The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Lady Aurelia hailed as ‘a once in a lifetime horse’ after opening day win at Royal Ascot
Wesley Ward hailed Lady Aurelia a “once in a lifetime horse” following her scintillating display in the King’s Stand Stakes on Royal Ascot’s opening day.
The daughter of Scat Daddy was perhaps the most visually impressive winner of the entire meeting last summer when destroying her rivals in the Queen Mary Stakes.
She had far more on her plate on her return as she took on both her male counterparts and her elders, but the American challenger proved more than up to the task as she once again sparkled in the Berkshire sunshine.
While her performance of 12 months ago was all about raw speed, this was a little more measured as she gradually navigated her way to the front under John Velazquez, who was deputising for the sidelined Frankie Dettori.
Last year’s winner Profitable threw down a challenge inside the last of five furlongs, but Lady Aurelia found another gear to seal an emphatic threelength verdict.
Ward, celebrating his eighth Royal Ascot winner, said: “She’s a very special filly.
“This is a Group One against the fastest sprinters in the world and to duplicate what she did last year and come back and do it again – she’s a once in a lifetime horse.”
The Godolphin team have endured a tumultuous few weeks following reports of unrest and the resignation of chief executive John Ferguson.
However, there is nothing like bigrace winners to raise spirits and supremo Sheikh Mohammed enjoyed a day to remember by claiming a treble.
The afternoon got off to the best possible start as Richard Fahey’s Ribchester (11-10 favourite) followed up last month’s Lockinge triumph by landing the Queen Anne Stakes under William Buick in a course-record time.
The St James’s Palace Stakes was billed as a match between 2000 Guineas one-two Churchill and Barney Roy.
Churchill was the 1-2 favourite to add to his wins at Newmarket and in the Irish Guineas, but could only finish fourth as the Richard Hannon-trained Barney Roy (5-2) enjoyed his day in the sun under James Doyle.
Godolphin enjoyed a one-two in the concluding Windsor Castle Stakes with the Buick-ridden Sound And Silence, trained by Charlie Appleby, followed home by stablemate Roussel.
Richard Spencer’s 11-1 shot Rajasinghe emerged victorious in the Coventry Stakes in the hands of Stevie Donohoe, while Thomas Hobson (4-1 favourite) bolted up in the Ascot Stakes for the formidable trio of trainer Willie Mullins, owner Rich Ricci and jockey Ryan Moore.