WHAT. A. HORSE.
You know who I’m talking about here.
Stradivarius was simply awesome yesterday. What a thrill.
He truly is one of the greats now as he joined Sagaro and Yeats as the only horses to win a hat-trick of Gold Cups.
Yeats went on to win another one too so we’ll be back next year to try and match that record . . . and, who knows, maybe we can even go on and beat it.
We were confident but the rain was a worry. I was surprised at the four-furlong marker how well we were going when the others were all struggling.
I wasn’t counting my chickens though on that ground. Yet when I pressed the button he just destroyed them.
He has a devastating turn of pace for a stayer. That’s what makes him great.
I am very happy but most of all I am just so proud of the horse. It was a wonderful feeling. I love him.
He’s definitely the best stayer I have ever ridden. He’s such a character. It’s great to have him around.
The feeling Stradivarius gave me yesterday will be hard to follow but we still have two more days of the meeting and I have some nice rides today.
EYE OF HEAVEN (2.25) is certainly the pick of them.
He won well at Newmarket first time up with the Queen’s Tactical, who powered home in Tuesday’s Windsor Castle, back in third. On that line of form it is easy to see why Eye Of Heaven is as short as he is.
He could be something special and after I got off him at HQ I said to Mark Johnston straight away we should go to the Norfolk with him.
The colt is a really good-sized son of Exceed And Excel and I was impressed with how well he handled ‘The Dip’ for a two-year-old of his size, so there’s a lot to like.
Of course, the soft ground is a concern for all these juvenile runners but, given the scope and strength of Eye Of Heaven I am hoping he can handle the going better than most, no matter if it dries out or not.
I know Wesley Ward is really keen on his runner, Golden Pal, and he was asking me to ride him. He wouldn’t have wanted to see all the rain we have had at Ascot though.
The Lir Jet scooted home to win on debut at Yarmouth. He only cost £8,000 as a yearling but Qatar Racing were impressed enough to get the cheque book out after his debut win.
I just wonder if the soft ground will take edge off his speed.
My first ride of the day is WILLABELL (1.50) for John Gosden in the Albany who’s a nice little filly by War Front.
We only just got pipped on the line in her run at Yarmouth last week and I think it was a good effort first time up.
It’s tricky as we’re all in the same position of having only run once, and in any other year you might have thought it would be too much to ask, but she’s come out of the race well and we’re all in the same boat.
FANNY LOGAN (3.00) ran a good race at Haydock on her reappearance and goes for the Hardwicke Stakes.
She might not be good enough to beat Anthony Van Dyck, but there’s not too many races like this for the fillies at Royal Ascot so she’s going to take her chance. It’s a big ask but she’s a sweet filly who I like a lot.
I’m really looking forward to KIMARI (3.35) in the Commonwealth Cup but he won’t want there to be too much rain.
When Wesley sent me the list of horses he was sending to Royal Ascot, this was the one I wanted to ride most.
She was second in the Queen Mary last year behind me on Raffle Prize which looks really strong form, then she ran on strongly in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Juvenile to finish fourth.
She won a nice Listed race at Oaklawn Park on her reappearance in April and has a good profile for this race.
It’s a competitive renewal but I think we’ll run a good race.
It’s always exciting to ride for Aidan O’Brien and NOBLE PRIZE (4.10) should have a good shout in the Queen’s Vase.
He won a maiden last autumn at Naas and will have hopefully progressed well over the winter.
Ryan Moore has chosen to ride Santiago but Aidan has so many talented horses that the first string can often be beaten by the second.
The Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes looks a tricky handicap so it’s hard to be too confident about my chances on EL MISK (4.40). We’re carrying top weight so it’s never going to be easy, but he has been very consistent so fingers crossed for another good effort.
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