Royal Ascot Ends In Triumph For The Queen

Sunday, 19 June 2016 08:46

The curtain has come down on another Royal Ascot meeting in the perfect manner with the Queen getting her name on the scoreboard thanks to Dartmouth in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Her Majesty loves nothing more than a winner at Britain's summer showpiece meeting and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained horse was her final chance of success this year.

The four-year-old had solid credentials following victories at Chelmsford and Chester, but the Group Two assignment was a step up in grade and he was a 10-1 shot in the hands of French jockey Olivier Peslier.

Dartmouth was always travelling powerfully and showed admirable tenacity to get the better of Cox Plate placegetter Highland Reel by a head, surviving a brief stewards' inquiry to boot.

"It means a lot to the Queen and Sir Michael always had it firmly in mind that this was going to be the objective. We were just hoping he was up to it," The Queen's racing manager John Warren said.

"He's such a genuine horse and the Queen got such a thrill out of seeing him stick his head out."

Adding to the joy was the fact it was a record-equalling 75th Royal Ascot winner for Stoute, putting him level with the late Sir Henry Cecil as the trainer of the most winners at the meeting.

Away from the Royal celebrations, the afternoon belonged to the formidable combination of trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore.

O'Brien was crowned the leading trainer for the seventh time after the victories of Churchill in the Chesham Stakes and Sir Isaac Newton in the Wolferton Handicap ensured he ended the week with seven winners, the Ballydoyle master's best ever tally.

Moore was on board both and went on to complete a treble for the afternoon aboard Henry Candy's Diamond Jubilee winner Twilight Son, taking him to six winners over the five days, making him the leading jockey for a sixth time in seven years.