John Quinn has not ruled out running gutsy mare Highfield Princess in the July Cup at Newmarket, following her two placed efforts in Group One sprints at Royal Ascot last week.
A triple Group One winner last season, the six-year-old was beaten a length when runner-up to Bradsell in the King’s Stand last Tuesday and was narrowly denied again when third to Khaadem in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
“We’re as pleased as we could be. We’d like to have won one of them, but anyway, there we are,” said Quinn. “She has come out of Saturday’s race really well, which is the important thing. She’s a great mare.”
Highfield Princess’s fairytale rise through the ranks, from winning off a mark of 58 at Ayr in September 2020 to triple Group One scorer last term, has made her one of the most popular horses in training,
The North Yorkshire trainer says she will follow a similar path to last season, which included victories in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, Nunthorpe at York and Flying Five at the Curragh, before she finished a close-up fourth to Caravel in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
However, he is mulling over an additional run in Newmarket’s Group One feature on July 15, for which she is a general 5-1 chance.
“She is in the July Cup in three weeks’ time and we’ll consider that, but if we don’t, we’ll just wait for a little bit,” said Quinn.
“I do think she’s a Breeders’ Cup horse. We’ll go down the same route. All being well, we’ll run her in the Coolmore Nunthorpe, the Flying Five and see how we go.
“The July Cup is a question mark, though possibly Goodwood for her, possibly. That would give her a nice break.”
Quinn had two other runners at the Royal meeting, with Breege beaten a length second to Coppice in the 29-runner Sandringham and Mr Wagu downed by two and three-quarter lengths when seventh to Saint Lawrence in the 27-runner Wokingham.
“It was a fantastic meeting. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We don’t cry,” said Quinn. “We ran four horses, three of them were placed and Mr Wagyu was just out of the money, beaten a short head out of sixth place in the Wokingham, so they have all run really well.”
He added: “We will have a think about where we go with Breege. Mr Wagyu might go back to Ireland for the race he won there last year (Paddy Power Scurry Handicap, Curragh, July 22) then onto the Stewards’ Cup (Goodwood, August 5) – that’s the way we are thinking with them.”
Frankie Dettori will extend his farewell tour to encompass the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November.
The rider will retire at the end of the year and after a fine Royal Ascot meeting that saw him win four races including the Gold Cup, Dettori has confirmed his intention to compete at Flemington in the autumn.
On what will be the 30th anniversary of his Melbourne Cup debut aboard Drum Taps, Dettori plans to be in action at Flemington on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day (November 7), Kennedy Oaks day (November 9) and TAB Champions Stakes day (November 11).
Dettori has come close to Melbourne Cup glory in the past, finishing second aboard Central Park in 1999 and Max Dynamite in 2015, with Master Of Reality coming home second in 2019 before being demoted to fourth.
He said: “I have achieved all there is to achieve in horse racing and have had a fantastic career, but the Melbourne Cup has always been one race that I would love to win.
“I am looking forward to returning to Melbourne to ride at the carnival for one final time and hopefully I can finish my career with a Melbourne Cup win.”
Victoria Racing Club (VRC) chief executive officer Steve Rosich is delighted Dettori will make one last trip to Australia for the spring racing highlight.
“Frankie Dettori is one of the best jockeys and personalities the sport has ever seen and the VRC look forward to giving him a fitting farewell at Flemington at the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” Rosich said.
“The Melbourne Cup is a race that jockeys across Australia and the world want to win, and this year will be no different. Preparations for this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival are well underway and racegoers can look forward to another week of world-class racing, hospitality and entertainment.”
Spurred by Jhaniele Fowler’s 55 goals, defending Suncorp Super League champions, West Coast Fever, defeated Melbourne Vixens 64-57 on Sunday to advance to the preliminary final against New South Wales Swifts on July 1.
The winner will the Adelaide Thunderbirds in the Grand Final set for July 8.
The Thunderbirds defeated the Swifts 64-62 on Saturday night.
