The Group I Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) was the big feature on the final day and it produced a history making winner, while the full brother to four time Australian Group I winner and $10million earner Cascadian (GB) also had his turn to shine and a 2YO Frankel filly dazzled winning by nine!
With no Aussie contenders this year the Diamond Jubilee looked an open race on paper and that paved the way for last year’s long shot winner Khaadem to repeat his performance to claim back to back wins.
Trained by Charlie Hills and ridden by Oisin Murphy, the eight year-old Dark Angel gelding again fired home from back in the field to claim a half length win becoming the first eight year-old to win the race and the first repeat winner of the race since 1959.
Winless since last year’s victory, Khaadem has the overall record of nine wins and six placings from 35 starts.
“Khaadem got a fantastic ride there off the pace and he never looked like he was going to get beat; he travelled beautifully through the race. He loves the place and it's the first time he's had the ground, pretty much since he ran here last time,” said Charlie Hills.
“I think fast ground is key to him. He had a lovely pitch, they went a good strong pace in front, but he just travels so well. He's such a versatile horse; he was making the running over five furlongs two years ago. I just really felt there's a different trajectory to running like a good horse over six, and it seems to have suited him very well.”
Khaadem was purchased by Shadwell as a yearling at Tattersalls October Book 1 for 750,000 guineas and was fourth in this race in 2020 when racing in their colours, but these days runs for Mr and Mrs Jim and Fitri Hay.
Bred by Yeomanstown Stud, Khaadem is a full brother to stakes-winner Log Out Island from White Daffodil, a half-sister by Foostepsinthesand to stakes-winner Lady Links from the family of Group I winning sprinter Bold Edge.
He is the second Group I winner at Royal Ascot this year for Dark Angel, joining Charyn, who won the Queen Anne Stakes on the first day.
Dark Angel stands at Yeomanstown Stud at a fee of € 60,000 and has a couple of sons in Australia in Harry Angel (IRE) for Darley priced at $38,500 and Top Ranked (IRE) for Raheen Stud priced at $7,700.
The Group II Hardwicke Stakes (1m4f) produced a dominant win for Isle of Jura, the four year-old full brother to much loved Australian Godolphin campaigner Cascadian.
Isle of Jura had one unplaced run in 2022 in the Godolphin blue for Charlie Appleby and was then gelded and offered in the Tattersalls March Mixed Sale last year where he was bought by JS Bloodstock / George Scott Racing for 150,000 pounds.
The son of New Approach made rapid progress through 2023 through handicap races winning three of seven starts and has been undefeated this year reeling off three successive wins in Bahrain before returning to the UK to win a Listed race at Goodwood last month.
He handled a step up in class for this assignment to race away and win by three and three-quarter lengths with Callum Shephard in the saddle taking his overall record to eight wins from 13 starts.
“Isle of Jura is a special horse. He has improved all the time and has been a pleasure to train. He has just kept improving physically - he is the most ginormous horse, beautiful mover, a lot of hard work has gone into him at home,” said his trainer George Scott.
“Most best-laid plans go to pot, but this has been a long-term plan. We knew Goodwood would bring him on, and it has. We knew he would get the ground, and he has. It was a scintillating performance, so we shall enjoy it. All roads to the King George, 100%. Callum [Shepherd] gave him a perfect ride. He sat nice and tight to a slow pace. He was in pole position and able to make use of his position, kick nice and early and put the race to bed.”
Isle of Jura is a full brother to Cascadian and half-brother to another Group I winner in Albarh being from Group III winning Street Cry mare Falls of Lora, who has had six foals to race and all are winners with the family also producing imported stayer Just Fine (IRE), who won the Group I ATC The Metropolitan last year.
The Listed Chesham Stakes (7f) for two year-olds produced another big win for Team Coolmore with Frankel filly Bedtime Story winning by daylight for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, who sealed their standing as the most successful trainer and jockey at Royal Ascot this year.
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Bedtime Story won on debut at Leopardstown at the start of the month and was sent out favourite here, but the manner of her nine and a half length trouncing of the colts was a surprise to all.
Chasing her home in second place was the New Bay colt Pentle Bay, who was purchased earlier in the week for £400,000 by bloodstock agent Richard Ryan in conjunction with Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the Goffs London Sale. Read about his sale here.
“We never let Bedtime Story go before. This was the first time she was asked to stretch. Ryan said he couldn't believe it; he said everyone fell away, he said 'go on', and she just took off. He didn't even give her a slap down the shoulder. We thought she was probably a Group One filly, but we hadn't looked - thinking is one thing and seeing is another, so everyone saw it together today,” said Aidan O’Brien.
Bedtime Story is a three-quarter sister to Group III winner Content and is the second stakes-winner among three winners from Dark Angel’s brilliant dual Group I winning sprinter Mecca’s Angel, a full sister to Group III winning speedster Markaz.
She is the 141st stakes-winner for Frankel and is the 15th for Dark Angel as a broodmare sire.
