A stunning performance by
runaway winner War Command in the Coventry Stakes made it four wins from four
for Irish trainers on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
The son of War Front was
completing a double on the day for the team behind Queen Anne Stakes winner
Declaration Of War, namely trainer Aidan O'Brien, part/owner and breeder Joseph
Allen, and the Coolmore triumvirate of Messrs Magnier, Tabor and Smith.
However, O'Brien's son Joseph finished unplaced this time on favourite Stubbs,
and it was another Ballydoyle stalwart, Seamie Heffernan, who rode the winner.
In third was another O'Brien runner, Sir John Hawkins, the mount of Ryan Moore.
Allen, who lives in
Florida, but is visiting Royal Ascot with his wife Annette, said: "This is
surreal - it could not get better than this. I did not expect the first winner
[Declaration Of War] because he was so disappointing on his previous run in the
Lockinge Stakes, but this is a horse I have always liked.
"He's had a few
issues - he had a splint [a cannon bone issue] at one point - but he's come
around and what he did today was scary. His dam, Wandering Star, has a US
Ranger filly foal at foot - I bred and raced US Ranger with the same team
[Magnier, Tabor and Smith]."
"I've been involved
with horses for 35 years, and this is the highlight. To win two major races on
the first day of Royal Ascot is a dream."
War Command was given
quotes of 5/1 for next year's QIPCO 2,000 Guineas by Paddy Power, and 10/1 by
Ladbrokes.
PARBOLD
WILL IMPROVE
"The winner went too
fast." said Richard Fahey as his second-placed charge, Parbold, was led in
after the Group Two Coventry Stakes
"We wouldn't
have beaten the winner anyway but Tony (Hamilton, jockey) thought he was better
for another two or three lengths." continued Fahey "In race riding
you make a decision and decide who the fancied ones are and you go that way
Today it didn't happen.
"He is entered in
several large two-year-old sales races and it would be hard not to run him in
them.
"I nearly pulled him
out of his last race (soft-ground maiden at York, his only other start.) because
of the ground - this is more his going.
"He's got loads of
scope and will improve for racing. He is a very laid back horse and he will
come on again for that. He's an absolute gent."
Tony Hamilton, who rode
the six-length runner-up added: "We didn't get the clearest of passages
but I think he was second best. I think he is pretty good and will come on for
that."
FOURTH
RACE RESULT
4:25pm
Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
£120,000
total prize fund. For 2yo, 6f. Weights: colts and geldings 9st 1lb; fillies 8st
12lb. Penalty value 1st £68,052.00 2nd £25,800.00 3rd £12,912.00 4th £6,432.00
5th £3,228.00 6th £1,620.00.
1) WAR
COMMAND (USA) (Joseph Allen, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith) Aidan
O'Brien IRE 2-9-01 Seamie Heffernan [15] 20/1
2) PARBOLD
(IRE) (David Armstrong) Richard Fahey 2-9-01 Tony Hamilton [13] 16/1
3) SIR
JOHN HAWKINS (USA) (Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier) Aidan O'Brien
IRE 2-9-01 Ryan Moore [10]
4) THUNDER
STRIKE (Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi) Richard Hannon 2-9-01 Frankie Dettori [7] 6/1
5) JALLOTA
(Nick & Olga Dhandsa and John & Zoe Webster) Mick Channon 2-9-01 Martin
Harley [16]
6) STUBBS