In what was a tough match, Fowler playing before her home crowd at the RAC Arena, missed just one shot as Fever led each quarter 15-14, 17-16, 16-14, before opening up a seven-point lead after taking the final quarter 16-13.
Mwai Kumwenda only missed one of her 40 attempts to lead the scoring for the Vixens.
Over at the Qudos Bank Arena, Romelda Aiken George’s 29 goals were not enough to get the New South Wales Swifts against the Thunderbirds, who pulled off a dramatic 64-62 victory to book a place in the Grand Finals.
Helen Housby added 15 goals for the Swifts but Eleanor Cardwell’s 18 goals, 13 from Lucy Austin and 11 from Tippa Dwan were just enough to seal the Thunderbirds’ place in the final.
Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer has admitted he will not be fit to ride Pyledriver in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes as he continues his recover from a knee injury that has seen him sidelined for 15 months.
The Liverpool-born jockey, who turns 48 on Wednesday, partnered Sir Percy to Epsom Classic glory in 2006 for Marcus Tregoning and was preparing to ride Pyledriver in last year’s Dubai Sheema Classic when hurt riding out for Brian Meehan.
Dwyer severely twisted his knee when a leather iron broke and he suffered a torn ACL in March 2022.
A length recovery process has still not been completed and Dwyer said it was “tough” watching the William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained Pyledriver’s victory in Saturday’s Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“I had an operation to remove scar tissue about six weeks ago. It has helped, I’m moving forward. I’m going back to see the surgeon this week and get a bit more of an update,” said Dwyer.
“I got on a rowing machine last week, which was a massive step forward, then my knee swelled up.
“The surgeons are happy and mechanically it is working. He has kind of fixed it, but it is a bit like when you have a horse with an injury. You think, ‘he’s so much better now, we’ll give him a canter,’ but when you canter him he’s lame the next day. That’s where I am, to sum it up.”
Pyledriver was having his first run since his King George success under PJ McDonald last July.
The six-year-old, who had been off the track for 336 days with injury, took his earnings to just shy of £2 million in beating West Wind Blows in Saturday’s Group Two contest.
He has taken his race well, according to Muir, who said: “He’s grand this morning. He’s really good, come out of it like a gazelle. He went up there as good as he did yesterday morning, so I’ve got no bothers there at all.
“He trotted out well, looked a picture and it’s brilliant.”
He now looks set to defend his title on July 29, with McDonald again likely to deputise for Muir’s son-in-law.
“I would love to be fit for the King George, but that’s long odds-against to happen,” said Dwyer.
“It was tough watching again yesterday. I was delighted for the team.
“It was brilliant and great to see him bounce back like that. William has done a great job, as it was touch and go there for a while that the horse would ever run again.
“It was mixed emotions, watching him run, but delighted for everyone.”
Dwyer, who has split his time between providing his expertise as a TV pundit and Lambourn’s Oaksey House rehabilitation centre, is not openly entertaining thoughts of retirement and praised the care he has received.
“Even just to get back to normal life, being able to run for a bus – I’ve been throwing the kitchen sink at it in rehab,” added Dwyer.
“I just have to focus on that and just get back to normal life and walk the dog.
“They are great at Oaksey House. The physios have been superb. Jerry Hill, the BHA doctor, speaks personally to my surgeon, they communicate and try different things, so I could not be better looked after.
“The physio at Oaksey House even came with me to see the surgeon. We are leaving no stone unturned, trying everything and let’s hope it works.”
Connections of Derby third White Birch are eager for another crack at Auguste Rodin in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby next Sunday.
And should all go well at the Curragh, a possible Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid may be on the cards.
Trainer John Murphy has floated the idea of a trip to ParisLongchamp in October after seeing plenty of improvement in three runs this term.
The grey landed the Group Three Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown to start his Classic campaign, before a slow-starting, fast-finishing runner-up spot in York’s Dante Stakes.
White Birch tackled a mile and a half for the first time at Epsom where, despite again being slowly away, he made up plenty of ground under Colin Keane to stay on behind Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel in the Betfred Derby.
