Cox filly is Ascot’s Queen
CLIVE COX inflicted Heartache when his filly of that name floored American ace Happy Like A Fool in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Punters had reasons to be counting their winnings when Happy Like A Fool, the 10-11 favourite, soon had a commanding lead in this fivefurlong dash, but Heartache and Adam Kirby were sitting on her shoulder and waiting to pounce.
Approaching the final furlong, Kirby let his filly go and victory was sealed.
“She’s good isn’t she and she has loads of class,” said Kirby. “I’m delighted for Clive as he’s a great trainer and doesn’t get enough credit.
“There was no plan, Clive just said to go where I was happy but I was pleased to get in behind one. She’s got a big future, she’s very special.”
Cox, who has an excellent Royal Ascot record (now seven winners) from only a handful of runners, said: “That was very good and it means a lot to me.
“She’s very special and she did it really well at Bath – I could not believe the time at Bath when they announced it. She’s no different from the rest of mine in that they improve with their racing.
“We won a Listed race with her mum (Place In My Heart), so this is very special, watching it with the owners (The Hot To Trot Syndicate) as there’s all manner of people here. It’s a proper achievement.
“She’s easy to train, she’s got a good temperament but we’re not quite sure how good she is. I was a bit worried when I saw the American filly as she looked pretty awesome walking around the paddock.” Wesley Ward, the trainer of Happy Like A Fool, took defeat on the chin.
“Ryan (Moore) said she was just beaten by a better filly and watching the race I agree,” said Ward.
Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer teamed up with Amanda Perrett to land the Royal Hunt Cup cavalry charge at 25-1.
It was Dywer’s first win at the meeting since 2011 and Perrett’s first royal winner in a barren spell that stretched back to 2000.
Perrett said: “He ran really well in the Victoria Cup and we freshened him up.”
Ward, who won with Lady Aurelia on Tuesday, gained compensation for Happy Like A Fool’s defeat when Con Te Patiro, under a superb ride from Jamie Spencer, took the closing Sandringham Handicap.