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Updated Khaadem causes shock in Jubilee Stakes at Ascot

Updated / Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 20:42
Jamie Spencer riding Khaadem to victory
Jamie Spencer riding Khaadem to victory

Khaadem caused an 80-1 upset in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Winner of the Stewards' Cup in 2019, he was fourth in the corresponding race in 2020 but had always come up short when previously tried in Group One company.

Trained by Charlie Hills, he was given a typically patient ride by Jamie Spencer, who was recording his second big-priced winner of the week after the 50-1 success of Witch Hunter.

Highfield Princess, second in the King's Stand on Tuesday, was prominent throughout leading one group, while The Astrologist and Kinross led the group on the far side.

The William Haggas-trained Sacred hit the front over a furlong out and it looked like she was just going to do enough to hold on, but Spencer had bided his time exquisitely and produced Khaadem to perfection.

Sacred was second, while the gallant Highfield Princess hung on for third.

Snallen gets the better of Pearl and Rubies

Snellen just held off the late lunge of favourite Pearls And Rubies to provide Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell with a second Royal Ascot winner.

Sent off at 12-1 having won on her only previous outing at Limerick, she was produced with a well-timed challenge by Gary Carroll.

With a furlong to run there were any amount still in with a chance, but Carroll's mount took a length out of the field.

That should have put the race to bed but Snellen began to drift to her left, allowing Pearls And Rubies and Ryan Moore a chance to close the gap. Unfortunately for favourite-backers, though, there was still a head between them when the line came.

Golden Mind and 125-1 shot Oddyssey dead-heated for third.

Cromwell said: "She's been nice from the word go and is just progressing all the time.

"Her dam won over a mile and a half so I think she'll stay further. I haven't thought about Classics, we'll enjoy today first."

Age Of Kings a long-odds scorer for O'Brien

Age Of Kings bounced back from a disappointing run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas to win the Jersey Stakes for Aidan O'Brien at Royal Ascot.

Down the field behind stablemate Paddington at the Curragh, he was the second string in this Group Three with Ryan Moore preferring the claims of The Antarctic, who never got involved.

Wayne Lordan was the man on board and he was never far from the early pace, set by Frankie Dettori on the favourite Covey.

With two furlongs to run Covey's stride began to shorten and that left Age Of Kings in front and it became a question of what he had left in the tank.

Challengers emerged from out of the pack, the best of which was James Ferguson's Zoology, while Streets Of Gold also made good late headway.

But Age Of Kings was able to hold on by a length and win at 22-1 to give O'Brien a fourth winner of the week.

Dawn Rising makes it six for Moore

Ryan Moore landed his sixth and final winner of the week as Dawn Rising justified favouritism in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trained by Joseph O'Brien, the six-year-old was having just his sixth run on the Flat, but he is a Grade Three winner over hurdles.

Never far from the pace, Dawn Rising had to be rousted along some way out by Moore but he kept on finding for pressure.

Typewriter then burst through against the rail looking a huge threat under Oisin Murphy but soon faltered and it was The Grand Visir who laid down the final challenge, going down by half a length. Run For Oscar stayed on for third.

Dawn Rising, a rare 2-1 winning favourite this week, was providing O'Brien with his second winner of the meeting after the success of Okita Soushi.

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Accreditation: PA

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