Olly Stevens and his wife
Hetta trained their first Royal Ascot winner in their debut season when
Extortionist landed the Windsor Forest Stakes for two-year-olds.
The victory completed a
152/1 double for jockey Johnny Murtagh, who had won the King's Stand Stakes on
Sole Power earlier on the card. On this occasion Murtagh wore the colours of
Qatar Racing, a partnership involving the Al Thani brothers of Qatar. They own
Robins Farm, which is the Stevens' base near Chiddingfold in Sussex.
The winner, a 16/1 shot,
is a son of Dandy Man, a first-season sire. Stevens said: "It feels
fantastic - Hetta and I have dreamed of this all our lives, but this win is
testament to David Redvers [who is piloting the Qatar Racing project with
Sheikh Fahad Al Thani], to Sheikh Fahad and all the team. It was David who
picked out the horse as a yearling and I'm so glad we can repay Sheikh Fahad's
faith in us.
"We had realistic
targets for this year, but feel we have gone above those already. We're in a
lucky position."
Extortionist won his first
race, but was only fourth at York next time out. Stevens said: "He came
back from Nottingham with a sore shin and I had to swim him in to his race at
York, where he was four lengths below his best. I was furious with myself that day,
but put him away after that and we've known he was always a fast horse.
"Next could be the
July Stakes and we'll work away from there."
Sheikh Fahad said:
"This is fantastic for Robins Farm and wonderful for a first-season
trainer. The horse has done so well because the pace of the race was on the far
side but he has won on the stands' side. I've always thought of him as a Royal
Ascot horse and it's lovely to see him win."
GENEROUS
EXTORTIONIST TAKES THE LAST
Johnny Murtagh, who
completed a 152/1 double today when taking the last, the Windsor Castle Stakes,
on Extortionist for owners Qatar Racing and first season trainer Olly Stevens,
said: "It worked out well and I got a nice tow into the race the horse did
very well - he went to the start very well and behaved well in the stalls. He
was a little bit keen for the first half-a-furlong but as soon as I got in
behind Kieren Fallon (on board Haikbidac) he settled lovely and he was always
going to win when I pulled him out with a furlong and a half to go. He
responded well and was very generous - it was a good win for the team. I think
he will improve for this. He was impressive on his first start but blew up on
his second but he will improve again for this."
David Redvers, racing
advisor for the Dandy Man colt's owners, Qatar Racing added: "I am almost
more excited by My Catch (Qatar Racing's other runner who finished fifth). I
don't know where we will go - I suppose we will have to think about races like
the Molecomb or the Richmond at Glorious Goodwood. He will come on - he is very
burly horse, very strong and can only improve. What an amazing achievement for
Olly Stevens (Trainer) and his best horse is still to run [Green Door, who is
declared for the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday]. Come Green Door!"
Murtagh
Banned
There was a sting in the
tail for Murtagh who received a two-day ban for use of the whip when winning on
Extortionist. The stewards found that he was in breach of Schedule (B)6 part 2
in that he used his whip above the permitted level. His ban is on Tuesday and
Wednesday, July 2 and 3.
5:35pm
Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed)
£60,000
total prize fund. For 2yo, 5f. Weights: colts and geldings 9st 3lb; fillies 8st
12lb Penalties a winner of a Listed race 3lb; of a Pattern race 5lb. Penalty
value 1st £34,026.00 2nd £12,900.00 3rd £6,456.00 4th £3,216.00 5th £1,614.00
6th £810.00.
1)
EXTORTIONIST (IRE) (Qatar Racing Limited) Olly Stevens 2-9-03 Johnny Murtagh
[28] 16/1
2)
SUPPLICANT (Cheveley Park Stud) Richard Fahey 2-9-03 Tony Hamilton [27] 20/1
3)
ANTICIPATED (IRE) (Woodcock, Bull, Ivory, Hannon) Richard Hannon 2-9-03 Richard
Hughes [20] 4/1 Fav
4)
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (IRE) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith) Aidan
O'Brien IRE 2-9-03 Ryan Moore [12]
5) MY
CATCH (IRE) (Qatar Racing Limited) David Brown 2-9-03 Jamie Spencer [18]
6) SACHA
PARK (IRE) (Middleham Park Racing XLI) Richard Hannon 2-9-03 Pat Dobbs [4]
7) BEN
HALL (IRE) (Saeed Manana) John Gosden 2-9-03 William Buick [22]
8)
SLEEPER KING (IRE) (June Bownes) Kevin Ryan 2-9-03 Phillip Makin [24]
9)
JUSTICE DAY (IRE) (Robert NG) David Elsworth 2-9-03 Dane O'Neill [6]
10)
WILSHIRE BOULEVARD (IRE) (Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor) Aidan
O'Brien IRE 2-9-03 Joseph O'Brien [8]
11)
HAIKBIDIAC (IRE) (Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum) William Haggas 2-9-03 Kieren
Fallon [25]
12)
ANDHESONTHERUN (IRE) (HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani) Roger Varian
2-9-03 Andrea Atzeni [11]
13)
FIFTYSHADESOFGREY (IRE) (Team Fifty) George Baker 2-9-03 Pat Cosgrave [23]
14) BEAU
NASH (IRE) (The Best Turned Out Partnership) Richard Hannon 2-9-03 Sean Levey
[21]
15)
OGERMEISTER (USA) (Wesley Ward & Thomas Owen) Wesley Ward USA 2-9-03 Joel
Rosario [3]
16) JAZZ
(IRE) (N Browne, P McNamara, J Napier, J Powell) Charlie Hills 2-9-03 James
McDonald [16]
17)
TABLEFORTEN (Eventmasters Racing) Jamie Moore 2-9-03 Liam Jones [14]
18)
SEFAAT (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Brian Meehan 2-8-12 Paul Hanagan [2]
19)
FINFLASH (IRE) (Insignia Racing) Mick Channon 2-9-03 Martin Harley [10]
20)
ZALZILAH (Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum) James Tate 2-9-03 Neil Callan [17]
21)
INTENSE FEELING (IRE) (Mrs E Evans) David Evans 2-8-12 Stevie Donohoe [26]
22)
PETERKIN (IRE) (Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum) Mark Johnston 2-9-03 Joe
Fanning [1]
23)
STEVENTON STAR (Robert Tyyrrell) Richard Hannon 2-9-03 Frankie Dettori [13]
24) DER
BLAUE REITER (IRE) (Clive Washbourne) George Baker 2-9-03 James Doyle [7]
24 ran
Non-runners:
Fine 'N Dandy (Vet's cert - Colic), Kodafine (Self cert - Stiff), Mr Dandy Man
(Self cert- Knocked joint), Treadstone (Self cert -Temperature)
Time:
59.82s
Distances:
nk, sh, nk, nk 1¼, sh, hd, ½, nk, ¾, hd, nse, ½, sh, 1½, ½, sh, 1½, ½, sh, 3¾,
5, 6
Breeder:
Louise Lyons Breeding: Dandy Man (IRE) -
Dream Date (IRE) (Oasis Dream)
Tote
Win £23.50 Place
£7.30 £8.00 £2.60 Exacta £492.60
Winning
trainer:-Name: Olly Stevens Based: Robins Farm, Chiddingfold, Surrey Royal
Ascot Wins (1): Windsor Castle Stakes (2013 Extortionist)
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