Royal Ascot: Undercard stakes on opening day 2025
Gstaad emulated his sire Starspangledbanner by winning at Royal Ascot as he comfortably accounted for 19 rivals in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
The unbeaten colt, who is a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Vandeek, defied greenness to score at Navan on debut and had learned plenty from that experience.
With the field spread across the track, Gstaad powered to a three-length victory under Ryan Moore, despite racing alone down the center in the final two furlongs. Do Or Do Not and Coppull filled the frame for Ed Walker and Clive Cox respectively.
Gstaad, who was providing Aidan O’Brien with an 11th win in the six-furlong contest, jumped to the top of the Ballydoyle pecking order after injury ruled out stablemate Albert Einstein.
O’Brien said: “We are just so lucky to be working with such unbelievable horses, and Ryan riding them is incredible. It is a big team and it’s a privilege to be involved in the whole thing.”
On Albert Einstein, Aidan said: “He felt like something we didn’t have before. The first day he worked, he was probably the most different horse we have ever seen - he was so quick. We haven’t had horses as quick as he is but as big as he is. He is very exciting.”
Ed Walker said of Do Or Do Not: “I was surprised, to be honest. The Coventry isn’t a race I’d have thought I’ll be winning any time soon. I was quite happy to go and find a £40,000 novice at Carlisle, but he ran an absolute blinder and I’m really proud of him."
American Affair wins the King Charles III Stakes
Jim Goldie celebrated a first Royal Ascot win after his sprinter American Affair scored in King Charles III (G1) under Paul Mulrennan.
A significant improver through the handicap ranks since the beginning of last season, American Affair did not enjoy the rub of the green when fifth in the Temple (G2) at Haydock Park.
However, with no trouble in running today, the five-year-old moved into contention before digging deep to fend off a sustained challenge from Frost At Dawn by a neck. Regional, second in this race 12 months ago, finished third.
Goldie has had horses hit the frame at Royal Ascot before, including Sir Chauvelin in the 2018 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes.
Goldie said: “I have trained the family for three generations, so it’s very sweet. This horse’s grandfather Orientor had his day here at the Shergar Cup, so we’re pretty lucky that we can breed horses like that."
Mulrennan said: “It all went pretty smooth, I got a lovely tow along there. We just tweaked a couple of things today. The last day nothing went right at Haydock. Jim has always had a lot of faith in American Affair, and he is a good horse."
Frost at Dawn’s trainer William Knight said: “I thought the stiff five furlongs really suited her and it’s just annoying to not get the win. I’ve always had belief in this horse and campaigned her aggressively in that sense and we’ll continue to do so. We’ll stick at five furlongs – that’s her trip.”
Henry Dwyer said of last year’s winner Asfoora (5th): “Oisin Murphy was just of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track. Even though she loomed at the 150-metre mark like she had a fair chance, she probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race. There’s not much for us at home so it will be Goodwood, York and beyond hopefully.”
Field of Gold takes home the St James's Palace
Field Of Gold confirmed himself as the champion miler of his generation with a stunning 3 1/2 length win in the St James’s Palace (G1).
The son of Kingman, himself a winner of this race in 2014, lined up after a dominant victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) and was sent off the as the favorite to turn the tables on his Newmarket conqueror Ruling Court.
Always travelling smoothly, John & Thady Gosden’s star cruised into contention and put the race to bed with a turn of foot, in what was an armchair ride for Juddmonte's rider Colin Keane.
Henri Matisse (4/1) emerged from the pack to finished second, without ever looking to trouble the winner, with Ruling Court (4/1) staying on to take third.
John Gosden said: “That was a great performance. Oisin Murphy did a nice job doing an even pace on Windlord. Colin had a lot of horse and, for a second, I thought, ‘Whoops, this is Ascot - it climbs all the way to the finish line, and we’ve gone a bit soon’. I didn’t watch him, I looked back - you always have to look back for the dangers, and fortunately, none was coming."
Keane said: “Good horses make it look easy. It was a very good renewal of the race. I don't know when the last time three Guineas winners clashed, but Field Of Gold was very good at the Curragh and very good again today."
Aidan O’Brien said of Henri Matisse: “We are very happy. You are never happy when you get beat, but he still ran a very good race. I think we will stay at a mile. We had it in our heads that he would go to the Sussex Stakes after, so we’ll see, but that’s what was in our heads.”
Ruling Court’s trainer Charlie Appleby said: “It is never ideal to have to regroup and run somewhere else, but I don’t think that was our undoing today. The horse is fine and one thing we’ll be doing from now on is stepping up in trip. I think it might be a bit soon to say we’ll be jumping on to the Eclipse, but we’ll be working back from the Juddmonte.”