Murphy is keen to take on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Derby winner again and is a general 5-1 chance to lift the Irish Classic.
“He is in great shape,” said the County Cork-based handler. “I think we are happy enough to have another crack at him. It is going in the right direction.
“I think we fancy our chances. He’s going the right way, definitely. We are going to be looking forward to a very nice run.
“The ground is heading as though there might be some juice in it, which won’t bother him either. He’ll have no bother with ground – he’s very versatile ground-wise.
“I think that would inconvenience others more than him, because in the trial (Ballysax) it was heavy.”
Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, the strapping son of Ulysses is expected to improve as he matures and a possible tilt at the Arc could be in the offing at the end of the season.
“He has been a bit unlucky in the Dante and the Derby,” Murphy added. “He could do with winning a big one, which would be lovely for us all.
“It would just completely turn around our profile maybe. It would put a smile on everybody’s face for sure and a pep in the step.
“And I’ve no doubt he will improve with age, given his physique. He is a big horse, he’s getting stronger. I’ve not any doubt he will improve.
“He is in the Champion Stakes and I think he is going to be put into the Arc. We’ll see how he progresses. We will discuss it with the owners and we’ll see what they want to do, but we’re really looking forward to next weekend first.”
Ollie Sangster could look to York’s Ebor Festival in August with Royal Ascot third Inquisitively.
The Ten Sovereigns colt was beaten just under four lengths by Big Evs in Wednesday’s Windsor Castle Stakes, having previously finished a narrow second on his only other start at Windsor last month.
While the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on August 2 could come into the equation, Sangster is also eyeing a Listed contest at York on August 26 with a maiden stop-off another possibility along the way.
“We were very happy and delighted (with his Ascot run),” said Sangster.
“You never know what to expect, but the horse was in really good form, so we were hopeful of a positive run first time there. To finish third was great, we were delighted with that.
“He’s come out of the race in good form and we’ll hopefully now just work back from nice targets.
“The Molecomb is an obvious one but I think the winner is going there and he looks like a good horse and there’s a race at York called the Julia Graves (Roses Stakes) which is a Listed race over five. Further down the line there is races like the Flying Childers, but for now that is a way off.
“He’s still a maiden so we’ll work it out and we might just tick that off in the meantime, but there will be a couple of nice targets for him hopefully.
“It’s nice not just for me but also for the team, we don’t have a huge amount of horses but it’s nice to hopefully have a half-decent one.”
George Baker is eyeing up a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor with Cemhaan following his gallant effort in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot.
The six-year-old has been somewhat of a stable star for Baker, winning five of his 18 starts since joining the the Robins Farm handler from John Gosden in 2020 and this year competing at the Royal meeting for the second successive season.
He bettered last year’s seventh in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, with a fine effort to finish third in the opening day’s concluding contest – a run which can be marked up given the impressive nature of the winner Vauban and the fact Cemhaan only lost second in the dying strides when pipped to the runner-up spot by another Willie Mullins-trained runner, Absurde.
“It was a wonderful run,” said Baker.
“I thought a leg had fallen off because he drifted so much. I genuinely thought he was around a 20-1 chance and to see him on the boards at 66-1, you do wonder if a leg has actually fallen off.
“He ran a hell of a race and he has been a star for us. He’s been in great form recently and Pat Cosgrave gave him a lovely ride. Pat said he would have been second if he hadn’t had to commit to chase the mighty Vauban which just paid in the last 20 yards and we got done for second, but it was a huge run and we were clear of rest.
“Take out the annoying Mr Mullins – who luckily is a mate of mine – and we have won the race really nicely.”
Delighted with his charge’s performance, Baker now feels the £500,000 Ebor on August 26 is the obvious long-term target for his ever-improving son of Muhaarar and options ahead of the valuable York contest include possible trips to Germany and France next month, or even an early sighter of the Knavesmire in the John Smith’s Cup on July 15.
He continued: “We’ve got much to look forward to and the Ebor would be the obvious plan. We’ll revolve the season around that.
