The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dettori and Gosden land hat-trick on opening day
Without Parole the pick of treble for partnership
Frankie Dettori raised the roof at Royal Ascot as he teamed up with trainer John Gosden to secure a treble on the opening day of the meeting, highlighted by the victory of Without Parole in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Injury prevented the popular Italian from taking part 12 months ago, but those memories were quickly banished with the 9-4 favourite stretching his unbeaten record to four in lifting the Group One prize by half a length from Gustav Klimt.
Dettori, who picked up a seven-day whip ban for his efforts – which means he is set to miss the Coral-eclipse at Sandown – and a £4,300 fine, said: “I was afraid of Ryan (Moore, on US Navy Flag) when he got those three lengths in the straight, as I know what a good horse he is.
“I went all guns blazing after him and a furlong and a half out I found myself in front with nobody to help me. I was rowing like in the boat race on the Thames to get to the line.”
Of his treble, he said: “A fantastic day for the whole team. To have three winners in a week is amazing. To have three winners on the first day is fantastic.”
Victory for Without Parole fulfilled a long-held dream for winning owner John Gunther, who together with daughter Tanya was responsible for breeding this year’s US Triple Crown hero Justify.
Gunther said: “This is the number one of anything I’ve ever done in my life. To actually breed a horse and get him to Royal Ascot in a Group One and to pull this off is something I’ve dreamt about my whole life.
“I don’t think I can ever top the emotion of this day.”
Gosden is a firm believer the best is yet to come from Without Parole, who is a son of the mighty Frankel.
He said: “He is a grand horse. There were no hiding places in that race, it was a proper Group One pace. I think he is still on the up.
“He will improve and get sharper and he will get a little further, too.”
There was to be no Classic victory for Kingman in his racing days, but there is every chance one of his offspring could make up for that after Calyx got the ball rolling for Gosden and Dettori in the Group Two Coventry Stakes.
Gosden said of the Khalid Abdullahowned 2-1 winner: “Racing on his own was a big achievement and he was worth a little bit more than a length. His father was exceptionally talented and Calyx has all of those attributes.
“We will freshen him up and go for the Prix Morny. He has done a lot of racing in 10 days.”
Monarchs Glen (8-1) completed a memorable day at the office for Gosden and Dettori when leaving a disappointing effort in Dubai behind to claim the concluding Listed Wolferton Stakes by a length.
Eve Johnson Houghton found her emotions getting the better of her when Accidental Agent became her first winner at the meeting when producing a 33-1 shock in the Queen Anne Stakes.
She said: “I thought I was tilting at windmills and I dreamt about being third. I thought ‘my god, I’m going to be placed’ – there was an awful lot of screaming going on.”
In the King’s Stand Stakes, Blue Point (6-1) wore down Battaash to claim top honours for the Derby- winning combination of trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick.