King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day – Racing Round Up

Spirited Celebration from Redoubtable Rosie

If the King George victory of Adayar and William Buick was meant to be the biggest cheer of the day, it was overshadowed by the roar let out by 26 year old amateur Rosie Margarson as she took the finale of the day aboard Spirited Guest, trained by her father George Margarson.

Rosie Margarson punches the air and bellows in triumph after Spirited Guest's success

PHOTO: Jack Williams

Famous as the person behind the “Life Of Bean” Twitter page that documents the shenanigans of the racehorse Caribbean Spring, also trained by George Margarson and looked after by Rosie, it was her first ride back on course after being unshipped from the aforementioned horse at the Newmarket gallops 10 weeks ago, resulting in a broken ankle that required surgery.

All the physio and assistance from the Injured Jockeys Fund was “well worth the pain”, as she steered the 5 year old to a 1 and a half length victory from Hajjam, who came right back to form after posting some disappointing efforts previously.

Spirited Guest, Captain Claret and Alibaba were up with the pace for the first half of the race, and as the race began to heat up Spirited Guest and Rosie were cruising down the straight at the Berkshire course, whilst every other rival began pushing and shoving on their mounts. Vasco De Gama was the first to crack, fading tamely and dropping out the back of the pack as the field approached the last furlong and a half.

Rosie pushed the button on Spirited Guest at this point, and the horse found gamely under her to maintain the gallop to the line and hold off their rivals, producing a memorable success for team Margarson and leading to jubilation thereafter, particularly for the jockey, whose screams of joy were echoed around the enclosures as she came back in aboard the victor.

Rosie Margarson is all smiles

PHOTO: Jack Williams

The atmosphere at Ascot was already one of ecstatic excitement, and these were only added to when Rosie was interviewed on the success afterwards. Speaking to the assembled media, she produced the most memorable interview that day to Sky Sports Racing, with humour and wit cast in for effect when reflecting on her win.

“ I had nothing to with it”, she claimed. “It was all Jimmy ( Spirited Guest’s nickname ). God I love this horse!.... he taught me so much about getting warm on the bridle.”

“When we hit the front I thought, we are going to run out of puff…. I don’t want to get hold of him too early as he can be a bit cheeky”.

And when she decided to get serious, and to push the button, otherwise in her eyes she would have been told she wasn’t trying, “and he kept going!”, an element of disbelief in her voice.

Rosie Margarson punches the air and bellows in triumph after Spirited Guest's success

PHOTO: Jack Williams

“I celebrated a bit hard”.

“God he is a dude! If he wants to win he will, and amateur riding probably suit him because he knows he’s in charge!”

What made this victory more significant is that 10 weeks ago she was unshipped on the gallops from “Bean”, and unknowingly broke her ankle. “It’s been worth all the pain, all the physio” she commented, noting the work she had done at Peter O Sullevan House at Newmarket to return her to the saddle.

“I’ll break it again if I get to do this again!”

Claudette the Princess of Ascot in Keeneland Triumph

Zain Claudette continued her upward trajectory in the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes when showing guts and determination to scrape home late on under a tenacious drive from Ray Dawson to score by a nose.

Zain Claudette ( near side ) gets up on the line under Ray Dawson

PHOTO: Jack Williams

The two year old daughter of No Nay Never got her nose in front when it mattered most, flying home in filthy conditions to deny Desert Dreamer and Oisin Murphy, and in the process give a jubilant Ray Dawson their first Group win.

Crazyland was the fastest out of the stalls under Hector Crouch and took up the running from Nazanin, racing keenly in the first few furlongs of the six furlong contest.

With two furlongs to run, System was pulled towards the stands by Pat Dobbs, but he couldn’t find anything under pressure as it all seemed to be between Desert Dreamer and Delmona at the line. Tom Dascombe’s charge, third in the Super Sprint at Newbury a week earlier, battled dourly but looked booked for second as the line neared, with Desert Dreamer holding him at bay and looking to be secured of victory.

