Appleby eyeing July Cup with Platinum one-two
NAVAL Crown had to settle for second-best behind his stablemate Creative Force in last season’s Jersey Stakes – but he avenged that defeat in style as he powered up the stands rail at odds of 33-1 to claim the Platinum Jubilee Stakes on Saturday.
Separated by the width of the Ascot track, James Doyle’s mount, who had been running over further than the six furlongs throughout his career until a fourth-placed effort in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, got the better of the William Buickridden Creative Force (12-1) by a neck, despite losing his off-hind shoe.
While free-going Australian raider Home Affairs was sent off the 5-2 favourite, he had run his race by the furlong pole and the Godolphin pair were followed home by a blanket of horses, with America’s Campanelle sticking to her guns to dead-heat with Australia’s Artorius.
Winning trainer Charlie Appleby said: “There wasn’t a lot between them at home. Will rode the winner in a gallop the other day and said there wasn’t much between them. Both were in great nick, but Naval Crown is still learning about the sprint division and he was all at sea in Saudi.
“But he finished fourth in the Guineas and is a rock solid horse, and over that stiff six furlongs we saw his natural pace.
“James said he just needed to get to the rail, but the ground was quick enough for Creative. They are two Dubawis and as tough as teak. The
July Cup is the obvious race for them, and I see no reason not to go for it.”
He added: “I’m just lucky to be in the position for these horses to come through my door. 2022 has gone well, but there is still a long way to go.”
Doyle said: “I would be lying if I said I expected him to win. We were certainly hopeful dropping him back in trip. He seems to be pretty quick. He was a hot favourite for a race in Saudi Arabia, but we had a sticky draw and he just ran off with me.
“Myself and Charlie had a chat about dropping him back and Naval Crown ran well in the Al Quoz when he was fourth. He’s not short on speed, he was travelling nicely behind Home Affairs and he saw it out well. It’s brilliant.”
Meanwhile, Broome swept trainer Aidan O’Brien to a remarkable 900th Group/Graded winner under both codes with an awesome display of front-running in the hands of Ryan Moore to take the Hardwicke Stakes.
Though last season’s Irish Derby and St Leger winner Hurricane Lane was sent off the 8-11 favourite for the mile-and-a-half Group Two feature at Royal Ascot, he appeared to be carrying a little condition for his first run of the season on ground quicker than ideal and Moore’s aggressive tactics from a wide draw worked to perfection, as he took the sting out of Charlie Appleby’s runner.
The 6-1 chance, who landed the Group One Grand Prix de SaintCloud
in July last year, kept grinding and as Hurricane Lane wilted, Mostahdaf and Jim Crowley gave chase, but found the winner three and a quarter lengths superior.
“I didn’t realise that (900 top-level winners) and we are so privileged to be in the position we are and we are so grateful to everyone at Ballydoyle,” said O’Brien, who also moved to 81 career winners at the Royal meeting – one behind Sir Michael Stoute. “In this world we take one day at a time and try to appreciate every day. We’re so grateful to do what we do. It’s incredible really.”
Paying tribute to Moore, he said: “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’s by Australia and is very brave.
“We think we will see the best of him this year. Ryan gave Broome an amazing ride.”
Later on the card, top-weight Rohaan became the fifth horse to record back-to-back Wokingham Handicap successes as jockey Moore threaded the eye of the needle to take the six-furlong cavalry charge.
The David Evans-trained fouryear-old has to be produced late and Moore bided his time aboard the 18-1 chance, knifing through a gap near the stands side between Popmaster and Mr Wagyu to score by three-quarters of a length.