The 2021 G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Artorius flew under many people’s radar in the run up to the race, with most people’s focus on the Chris Waller-trained Home Affairs (I Am Invincible).
The support for the Newgate and partners-raced colt finally started to pour in on Saturday, with the colt backed into second favourite behind the Coolmore-raced colt Home Affairs, who had been at the head of the betting for a number of weeks, firming in on Tuesday after his stablemate Nature Strip (Nicconi) romped home in the G1 King’s Stand S.
Ridden by Jamie Spencer, Artorius was dropped in at the back, with Home Affairs setting a decent pace up front. As the race began to unfold, Home Affairs began to fade, but on the opposite side Artorius was just getting going, weaving his way through the field, making up ground with every stride and agonisingly just ran out of turf, with Naval Crown - who was racing on the other side of track - soaring to a 0.1l victory over his stable Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
The judge could not split Artorius and the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), with the pair having to share the honours for third.
After leading for much of the way, Home Affairs failed approaching the three furlong marker and eventually finished a well-beaten 20th.
Following the performance, Sam Freedman - who trains the colt alongside his father Anthony - told Racing.com the colt was a little unlucky in running.
"There was barely a gap there and he poked his head through. He has run a wonderful race. It was hard to see as the near side and the far side were so far apart and I had a bad angle of the TV. I could not tell whether he was third, fourth or fifth," Freedman said.
"I am very proud. The whole team at home has done a really good job. I think they are all up watching.”
Meanwhile, Newgate Farm's Henry Field confirmed Artorius would extend his stay in Europe and be prepared for the G1 July Cup at Newmarket on July 9, provided he comes out the race well.
“That is the style of horse that Artorius is. He didn't quite get there, but the trip away has done him the world of good. Sam Freedman is one of the most astute young trainers I have ever come across. Anthony [Freedman] and Sam have done a wonderful job with him.
"He could not have run any better, and he has made us very proud. We would love for Australia for him to have won, but there is no question it was the run of the race. So as long as he comes through the race well, there is no doubt we will run in the July Cup in a few weeks.”
Naval Crown reverses the form
In beating Creative Force in Saturday’s Group 1, Naval Crown reversed the placings from last year’s G3 Jersey S., where his stable mate got the better of him.
“Both horses were in great nick. One thing that Naval Crown had coming into the race was that he was still learning the sprinting game. He’d only sprinted once in his life, and that was in the Al Quoz. When I took him to Saudi and he hit the lid so quickly… it was all a bit of a mess unfortunately, although we saw his natural pace,” said Appleby.
“This is a stiff six furlongs and we knew there would be plenty of pace. I said just hang on to the coat tails of them if you can. I’m not saying we’re not good enough to beat the Australians, but I said he will finish, because this horse has won over seven. He was fourth in the Guineas, so he’s a rock-solid horse.
“Creative Force ran a blinder. From that draw, it was always away from him, but Will gave him a fantastic ride, and it was just like the Jersey last year – they were ding-donging away with themselves in the end. They are two fantastic Dubawis.
“Had it been easier ground, I’d obviously have put Creative Force bang up there; he’s always been there and done it on the big stage. Naval Crown is cutting his teeth at the sprinting division now, and he’s learning fast. One thing about Naval Crown is that he’s a young sprinter – it’s only his second start over the six.”
If Artorius lines up in the G1 July Cup, he could clash once again with Naval Crown and Creative Force, with Appleby revealing the pair could also head to the Group 1 at Newmarket.
Golden Eagle plan for Noble Truth
A trip to Australia could be on the cards for Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) after trainer Charlie Appleby earmarked the $10 million Golden Eagle for the gelding following his victory in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
Last seen winning the Listed King Charles II S., Noble Truth has had a gelding operation since that victory and he displayed tenacity in spades to gallop all the way to the line to defeat Find (GB) (Frankel {GB}) by 1l, while Dubai Poet (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was another 0.ll away in third.
The victory handed Appleby a third winner of the week, while this was his second win in the race in as many years, having saddled Saturday's G1 Platinum Jubilee S, winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to victory in the Group 3 12 months ago.
“Give a lot of credit to Nathan, who rides Noble Truth out at home. This horse has not been an easy horse to ride. He pulls like an express train every morning,” said Appleby.
“Nathan did a good job going into Newmarket with him at the Guineas meeting and we made the call to make the cruellest cut of all. It is just something that, if he wanted to go forward again, then it was the right thing for the horse. In the last 10 days, credit to Nathan, he said that Noble Truth was starting to listen to him.
“Will gave him a peach of a ride there and you could see for the first half-mile that he was in a better rhythm and wasn't quite as headstrong as he was at Newmarket. When he got headed, I thought it would be interesting, and I didn't expect him to find the way he did.
“I am trying to find a horse for a race called the Golden Eagle in Australia in September and he might be the type of horse for it. We'll start to make a plan.”
Purchased by owners Godolphin for €1.1 million (AU$1,650,000) at the Arqana Deauville Select Yearling Sale, Noble Truth is out of unraced Frankel (GB) mare Speralita (Fr) and she is herself a daughter of multiple Group 1 winner Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {GB}), the dam of Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), who is famed for being Frankel’s first elite-level winner.
900 not out for Aidan
Aidan O’Brien chalked up his 900th Group / Graded winner under rules when the admirable Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) led all the way to add a seventh stakes victory to his CV in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
Sent straight to the front of affairs by Ryan Moore, Broome raced out wide and set furious fractions. Entering the straight, Broome looked ripe to be picked off by his rivals, but he kept on stoutly to beat Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) by an impressive 3.4l.
Dual Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}), who was having his first start as a 4-year-old, finished another 1.4l away in third.
O’Brien was enjoying his fifth winner of the week which saw him clinch the leading trainer title at Royal Ascot for an incredible 11th time and he said Broome could now head for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.
“I didn't realise that [900 Group winners]. We are so privileged to be in the position we are and are so grateful to everyone at Ballydoyle. Also, to John and Sue [Magnier], Michael and Doreen, Derrick and Gay [Tabor] and Georg and Emily [von Opel].
“We are so grateful to them all. In this life and world, we take one day at a time and try to appreciate every day. We are so grateful to do what we do every day,” said O’Brien.
“It was a brilliant ride. Ryan has done an incredible job on Broome. He is a six-year-old colt now and one very strange thing is that he seems to be coming to the peak of his career after all these years. He is by Australia and is very brave. We think we will see the best of him this year.
“When he was getting unsaddled after the Japan Cup, a horse walking by kicked him and fractured a shin. He was off for a long time. He just had the come-back run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and finished fifth behind all those good horses.
“He has a very high cruising speed and does not surrender. We will be thinking about something like the King George back here.”
By Coolmore Stud-based Australia (GB), Broome is out of Listed winner Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), making him a brother to G2 winner Point Lonsdale.
Holloway Boy lands shock victory in Chesham
The Karl Burke-trained Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses) shocked his rivals to win the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot on Saturday and in doing so handed Cheveley Park Stud-based sire Ulysses (Ire) with his second stakes winner.
The only maiden in the field, Holloway Boy showed no signs of inexperience when jockey Danny Tudhope was forced to switch him out and he responded in fine style to come away with a 1l victory over Pearling Path (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Lakota Sioux (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) was a further 1.5l away in third.
In winning the race, the colt provided Burke with his second winner at this year’s meeting, while this was Tudhope’s fourth winner of the week.
"Unbelievable. The truth is we were going to go to Musselburgh for the Sunday Series but he pulled a little muscle so we didn't go then the owner rang me up. He said he was supposed to have a box but was let down and wanted to get some tickets,” explained Burke.
"I entered the horse and thought 'I'm not going to run him' but I thought sod it, we'll run him, give him a nice day out.
"It was superb by Danny, we were always going to ride him that way. He rides this track fantastically. We thought he was a nice horse but I didn't quite think he was that good. He's only had a quiet blow, he hasn't had a hard race."
Interestingly, Holloway Boy is out of unraced Pivotal (GB) mare Sultry (GB) and this cross is an emerging cross, with four of the stallions winners bred on this nick, from only eight runners.
It is no surprise to see Ulysses succeed with daughters of Pivotal, given his father Galileo (Ire) also did well with daughters of the stallion, who like Ulysses stood at Cheveley Park.
McDonald bounces back
James McDonald put the performance of Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Platinum Jubilee behind him as he chalked up third winner of the week when steering the George Boughey-trained Missed The Cut (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) to victory in the Golden Gates S., penultimate race of the 2022 Royal Ascot meeting.
McDonald kicked off the meeting in style when steering Nature Strip (Nicconi) to a facile victory in G1 King’s Stand S., while he claimed his second win of the week courtesy of his victory onboard Dark Shift (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday.