(IRE) (Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor) Aidan O'Brien IRE 2-9-01
Joseph O'Brien [1] 5/2 Fav
7) WAHAAB
(IRE) (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Richard Hannon 2-9-01 Dane O'Neill [9]
8) MAWFOOR
(IRE) (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Brian Meehan 2-9-01 Paul Hanagan [14]
9) ROSSO
CORSA (Box 41) Mick Channon 2-9-01 James McDonald [2]
10) ROGUE
WAVE (IRE) (Market Avenue Racing Club & Partners) Alan Jarvis 2-9-01 Jim
Crowley [5]
11) DUBAWI
FUN (Sultan Ali) Ismail Mohammed 2-9-01 Pat Cosgrave [8]
12) LANARK
(IRE) (Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum) Mark Johnston 2-9-01 Joe Fanning
[11]
13)
RIVERBOAT SPRINGS (IRE) (Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum) Mick Channon
2-9-01 William Buick [6]
14)
CHAMPIONSHIP (IRE) (Julie Wood) Richard Hannon 2-9-01 Richard Hughes [3]
15) THRTYPOINTSTOTHREE
(IRE) (Hanford's Chemist Ltd & John Berry) Nikki Evans 2-9-01 Ryan Tate
[12]
15
ran
Non-runner:
Bahamian Heights (Self Cert - Colic)
Time: 1m
12.86s
Distances:
6, ¾, ½, 1¼, nk, 1, nse, hd, ¾, 1½, sh, hd, 1¼, 8
Breeder:
Joseph Allen
Breeding:
War Front (USA) - Wandering Star (USA) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tote
Win £21.00 Place £5.00 £4.00 £2.10
Exacta £403.10
Winning
trainer:-Name: Aidan O'Brien Date of birth: 16/10/69 Previous
occupation: Assistant trainer to Jim Bolger and Annemarie Crowley/O'Brien Date
of first licence: 1993 British Classic wins: (18) Investec Derby
(2001 Galileo, 2002 High Chaparral, 2012 Camelot), QIPCO 2000 Guineas (1998
King Of Kings, 2002 Rock Of Gibraltar, 2005 Footstepsinthesand, 2006 George
Washington, 2008 Henrythenavigator, 2012 Camelot), QIPCO 1000 Guineas (2005
Virginia Waters, 2012 Homecoming Queen), Investec Oaks (1998 Shahtoush, 2001
Imagine, 2006 Alexandrova, 2012 Was), Ladbrokes St Leger (2001 Milan, 2003
Brian Boru, 2005 Scorpion) Irish Classic Wins: (28) Irish 2,000 Guineas
(1997 Desert King, 1999 Saffron Walden, 2001 Black Minnaloushe, 2002 Rock Of
Gibraltar, 2008 Henrythenavigator, 2009 Mastercraftsman, 2011 Roderic O'Connor,
2012 Power, 2013 Magician), Irish 1,000 Guineas (1997 Classic Park, 2001
Imagine, 2003 Yesterday, 2008 Halfway To Heaven, 2011 Misty For Me), Irish
Derby (1997 Desert King, 2001 Galileo, 2002 High Chaparral, 2006 Dylan Thomas,
2007 Soldier Of Fortune, 2008 Frozen Fire, 2009 Fame And Glory, 2010 Cape
Blanco, 2011 Treasure Beach), Irish Oaks (2006 Alexandrova, 2007 Peeping Fawn,
2008 Moonstone), Irish St Leger (2007 Yeats, 2008 Septimus) Other major wins
include: Breeders Cup Turf (2002 & 2003 High Chaparral, 2011 St
Nicholas Abbey) Criterium de Saint-Cloud (2001 Ballingary, 2002 Alberto
Giacometti, 2008 Fame And Glory, 2010 Recital), Darley Dewhurst Stakes (2001
Rock Of Gibraltar, 2009 Beethoven), Coral-Eclipse Stakes (2000 Giant's Causeway,
2002 Hawk Wing, 2008 Mount Nelson, 2011 So You Think), Dubai Sheema Classic
(2013 St Nicholas Abbey), French 2,000 Guineas (2002 Landseer, 2006 Aussie
Rules, 2007 Astronomer Royal), French 1,000 Guineas (2001 Rose Gypsy), Futurity
Stakes (2002 Van Nistelrooy), Irish Champion Stakes (2000 Giant's Causeway,
2003 High Chaparral, 2007 Dylan Thomas, 2010 Cape Blanco, 2011 So You Think),
Juddmonte International Stakes (2000 Giant's Causeway, 2008 Duke Of Marmalade,