“He’s in a Group race in Germany in July and he’s in the John Smith’s Cup which is back to a mile and a quarter, but I think this horse is pretty flexible and a mile and a quarter up to one-mile-six and maybe even further is fine for him.
“For now, all roads lead to the Ebor and if we have a run in July, we may sneak over to Germany or France for a Group race. That may make sense as some of those sometimes do cut up between festivals.
“He’s an exciting horse and we’re lucky to have him.”
Classic-winning filly Mawj will remain sidelined for the time being after missing her intended clash with Tahiyra in the Coronation Stakes due to a dirty scope.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained three-year-old defeated Tahirya in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, before Dermot Weld’s star took the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
Tahiyra landed Friday’s Coronation Stakes with a comfortable length to spare over Remarquee at Royal Ascot, with Bin Suroor an interested bystander.
He said: “It was a good performance from the winner. She did it impressively.
“It was a shame Mawj could not run, but we are not going to force her to run when she is not well.
“She will take a break now and have some time to recover.
“She has a bad infection in her chest and once she is ready, we will start her work again. Once she starts her work, then we will have a look at the options.”
Mawj wintered in Dubai and the daughter of Exceed And Excel won both the seven-furlong Jumeirah Fillies Classic and mile Fillies Guineas before taking the Newmarket Classic by half a length on her return to Britain, her fifth win in eight starts.
The popular Godolphin handler says she is likely to return to Dubai at the end of her Classic season, but added: “We will have a race for her before she leaves for Dubai. Once she starts work, then we will find a race for her. It could be in the UK or abroad.”
Though Bin Suroor saddled Live Your Dream to finish third in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, he was not too disappointed after missing the target at this year’s Royal meeting.
He said: “Ascot was good. It is the best meeting in the world. The horses that run there over the five days, they are the best.
“There are millions and millions of people worldwide watching these races. It is royal racing – it is great. There is no other meeting like it in the world.”
Bin Suroor hopes that he will make his mark at Newmarket’s July meeting and added: “We have some for that meeting, but I hope the ground won’t be too firm.”
Hukum, who bypassed Royal Ascot because of the fast ground, will now be aimed at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Trainer Owen Burrows decided to withdraw Sandown’s Brigadier Gerard winner from the Hardwicke Stakes, after the ground tightened up throughout the week.
Hukum beat last season’s Derby winner Desert Crown in his scintillating return to action following a year off, having sustained a potentially career-ending hind-leg fracture during his victory in last year’s Coronation Cup at Epsom.
Connections felt they did not want to risk him in the race won by last year’s King George hero Pyledriver.
However, Shadwell’s longstanding racing manager Angus Gold is keen to take on the Hardwicke winner in the 12-furlong highlight on July 29.
“Hukum will run if and when we get some rain,” said Gold. “It was a touch and go situation yesterday.
“We were longing to run him, but Owen just felt in the end that while we could run him and he could win it, he might come back a bit sore after it and we’d all look silly.
“We kept him in training and spent a lot of time getting him right again after his injury last year and he just felt it was too big a risk. It is frustrating but sensible.
“Very much the idea is the King George. If the ground was good or even if it was good to firm, we might have to take a chance. That’s the big day. We will see how we are going nearer the time.”
Meanwhile, Burrows’ Prix d’Ispahan winner Anmaat is being primed for the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday week, although Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf will swerve the race.
Gold said: “We had a winner which was a very important winner. Touch wood, Mostahdaf has come out of it very good. I spoke to John Gosden yesterday and he says he is bouncing.
“John is absolutely right and said that we know this horse is good fresh. He has run plenty of horses back two weeks later, thinking you have had plenty of time, and they come out and run flat.
“Particularly as we have done that with Al Asifah, I think we will be sitting still with Mostahdaf and hopefully get him to York in the same form in August.”
He added: “The Eclipse is off the cards for Mostahdaf. We still have Anmaat in, ground permitting. If he’s in good form and conditions look suitable, hopefully we will go there with him.”
