Adam Kirby enjoyed what was probably the best day of his life when he became a father for the first time and celebrated as only a jockey can with a Group One victory on 4-1 chance Profitable in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
A rollercoaster of a day had begun at 2am when he was awakened by his girlfriend Megan (daughter of trainer David Evans), who informed him their baby was on its way.
Kirby left before the baby was born but learnt of the arrival of his son Charlie before going out to ride Profitable in the five-furlong dash.
"It's all been a bit hectic, not for me but for Megan," he said.
"She's coped and knew it was a big day for me so she's let me go to work. I'll never stop thanking her for that. She was going through it when I left her in the hospital.
"I think she had the baby half an hour before the first race.
"He's a big boy. He weighs 9lb something. We'll enjoy today. It's been a great day. There's no way to describe it.
"I'll never forget his birthday."
Filled with pride and confidence, Kirby guided drove Profitable to complete a hat-trick of victories this season.
The Clive Cox-trained four-year-old lined up for the King's Stand in tremendous form, having won the Palace House at Newmarket and the Temple Stakes at Haydock.
After hitting the front a furlong out, Profitable knuckled down to get the better of a protracted duel with Cotai Glory by a neck, with Goken finishing strongly to grab third, a length away.
Hot favourite Mecca's Angel raced up with the pace before weakening rapidly and was ultimately bitterly disappointing, beating just one horse home.
“What a great horse. He's probably the fastest I've every ridden. He has speed to burn and has an electric gear change. You can do what you want with him, he's there for you," said Kirby.
"I let him do the talking, but he's probably three lengths better than that.
"Clive's done a great job with this horse. He's a great man to ride for. I'll never be able to thank him enough."
Cox said: "He's special, and you need a special horse to come here and do it.
"He's pretty good. Every time it kept raining I was more concerned, but he travelled just so strongly.
"He's dug in and I'm really pleased.
"I'm delighted for Adam as he's a proud father. With the new baby it's a very emotional moment for him - to ride a Group One winner, I don't think you can get a better day."
He added: "We didn't enter him for the July Cup (Newmarket), because I think he is better over five (furlongs).
"But the way he's toughed it out on soft ground, that reasoning is doubtful now. He is very fast, though and he's just been progressive all the way."
Trainer Charlie Hills said of Cotai Glory: "He ran a great race and thank goodness all his owners came over otherwise I would have taken him out.
"Ascot soft ground is a bit different to anywhere else. They are getting through it.
"I am really pleased with the horse. Before the race he looked up for it and he had a couple of runs to sharpen him up.
"I am looking forward to running him back on faster ground. We have got to keep York (Nunthorpe) firmly in the plans. Whether we take another race before that we will see what there is. I wouldn't mind trying him over six."
Kevin Ryan said of Goken: "I am delighted with him. He had a little bit of a blip in his previous two runs so we tweaked a few things.
"The girl who rides him all the time said 'why don't you ride him out the back door like we ride him in work'.
"He was a little bit unlucky, but take nothing away from the winner, as when you get a horse rolling then stopped it is hard to pick up again.
"He is in the July Cup, but we will be minded by the fact he has gone well on this ground so we won't run him on really fast ground.
"The Abbaye could be the race set up for him."
Hot favourite Mecca's Angel raced up with the pace before weakening rapidly and was ultimately bitterly disappointing, beating just one horse home.
