The first big Group I mile event of the year for the older horses in Europe was run overnight at Newbury in the UK with the Lockinge Stakes (1m) producing a new Group I winner for champion sire Dubawi.
A homebred for Juddmonte, four year-old stallion Lead Artist was a multiple Group winner last year, but produced a personal best to run down the favourite Dancing Gemini (Camelot) to win by half a length.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Oisin Murphy, Lead Artist took his overall record to four wins and four placings from nine starts and heads next to Royal Ascot.
“Lead Artist has got a great deal of talent, but got stuck in the mud at Sandown last time. He got a peach of a ride from Oisin [Murphy]. I thought we'd been in the first three, but not necessarily win it,” said John Gosden.
“The Queen Anne is the next obvious step, but we hope the weather doesn't get wet. He's got so much natural speed and the stiff mile of Ascot will suit him best.”
Lead Artist is the first winner from Group II winning Frankel mare Obligate, who is a grand-daughter of revered Juddmonte blue hen Hasili.
He is the 61st Group I winner for Dubawi and the third for Frankel as a broodmare sire.