Promising three-year-old filly Al Asifah, who won her first two starts, including a runaway success in a Listed 10-furlong contest at Goodwood earlier this month, will be held back after a disappointing sixth to Warm Heart when odds-on for the Ribblesdale Stakes on Thursday.
Supplemented for the Group Two contest for her first try over 12 furlongs, just 11 days after her second start, she raced wide but did not pick up when jockey Jim Crowley asked the question.
Gold said: “Everyone has different opinions on Al Asifah, but to me she was just flat.
“Jim said he was never really happy with her, never really comfortable. I see all the experts saying she didn’t stay – she wouldn’t have won at a mile and a quarter.
“I don’t care what anybody says, at Goodwood she ran right through the line and here she was struggling from two out.
“She had only had two runs before, but she was just a bit more on her toes before. It was only 11 days after her previous run and everything has happened quite quickly for her. It could be a combination of things, but for me, she didn’t run her race.
“When you see how she picked up and ran through the line at Goodwood, she didn’t pick up and run anywhere at Ascot. It was fairly obvious it wasn’t the same run.
“We’ll give her a break now and get her back in the autumn. I still think she will be a very nice filly. We haven’t even discussed targets. We will give her some gentle downtime, three weeks or so, then bring her back and take it from there.”
Similarly, Mutasaabeq, who won the Group Two bet365 Mile at Newmarket on his return to action before a three-length defeat in the Lockinge at Newbury, will be given more time after finishing with just one behind him in the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday.
“Mutasaabeq is a funny horse,” Gold said of the Charlie Hills-trained five-year-old. “He runs well fresh.
“We tried to hang on to him this time to see if that helped, but it almost seemed he sulked and just went nowhere.
“We’ll see what there is for him, but we will just give him a bit of time now. He’s had three runs relatively quickly, but he’s the sort of horse who could easily come out and win another Group Two later in the year.”
Adrian Murray is targeting further big-race success having got on the Royal Ascot scoreboard with Valiant Force in the Norfolk Stakes.
The Irish handler saddled only three runners at the Royal meeting and as well as Valiant Force’s shock 150-1 Norfolk triumph, Murray also saw Bucanero Fuerte run with real credit in the opening day’s Coventry Stakes to finish third.
Both two-year-olds are owned by Amo Racing and are now set to be campaigned at the highest level, with the Breeders’ Cup highlighted as the long-term aim for Valiant Force having provided Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation with their long-awaited first winner at the summer’s big meeting.
“I couldn’t believe he was 150-1,” said Murray. “I was drawing a line completely through his last run as he ran no race at all that day and with his form with His Majesty before that, I felt he had a right chance.
“He’s probably going to be aimed at the Breeders’ Cup now in November. He will more than likely run before then but having talked to the owner he is keen to go there, so that will be our big target for him.
“He’s a horse with a lot of speed, so I would say we will stick to five furlongs for the time being.”
With Valiant Force being pointed towards America, it could be left to Bucanero Fuerte to fly the flag on home soil with the son of Wootton Bassett set to continue plying his trade in Group company.
Although the GAIN Railway Stakes on July 2 may come too soon for the improving colt, a trip to the Curragh could be on the cards for the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes later in the summer on August 12.
“He’s a really nice horse and I think he’s going to be a really good horse down the road, there’s lots of improvement to come from him yet,” continued Murray.
“He might go for a Group One at the Curragh, but we will need to sit down and have a discussion. He’s entered for a couple of Group Ones but it might be the Phoenix Stakes for him. He’s entered in all the good races anyway, but we’re not going to rush him though.”
Reflecting on Bucanero Fuerte’s Coventry run when third to Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber, he added: “I would say if he was able to have got a tow into the race longer, he might have got closer the other day.
“I don’t know if he would have beaten the winner or not, but it would have been more helpful for him. It was just the way the race went for him, he was in front and went idle a bit, he was a bit green. But there should be lots more improvement to come from him.”
As well as providing his big-name owner with a Royal Ascot victory, it was the biggest success of Murray’s training career in its own right – something that the Westmeath-based trainer is still coming to terms with.
