVER BRIDGE LAD	M O'CONNELL	J RYAN	9-4	13
5	KINGSGATE NATIVE	R MOORE	M STOUTE	9-4	8
6	MAR ADENTRO	J VICTOIRE	R CHOTARD	9-4	4
7	MONSIEUR CHEVALIER	R HUGHES	R HANNON	9-4	16
8	OVERDOSE	A SUBORICS	J ROSZIVAL	9-4	15
9	PROHIBIT	J CROWLEY	R COWELL	9-4	14
10	SOLE POWER	W M LORDAN	E LYNAM	9-4	2
11	STAR WITNESS	S ARNOLD	D O'BRIEN	9-4	18
12	TANGERINE TREES	T EAVES	B SMART	9-4	3
13	WAR ARTIST	O PESLIER	M KLUG	9-4	7
14	ASTROPHYSICAL JET	G GIBBONS	E MCMAHON	9-1	12
15	ROSE BLOSSOM	P HANAGAN	R FAHEY	9-1	5
16	SWEET SANETTE	J SPENCER	A T MILLARD	9-1	10
17	SWISS DIVA	I MENDIZABAL	D ELSWORTH	9-1	1
18	STONE OF FOLCA	L MORRIS	J BEST	8-12	9
19	HOLIDAY FOR KITTEN	M E SMITH	W A WARD	8-9	17

OVERSEAS CHALLENGERS FOR ROYAL ASCOT RACES EXPECTED TO RUN WELL

Melbourne-based handler Danny O’Brien believes the sprinter Star Witness has a leading chance of landing another success for Australia at Royal Ascot next week.

The four-year-old is set to line up in Tuesday’s Group One King’s Stand Stakes and could also run at Royal Ascot on Saturday, June 18, in the six-furlong Golden Jubilee Stakes.

“He’s taken the trip over here pretty well, given it’s 38 hours door to door,” said O’Brien today. “We like to ship the horses on the plane race fit and we’ll just give him one more gallop tomorrow (Friday) to put him spot on for Tuesday.

“Coming to Ascot has been at the back of my mind ever since he won his second start and we’ve been pretty conservative with him this season because of that.

“He’s only raced twice since Melbourne Cup week in November and that has been by design because I was thinking that the races that would really suit him were up here.

“When he ran in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington last time, there was a Top Gear car rally next to the track and like a lot of the horses he got very worked up and he ran his race before he started.

“I’ve been over here before and got beaten but didn’t want to come back again unless I had one with a good chance and I think I’ve got one now.

“If Star Witness turns up in the form he was in for Melbourne Cup week, which I hope he is, then he is going to be hard to beat. He is also six months older and stronger from then. He was super impressive in a barrier trial before getting on the plane out here.

“He’s going to be covering mares (at Widden Stud) in September and next week is going to be his grand finale. It would be good to finish his career with a big exclamation mark. Anthony (Thompson of Widden Stud) was keen to come here and always knew that Royal Ascot was on his radar.

“It’s difficult for me to evaluate the form of the other runners and I will look at them more after the final acceptance stage. But I do know that he has just as strong form lines as other Australian horses that have run well here before.

“If things went to plan on Tuesday, then he could easily go for the Golden Jubilee. He’s backed up quickly in his races before as he ran twice in seven days in Melbourne Cup week last year.

“It’s great that the Australian horses keep travelling to England and we hope to keep up the good record at Royal Ascot. The race is no afterthought and I certainly think he’s capable of winning.

“Steven Arnold will be on board. He is an outstanding rider - we have had a lot of success together and he won on Scenic Blast (in the 2009 King’s Stand Stakes) at Ascot.

“We’ll be happy to stalk close enough to the pace in the King’s Stand because you don’t seem to be able to make up a lot of ground in the race.

“The prize money is good for these races, £400,000 for the Golden Jubilee would be good in any jurisdiction, but with a colt there is much more than prize money involved - it can make his stud career if he wins a Group One.”

Hong Kong raider Sweet Sanette also goes for Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs and the Tony Millard-trained six-year-old mare arrived in Britain on Saturday.

Millard’s wife Beverly commented: “Sweet Sanette is very quick. She will jump and be up with the pace. She would like fast ground, though she has run well on Hong Kong good to yielding.

“She travelled very well from Hong Kong - our vet accompanied her. I was very happy with that and a bit surprised.

“Sweet Sanette can be a bit temperamental - she is not the easiest to work with and a fighter but that is often what makes a good mare.

“She has settled down over the last day or two and her preparations are going well.

“She has been England before. When she moved from South Africa to Hong Kong, she spent her quarantine in England.