Zain Claudette ( near side ) gets up on the line under Ray Dawson

PHOTO: Jack Williams

That was, however, not if Zain Claudette had anything to do with. Staying on powerfully under a relentless drive from her jockey, she picked up the best of all towards the end and stayed on dourly to join Desert Dreamer on the line.

A lengthy stewards enquiry followed, with Zain Claudette being declared the winner, resulting in her jockey bellowing with ecstasy at the result. Speaking afterwards, the jockey declared that “this is massive, I’m a very lucky man”.

He went on to say how this win was not just for himself, but for “my family and everyone who helped me get through the rough patches in my life”, referring to his battles with addiction that he went through recently, most notably Drugs, alcohol and depression.

The trainer of Zain Claudette, Ismail Mohammed, followed up the wording from the victorious jockey to state that he had some very big plans for his Group 3 winning Filly.

“She keeps improving with every run and has been consistent this year”.

“We are planning some very big races for her”.

Guru guides Murphy to Porsche Stakes success

35 minutes after being cruelly denied a winner on the line by Zain Claudette, Oisin Murphy finally got his name on the board for the day when taking the Porsche Handicap Stakes with Guru.

Guru and Oisin Murphy get up in the last half a furlong to snatch victory

PHOTO: Jack Williams

Trained by John & Thady Gosden, the three year old son of Kingman has done well since a gelding operation at the beginning of the season, knuckling down to score by a nose to Marsabit in a close finish that gave Oisin a fair bit of satisfaction, as the accompanying photograph shows.

It appears that the gelding operation and blinkers have done wonders for the son of Kingman, where a disappointing fifth before the operation in April and adoption of headgear on his previous run at Sandown appear to have made him focus more on the task at hand.

On the opening of the gates at the start of the one mile journey, Fantastic Fox was heavily restrained by Silvestre De Sousa, whilst Marsabit went on to lead from Latest Generation. Going up the straight in one line, Titan Rock followed the leaders ahead of Guru and Fantastic Fox, with Mystery Smiles bringing up the rear.

Oisin was clearly delighted with his win...

PHOTO: Jack Williams

Mystery Smiles was first off the bridle as the pace increased just after the three furlong mark. Titan Rock attempted to go with the pace but faded inside the two furlong point, with Latest generation also failing to be of much threat.

It was left to the remaining trio to fight out the finish. Fantastic Fox came from the back to put it up to Guru and Marsabit, but was always seemingly held by the duo at the helm. As the line approached Guru flung everything at Marsabit, and unlike 35 minutes earlier this time Oisin Murphy would not be denied as he got up to pip Marsabit to victory in a thrilling finish.

Southern on Voyage to Ascot riches

Southern Voyage made it a successful handicap debut when taking the Sebastian’s Action Trust Handicap Stakes for trainer Archie Watson and jockey Daniel Tudhope.

Southern Voyage and Danny Tudhope are all heart to win

PHOTO: Jack Williams

Seemingly requiring a step up in trip after his previous run over 1m 2f at Redcar, he took the extra distance in his stride well, keeping on to win by just shy of a length from By Starlight, with favourite Camelot Tales back in third.

Zuba took the quartet on at the start, both Doctor Parnassus and Good Soul having been declared non-runners. Southern Voyage went alongside him, with a length and a half back to By Starlight and Camelot Tales following at the rear.

Turning in, only 2 and a half lengths separated the field. Zuba was swamped by their rivals and quickly dropped away, with Buick delivering his mount Camelot Tales onto the outside in a bid to make it a four timer, having won the King George 35 minutes earlier. By Starlight was sent up the inside by Josephine Gordon as both took aim at Southern Voyage, who was now left in front to be fired at.

Southern Voyage and Danny Tudhope are all heart to win

PHOTO: Jack Williams

By Starlight got her head in front approaching the final furlong, but Southern Voyage was having absolutely none of it and decided to fight back, knuckling down to tough it out with he filly on the inside. Camelot Tales couldn’t quick get to them, with Southern Voyage starting to draw away closed home, suggesting that he will in fact get even further, perhaps 1m 6f later on in the year, or next season at least.