“It’s been fabulous and I can’t complain, it’s been a great week,” he said.
“It still hasn’t sunk in. You go there with great chances and you can still get beat, it’s a tough game. But we were delighted with the week.”
As if to run salt into the already gaping wound of an embarrassing 35-run loss to Zimbabwe in the ICC World Cup qualifier on Saturday, the West Indies have been fined 60 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate.
Muhammad Javed of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after the West Indies were ruled to be three overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Captain Shai Hope pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
On-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Ravindra Wimalasari, third umpire Roland Black and fourth umpire Allahudien Palekar levelled the charge.
His close friend John Gosden put it best – Frankie Dettori has taken the blows and still come out on top.
The Newmarket trainer will be in his corner for the duration of the Italian’s long farewell season, as he has been throughout.
Bookmakers may have dodged a few body blows at Ascot, yet the lush green strip of Berkshire turf, the scene of his 1996 ‘Magnificent Seven’, has always been Dettori’s favourite area.
A Gold Cup and three further winners made it 81 career victories at Royal Ascot, the most prestigious of meetings.
Gosden knows exactly what the week meant to the 52-year-old.
He said: “It was a huge week for him. He was very, very keen to go out at the top, not to become suddenly this sad, unwanted figure.”
Epsom and Royal Ascot are the only Flat events that really matter to those with an idle interest in the sport. Victory in the Coronation Cup and the Oaks had given the Italian the spotlight he thrives upon.
Ascot Gold Cup glory aboard inexperienced partner Courage Mon Ami ticked the second box and will surely have been enough to secure him a BBC Sports Personality of the Year nomination at the very least.
Dettori’s career, the highs and lows, the ecstasy, showmanship and mood swings, is well documented.
What is not, is the important part he has played behind the scenes for Gosden and his son Thady, who will some day take over at Clarehaven.
“We have had a lot of fun together, from 1993-94 onwards, we’ve had a lot of fun,” said Gosden senior.
“When he arrived on my doorstep during the first year and he’d shaved his head, I thought he’d sent his cousin!
“Three years champion jockey, then the Godolphin job, then that ended. He was knocking around a bit.
“In 2008 he won a Breeders’ Cup Classic (with Raven’s Pass) for me – that is not easily forgotten, between the end of Godolphin and the beginning of our run.
“William (Buick) went to Godolphin and then we’ve had an absolute ball since then, from Golden Horn (winning the Derby) on through with Enable and all those fabulous horses.”
Gosden was there for him when things went sour at Godolphin, when he was handed a six-month suspension after a failed a drug test in France, when he was at his lowest.
“If you check the stats, he had a terrible year with 16 winners,” added the trainer, referring to his annus horribilis in 2013, after which he renewed his partnership. “He knows what it’s like to be shoved into the twilight zone.”
Every low point, the omnipresent Gosden was the father figure, sometimes stern, sometimes frustrated, always adoring, unwavering in the belief that Dettori’s ability could overcome any pitfalls.
They have had their ups and down, of course. Just 12 months ago, all was not well during a terrible Ascot, capped by Stradivarius’ defeat in the Gold Cup.
Arguably, he received a thinly-veiled kick up the backside from Gosden for his work ethic, though the trainer refutes that.
“After his lean spell, he just came to me and had nice horses to ride and we worked together as a team. He never ever needed that (kick up the backside). Every marriage has its ebbs and flows and last year was no different. It was quickly forgotten.”
The last two Royal meetings could arguably be a microcosm of Dettori’s career.
There is another six months of the final chapter to write, yet the Gold Cup – his ninth – could be the crowning moment, two days after picking up a nine-day careless riding ban aboard the King and Queen’s Saga in the Wolferton Stakes.
The story of this year’s renewal? To some, it will be this – has a Gold Cup winner ever been given a cooler or more stylish ride? Until a few strides before the final furlong, Dettori did not visibly move a muscle.
