Blue Point’s rare double

BLUE POINT became only the third horse to complete the Group One sprint double at Royal Ascot yesterday when adding the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes to his win in the five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday.

The Godolphin colt, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by James Doyle, matched the achievement of Australian sprinter Choisir in 2003 and Diadem in 1920 and it was also the eighth time since the Second World War that a horse won two races at the royal meeting.

Having beaten Battaash by a length-and-a-quarter on Tuesday, Blue Point (left), the 6-4 favourite, clung on by a fast-diminishing head to beat Dream of Dreams for his second success after initially kicking clear a furlong out. Appleby said: ‘Words can’t describe what we think of this horse.

‘For him to turn up today on the back of what he did on Tuesday just shows his huge courage. It’s what racing is all about, seeing what these horses are good at — which is running fast.’

Doyle was deputising on Blue Point for his friend and colleague William Buick, who is recuperating from a head injury. Doyle said he was always confident of hanging on after chasing a blistering pace set by Kachy.

Appleby had earlier won the Chesham Stakes with Doyle-ridden Pinatubo, while his 2018 Derby winner, Masar, was a creditable fifth to Defoe considering he stumbled badly at the start and nearly unseated Doyle.

The Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August could be Masar’s next race.

Defoe’s trainer, Roger Varian, also won the Wokingham Stakes with Cape Byron. He could step up in class and run in the Group One July Cup.

Both Varian winners were ridden by Andrea Atzeni.