2010 Rip Van Winkle), Lockinge Stakes (2003 Hawk Wing), July Cup (1999
Stravinsky, 2001 Mozart), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2001
Galileo, 2007 Dylan Thomas, 2008 Duke Of Marmalade), Middle Park Stakes (2000
Minardi, 2001 Johannesburg, 2011 Crusade), National Stakes (1996 Desert King,
1997 King Of Kings, 2000 Beckett, 2001 Hawk Wing; 2003 One Cool Cat, 2005
George Washington, 2008 Mastercraftsman), Nunthorpe Stakes (1999 Stravinsky,
2001 Mozart), Phoenix Stakes (1998 Lavery, 1999 Fasiliyev, 2000 Minardi, 2001
Johannesburg, 2002 Spartacus, 2003 One Cool Cat, 2005 George Washington, 2006
Holy Roman Emperor, 2008 Mastercraftsman), Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere/Grand
Criterium (1997 Second Empire, 1999 Ciro, 2001 Rock Of Gibraltar, 2002 Hold
That Tiger, 2004 Oratorio, 2005 Horatio Nelson, 2006 Holy Roman Emperor),Total
Prix Marcel Boussac (2010 Misty For Me), Prix du Moulin (2002 Rock Of
Gibraltar), Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2007 Dylan Thomas), Prix Ganay (2007
Dylan Thomas, 2008 Duke Of Marmalade), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2006 George
Washington, 2009 Rip Van Winkle, 2012 Excelebration), Racing Post Trophy (1997
Saratoga Springs, 1999 Aristotle, 2001 High Chaparral, 2002 Brian Boru), Sussex
Stakes (2000 Giant's Causeway, 2002 Rock Of Gibraltar, 2008 Henrythenavigator,
2009 Rip Van Winkle), Tattersalls Gold Cup (2003 Black Sam Bellamy, 2008 Duke
Of Marmalade, 2010 Fame And Glory, 2011 So You Think), Yorkshire Oaks (2006
Alexandrova, 2007 Peeping Fawn), Blue Square Nassau Stakes (2007 Peeping Fawn,
2008 Halfway To Heaven), Audi Pretty Polly Stakes (2007 Peeping Fawn, 2011
Misty For Me), Investec Coronation Cup (2005 Yeats, 2007 Scorpion, 2008 Soldier
Of Fortune, 2010 Fame And Glory, 2011, 2012 & 2013 St Nicholas Abbey),
Moyglare Stud Stakes (2000 Sequoyah, 2001 Quarter Moon, 2003 Necklace, 2005 Rumplestiltskin,
2010 Misty for Me, 2011 Maybe), Matron Stakes (2010 Lillie Langtry), UAE Derby
(2012 Daddy Long Legs, 2013 Lines Of Battle) Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (2011
Wrote, 2012 George Vancouver) Royal Ascot wins (39): Coventry Stakes
(1997 Harbour Master, 1999 Fasliyev, 2001 Landseer, 2002 Statue Of Liberty,
2007 Henrythenavigator, 2011 Power, 2013 War Command), Chesham Stakes (1999
Bach, 2011 Maybe), St James's Palace Stakes (2000 Giant's Causeway, 2001 Black
Minnaloushe, 2002 Rock Of Gibraltar, 2007 Excellent Art, 2008
Henrythenavigator, 2009 Mastercraftsman), Norfolk Stakes (2001 Johannesburg),
Jersey Stakes (2001 Mozart, 2012 Ishvana), Coronation Stakes (2002 Sophisticat,
2010 Lillie Langtry), Hampton Court Stakes (2004 Moscow Ballet, 2005 Indigo Cat),
King Edward VII Stakes (2004 Five Dynasties), Queen Anne Stakes (2006 Ad
Valorem, 2008 Haradasun, 2013 Declaration Of War), Gold Cup (2006, 2007, 2008
& 2009 Yeats, 2011 Fame And Glory), Queen's Vase (2007 Mahler, 2010 Mikhail
Glinka) Prince Of Wales's Stakes (2008 Duke Of Marmalade, 2012 So You Think),
Hardwicke Stakes (2008 Macarthur, 2011 Await The Dawn), Queen Alexandra Stakes
(2008 Honolulu), Golden Jubilee Stakes (2010 Starspangledbanner) Wins in
Britain 2000-2012: 11; 20*; 10*; 6; 4; 20; 11; 18*; 20*; 12; 7; 16; 13
*champion trainer for win and place prize money; Wins in 2013 in Britain:
7
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