He kidded the free-going Courage Mon Ami round the final turn, saving ground, and while for a split second it looked as if the bird – Coltrane – had flown, the imperious Dettori waited, daringly switching left under two furlongs out.
Such was his ease of success in the end, it seemed as if the first time he took his hands off the reins was to thrust a right-hand skywards in a triumphant salute. That was not the case, of course. It took plenty of guile and muscle for the rider to redress the deficit.
If Gosden was surprised the four-year-old, with just three previous runs, had won, his emotions were the polar opposite for the ride, a gift honed on those oft-cold winter mornings on the gallops.
“You give him nice horses, have him come in the morning, discuss the horses, he is a fabulous judge as a work-rider. Not all jockeys are like that,” revealed Gosden.
“Great judge, Frankie. Gives you a very good idea of where you are going, where you are not going. He’s quick to feel that.
“It is one of his great assets is as a jockey in the morning. The afternoon is one thing, but the morning is fantastic. It is the intuition, feel and experience he has with horses. The feel, the instinctive feel – he has that.
“His father was champion jockey, his mother came from an amazing circus family, he was bred to be a phenomenal athlete. It’s great, it was just that time before he joined me again in 2015 when it wasn’t pleasant to witness.
“But now he’s through, we’ve had a wonderful run. We’ve had some great fun. He’s had a great Ascot and it’s great to go out and walk away carrying all the belts, not being on the bottom of the canvas.”
Equinox made a blistering return to action, coming with a scything run to land the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin racecourse on Sunday.
The Japanese star was sent off a hot favourite on his first start since romping to a wide-margin success in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.
That three-and-a-half-length victory over Westover at Meydan established the Tetsuya Kimura-trained Equinox as the top horse on the planet according to the Longines World Best Racehorse standings.
On his return, Christophe Lemaire was patient towards the rear of the 17-strong field in the 11-furlong Grade One contest and was still at the back of the pack turning for home, having suffered a wide trip.
Yet the son of Kitasan Black always travelled sweetly and cruised into the lead approaching the final furlong.
Though he had just a neck to spare from outsider Through Seven Seas, the official margin was no reflection of the dominant performance, with his French rider having to pose few questions of the colt.
“Though we were unable get a good position toward the front due to the fast pace at the beginning, the horse was relaxed in the rear and I wasn’t worried at all,” said Lemaire.
“As the inner track condition was not so good, we made bid from the outside early and turned wide to the straight, where he stretched really well.
“Hanshin’s inner course is tricky and (the) Takarazuka Kinen is a difficult race to win, even for champion horses, so I’m very happy that I was able to win the race with the number one horse in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. I realised again how strong he is. I hope to win more big races with him in the autumn.”
Equinox was completing his fourth successive top-class success, having previously taken the Tenno Sho and Arima Kinen last year before his Sheema Classic success.
Victory gives the four-year-old automatic entry to both the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley later this year, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. It is unlikely that Equinox will be seen by British racegoers, however.
Nick Smith, Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs, poured cold water any thoughts of the possibility he could turn up the Berkshire track.
He said: “Sadly, the Japanese do not appear that interested in coming over. It is a shame, but we will still continue to strive to attract the best international runners to Ascot.”
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s wait to register his first win as Jamaica’s Head coach has been prolonged, as his Reggae Boyz squandered an opportunity from the penalty spot, as well as a lengthy lead, and were held to a 1-1 stalemate by United States in their Concacaf Gold Cup Group A opening fixture on Saturday.
Defender Damion Lowe gave the Reggae Boyz a 13th minute lead, which was later cancelled out by substitute Brandon Vazquez in the 88th minute to rescue a point for United States in a contest that lived up to its billing in entertainment value for the massive crowd at the Soldier Field in Chicago.
Though they will be pleased with the point, the Jamaicans will also feel hard done given the fact that Leon Bailey should have converted from the 12-yard spot. But take nothing away from United States goalkeeper Matt Turner, whose save on his birthday proved the difference, though Reggae Boyz captain Andre Blake was also at his best between the sticks to spare their blushes.
