Coolmore continued their domination of the juvenile features at Royal Ascot overnight with an impressive win in the Group II Norfolk Stakes (5f) for Charles Darwin, the full brother to 2022 Champion European 2YO Colt Blackbeard.
Earlier in the week Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combined to win the Group II Coventry Stakes with Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) and the Group II Queen Mary Stakes with True Love (No Nay Never) and they kept the trend going with Charles Darwin.
A big strong colt by No Nay Never, Charles Darwin had three previous starts for a debut fourth and then two wins in Ireland so was well educated and did not disappoint.
He powered clear to win by more than two lengths becoming the 74th stakes-winner for his sire No Nay Never, who won this race in 2013 for US trainer Wesley Ward.
“Charles Darwin is a very fast, big, powerful, strong horse. He's big, mature, physical and a very good mind as well so he's very exciting,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“Ryan obviously does his own thing always, the gates open and he decides so he was very happy; he said he powered through the line so couldn't be happier really.”
Charles Darwin is a full brother to dual Group I winner Blackbeard who is now on the Coolmore Ireland stallion roster at a fee of €17,500, and is the second stakes-winner among four winners from Muirin, a daughter of Group III winner Girouette.
By influential sire Scat Daddy, No Nay Never stands at a fee of €125,000 at Coolmore Ireland and did shuttle to Australia for four seasons with Group I winning filly Madame Pommery his best horse bred here.
