Third time lucky for Dream of Dreams
DREAM OF DREAMS finally won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes after two previous near-misses in the final day feature of Royal Ascot.
Sir Michael Stoute – who has trained more winners at the meeting than anyone else – was recording his 82nd success at the fixture and having been beaten in two photo-finishes in the past two runnings, was delighted to have won with the chestnut.
Blue Point edged him out in 2019, while 12 months ago it was Hello Youmzain, and he was sent off the 3-1 favourite to make amends.
Tim Easterby’s Art Power
– a winner 12 months ago in handicap company – set out to make it a real test and by halfway had most of his rivals in trouble. They included Glen Shiel – successful on Champions Day last season for Hollie Doyle – but he battled all the way to the line for second.
As Art Power’s stride began to shorten Ryan Moore sensed the time was right to attack on Dream Of Dreams, and despite having two lengths to make up, with a furlong to run he was almost on terms. With Moore in full cry and a willing partner there was only going to be one outcome as the sevenyear-old prevailed by a length.
Stoute said: “The horse really deserved it. He’s a topclass sprinter and the previous two years one more stride and he wins, but that is not what it’s about. You’ve got to get there first. I’m really happy for him today.
“I was pretty hopeful from two out. He finishes well and he’s very effective at seven furlongs as well.
“He’s such a good racehorse and as he’s got older and mature, he’s relaxed more and got better.
“He was my last chance of the meeting. Group Ones have never been easy and it’s probably a little harder now and experience often gets beaten by these young pups.
“I don’t know where he’ll go next. He’s in the July Cup, but he didn’t go there last year as the ground was too quick. I don’t like running him on fast ground.”
Moore said: “Any winner here is important, but especially a prestigious race like this.
“Michael has been great to me my whole career, but he’s got this horse to perform in this race three times in a row so fair play to him. He’s been a great horse, he’s got better every year but a stiff six furlongs with cut in the ground is perfect.”
In the Hardwicke Stakes, Wonderful Tonight returned to action better than ever with a resounding success.
Having taken a lead into the straight, when William Buick pressed the button Wonderful Tonight (5-1) sprinted clear, leaving some top-class horses in her wake to give trainer David Menuisier the first winner of his career at the Royal meeting.
Buick said: “She’s top class. She was very good last year when I won on her in a fillies’ race on Champions Day. She probably does handle good ground quite well, but this performance was her best as she showed me a turn of foot I’d never seen from her before.”
Menuisier said: “She’s an absolute star. It was always going to be tough running against opposition that had
the benefit of at least one run [this season], but she is amazing and I’m so proud of the filly, my team and of the fact that Her Majesty came racing, too.
“Today she needed to be flexible and she showed that. She also showed a fair amount of improvement.”
Meanwhile, Rohaan’s dream season continued apace when he flew home to claim the Wokingham Stakes.
Dropped out in last by Shane Kelly, he weaved his way through before quickening impressively to beat Fresh by a neck, with the Queen’s King’s Lynn a fine third given he ran in the King’s Stand on Tuesday.