Both teams started positively and signalled intentions with a few direct passes from the back into the attacking third to keep their respective defensive units on their toes.
Jamaica found a break in the eighth minute with Bailey finding debutant Demarai Gray out wide, the Everton winger showed glimpses of his nippy footwork and later played a dangerous pass inside that was cleared by the United States defence.
The host responded almost immediately and caught Jamaica's defenders flat-footed with Jordan Morris finding loads of space in the final third to get a shot off from close range that was kept out by Blake who got down well to his left.
Still, United States struggled to deal with the pressure posed by the new look Reggae Boyz as again set pieces proved their undoing when the Jamaicans eventually broke the deadlock.
After Bailey was fouled by Jordan Morris, Gray delivered a perfectly weighted free kick which was expertly met by Lowe with a diving header that gave Turner in goal for United States, no chance at a save.
Jamaica should have doubled the lead from the penalty spot just before the half-hour mark when Amari’i Bell’s long throw inside the danger area was headed on by Michail Antonio to Kevon Lambert, who was taken out by Aidan Morris’s high boot.
Mexican referee Cesar Ramos quickly pointed to the spot and Bailey confidently stood over the ball, but the Aston Villa winger badly fluffed his lines, sending his penalty at a perfect height for Turner to save. He had a grand opportunity to make amends but steered the rebound wide as well.
That missed opportunity gave United States hope and they gradually found their rhythm, though they were assisted by some sloppy Reggae Boyz defending at times. One such occasion was in the latter stages of the first half, when Jordan Morris easily waltzed his way through on goal and it took some brilliance from Blake to deny him.
With momentum in their favour, United States came out lively on the resumption as Head coach BJ Callaghan made the adjustments with the introduction of Vazquez, Cristian Roldan and Djordje Mihailovic, who injected some tempo into their attacking thrust, as they probed for the equalizer.
A gorgeous interplay by United States in the 70th minute paved the way for Roldan to get a shot off from close range, but Blake again came up big to keep the Reggae Boyz in front.
As the game drew closer to its climax, the Jamaicans withdrew into a defensive posture, desperately trying to preserve their lead which would have not only handed Hallgrimsson his first win eight games, but also condemned United States to their first Gold Cup opening loss.
The victory would have also been Jamaica’s second against United States at this tournament following their semi-finals triumph in 2015.
However, all that went out the window when Vazquez pounced on a poor clearance from a Jesus Ferreira cross to put the ball away from close range.
This stalemate represents an opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago or St Kitts and Nevis to assume early pole position in the group, provided they separate themselves in Sunday’s fixture.
Teams: Jamaica -Andre Blake, Dexter Lembikisa, Damion Lowe, Adrian Mariappa, Amari’i Bell (Kemar Lawrence 65th), Bobby Reid, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kevon Lambert, Demarai Gray (Daniel Johnson 90th), Leon Bailey (Shamar Nicholson 90th), Michail Antonio (Corey Burke 75th)
Subs not used: Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Jahmali Waite, Dishon Bernard, Javain Brown, Kaheem Parris, Jonathan Russell, Dujuan Richards
Booked: Lowe (3rd), Lawrence (83rd), Blake (85th)
United States: Matthew Turner, Deandre Yedlin, Matt Miazga, Aaron Long (Jalen Neal 46th), John Tolkin (Brandon Vázquez 82nd), Alejandro Zendejas (Djordje Mihailovic 66th), Aidan Morris, James Sands, Jordan Morris (Cade Cowell 55th), Jesús Ferreira, Alan Soñora (Cristian Roldan 66th)
Subs not Used: Sean Johnson, Gabriel Slonina, Bryan Reynolds, Miles Robinson, Dejuan Jones, Gianluca Busio
Booked: None
Referee: Cesar Ramos (Mex)
Assistant referees: Alberto Morin (Mex); Marco Bisguerra (Mex)
Fourth Official: Fernando Guerrero (Mex)
Var: Erick Miranda (Mex)
Avar1: Jorge Perez (Mex)
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