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Royal Ascot round-up: Rashabar pulls of a shock in Coventry Stakes

Updated / Tuesday, 18 Jun 2024 22:01
Rashabar belied his massive odds and filled top spot in a trifecta which paid £122,667.10 to a £1 stake
Rashabar belied his massive odds and filled top spot in a trifecta which paid £122,667.10 to a £1 stake

Rashabar held off the late challenge of Wathnan Racing duo Electrolyte and Columnist to claim the Coventry Stakes in a desperately tight finish, in the process returning some very famous silks to the Royal Ascot winner's enclosure.

Brian Meehan’s charge had not managed to get his head in front in his first two appearances, despite promising displays at Newbury and Chester, but the Holy Roman Emperor colt – in the colours associated for so long with the late Robert Sangster – had just enough in the tank to score as an 80-1 winner by a nose.

Under the guidance of teenager Billy Loughnane, Rashabar led a group of eight on the far rail, bursting ahead inside the final furlong and stretching his advantage to over a length as he looked to have a clear route to the finishing line.

Electrolyte and Columnist finished strongly, however, and rapidly reduced Rashabar’s lead, but the winning post came just in time as Loughnane celebrated his first career winner at the Royal meeting by the smallest of margins.

Meehan said: "Dare I say it, it’s not a huge surprise. He’s felt very good since Chester, everything has gone very well with him throughout. Sean Levey said that when a horse runs around Chester it’s like having two runs, they learn so much, especially a two-year-old that had only run once before.

"We’ve felt really good the past few weeks, we were always aiming for here. There was a thought in my head throughout that he was never going to be a five-furlong horse, but we want to get two runs for our two-year-olds before Ascot. I didn’t think he’d win over five, but he ran very well, better than I thought, and at Chester he was badly drawn and had he not missed the break he’d have won. The form has worked out very well.

"We’re very lucky that we get to use Billy when we can. He’s a great kid with a lovely way about him, he’s wonderful with people and the world is his oyster."

Loughnane said: "It’s an amazing feeling, to be doing it so young is massive. I was second in one of the races last year, I was beaten a couple of lengths, it was hard as I’m so young and it was my first Ascot, but when I look back on it it was a great achievement to even be riding at Ascot at 17 years old.

"What a feeling today, I’ll try to savour every moment.

"I’ve worn these silks a few times, I’ve ridden quite a bit for Brian and Manton, they’re colours with a deep history and to be able to put them on is a great achievement."

Mark Prescott celebrated his first winner at the meeting since since Pivotal in 1996 when Pledgeofallegiance saw off all-comers to win the Ascot Stakes.

Prescott, who won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Alpinista in 2022, was saddling just his third winner at the meeting in all, with Wizard King in the 1994 Britannia his only other success.

Drawn one, jockey Luke Morris had been worried about being able to take up an early position, but with Boher Road going a good early gallop, he was able to slot in behind before striking for home a long way out.

Divine Comedy burst out of the pack to chase him down, but the 20-1 chance – who went for 450,000 guineas as a yearling – held on by half a length.

Prescott said: "He’s a lovely horse and the only thing he has done wrong in his life is cost all that money and then after that the expectation is so high on him. If he couldn’t win the Derby then the next best thing was to win at Royal Ascot and I’m glad he has.

"I was very concerned about the draw, I had a thoroughly bad day when I found out his position. My secretary is very good, but not completely racing-minded about the minute details and I came back from third lot to find out Trooper Busier had been balloted out by one at 9.59am and I said 'don’t tell me the other horse is drawn one’ – she said ‘oh yes’, which was just what I didn’t want.

"Luke got it right and there was enough room for him to keep pushing and get where we wanted. It was one of those races where I can’t remember one going so well since Alborada got the pacemaker and High-Rise didn’t (in the 1999 Champion Stakes). Everything went just as we planned it."

Israr fairly bolted up in the Listed Wolferton Stakes for John and Thady Gosden under Jim Crowley.

The 5-2 favourite was dropping markedly in class having chased home the very promising Passenger last time out at Chester in the Group Two Huxley Stakes.

With Ancient Rome streaking clear under Jamie Spencer the early pace was red hot, but when it unsurprisingly collapsed, Crowley found himself upsides with a double handful.

For a horse with a lot of placed efforts to his name, he kept going strongly to win by three and a quarter lengths from the Wathnan Racing-owned duo of Haunted Dream and Torito.

Gosden said: "He's a grand horse and we’ve freshened him up for Ascot. He’s won it well and he might have to move up in company now.

"He’s been bumping into some good horses and he’s a tough old dude, he’s Taghrooda’s brother.

"He looked better than a Listed horse today and he got the dream run up the inside. Normally it doesn’t open up, but they went a good gallop and the Red Sea parted and Jim said he got there too soon, but he did it very well."

The Copper Horse Handicap brought day one of the Royal meeting to a close and having struck gold with Vauban in last year’s renewal, Willie Mullins doubled up with Belloccio at 4-1.

Formerly trained on the Flat by David Menuisier, the grey made a successful debut over hurdles at Punchestown last month and was among the leading contenders on his return to the level.

William Buick produced his mount with a sustained challenge from the home turn and he eventually ran down Lmay to score by a length and a quarter, with My Mate Mozzie just a short head behind in third.

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