“Jamie Spencer will ride here because we wanted a jockey who knew the track. Sweet Sanette has beaten Sacred Kingdom in Hong Kong and, although he is getting on in age, he is still good.

“We think she has come on since her last race and that she will be there at the finish on Tuesday.”

Black Caviar, the world’s top-rated sprinter, is to race at Royal Ascot next year. The Australian-trained five-year-old mare, unbeaten in 13 outings including six Group Ones, will be aimed at the six-furlong Golden Jubilee or possibly the mile Queen Anne Stakes.

Jeff O’Connor, the spokesman for trainer Peter Moody’s stable, announced the decision at a press conference in Newmarket, England, on Thursday, June 9, ahead of Royal Ascot 2011.

Moody has sent over Hinchinbrook to contest the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, June 18, and the four-year-old Fastnet Rock colt exercised on the Bury Hill gallop at Newmarket this morning in preparation.

O’Connor said: “Hinchinbrook has been running well behind exceptional sprinters. It is very hard to win a big Group One sprint at home at the moment because of the two stars, Black Caviar and Hay List.

“The plan is to run Black Caviar at Royal Ascot next year - Peter asked me to mention that. As far as her lead-up campaign is concerned, we will get together next month to finalise that. The question is whether we go overseas with her before Royal Ascot. We want her to try and get some world-class prestige.

“Hinchinbrook is probably our (Australia’s) best colt - Black Caviar is a mare and Hay List is a gelding. I think he is terrific value at 12/1 as he is in good form.”

Luke Nolen, who partnered a winner at Ascot during last year’s Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, has been booked for Hinchinbrook.

The opposition to Frankel, Europe’s best three-year-old miler, in Tuesday’s Group One St James’s Palace Stakes is set to include his Japanese equivalent Grand Prix Boss, the country’s champion juvenile last year and winner of the Grade One NHK Mile on May 8.

His connections know they face a stiff task against the runaway QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner but are not afraid to take him on.

Koji Kubo, assistant to trainer Yoshito Yahagi, commented: “It’s a long distance for us to come over here but Grand Prix Boss had a good trip. He is eating and drinking well and has not taken long to settle in.

“His training has been strong and is going as we would have expected since arriving. We have big hopes for next week.

“I believe that Grand Prix Boss is the best mile horse in Japan and it is very exciting to have him racing against your best horses at Royal Ascot, the most prestigious meeting in Europe.

“Frankel is a superstar, even in Japan everyone knows how good he is, but Japanese racing fans are excited to have a runner against him.

“Mirco Demuro is riding Grand Prix Boss and he won on the horse as a two-year-old. He is probably the most successful overseas jockey in Japan, he knows how to handle the horse and he rides in Europe so we felt he was the best choice.”

American training legend Todd Pletcher is set to have his first runners at Royal Ascot next week with Coronation Stakes contender More Than Real due to have her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf in November and Bridgetown lining up for the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday.

Ginny DePasquale, Pletcher’s assistant, reported: “They were here in eight or nine hours and took a day to settle but are very happy now.“Bridgetown is a trier. He’ll give us his all, we just hope that’s 110 per cent and not just 99 per cent but we’re looking forward to it. Todd makes all the decisions but I assume he thinks Bridgetown could settle behind the speed and then make a good run.

“It’s such a prestigious race and I think this, as well as Wesley Ward’s recent successes at Royal Ascot, could open the door to this beautiful place for more Americans.

“They took their time with More Than Real, she’s had a break and I’m not sure this race was always on her agenda but it fits it.

“I hope she’ll be ready on Friday and won’t need the race. She is definitely bigger, stronger and more mature than last year. She’s very focused on her training and has been doing quite well here.

“She tends to sit off the pace just a bit, though she has only had three starts. The aim would be for More Than Real to make one good run at the end. The track is going to be a little different to what she has experienced but we hope to give her some experience of undulations before the race.

“She has settled in to Newmarket and we’re hoping for the best on Friday (June 17).”

The going at Ascot is currently good. Chris Stickels, Clerk of the Course, revealed this morning: “We had 36 millimetres of rain on Sunday night through Monday and four millimetres yesterday.

“The ground is good. The threat of showers is not far away and there could be some heavy ones at the weekend, with between six and 10 millimetres falling.

“I don’t anticipate watering. Going into next week, the weather could improve but there may be some rainfall on Thursday. Tuesday/Wednesday and Friday/Saturday should be mainly dry.”

RESULT - 2011 DARLEY JULY CUP - G1

1200m / 6f

6th LEG GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE

TRACK: Good to Firm

DREAM COMES TRUE IN DARLEY JULY CUP