Ten years on from riding the winner of the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Joseph O'Brien grabbed victory as a trainer with State Of Rest (5-1) on the second day of Royal Ascot 2022.
It was a first Royal Ascot winner for O'Brien as a trainer having partnered So You Think to victory for his father Aidan a decade ago.
Under Shane Crosse, State Of Rest led from start to finish in the Group One feature, holding 10-11 favourite Bay Bridge to score by a length.
Having won Group Ones in America, Australia and France, the Starspangledbanner colt built on his recent close-up third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last time to land a first at the top level in Britain.
Crosse sent the four-year-old straight to the front and as he first saw off the challenge of Japanese raider and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Shahryar in the home straight, he easily held off Ryan Moore and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge, eventually prevailing by a length.
He said: "We knew coming here today that we had a live chance of winning the race and I'm just pleased that the horse has proved himself. Shane gave him a marvellous ride, he has only ridden a handful of races here. He grabbed the race by the scruff of the neck.
"It is a huge day, I'm very proud of everyone. We have a huge team at home and I'm so proud of them.
"It's very special. This is what it is all about. We love the game, we are born and bred into the game. It is all we know. To have a big winner here is what we do it for.
"We thought that if we could get a lead in the race we had a really big chance to win, we got a really good start and after a furlong we were comfortable.
"The race was setting up and I think Shane got the fractions perfect, the horse was very genuine and very tough – which he always is. I'm very proud of both of them.
"I was quite relaxed watching the race and it was going as I hoped it would, which does not happen very often in racing! A lot of work goes into training a winner and this is my first Royal Ascot winner, so it's very special."
A delighted Crosse said of his first Royal Ascot winner: "For this horse at four years of age to be doing this, it's just a delight to be a part of him. To be as good as he is and be a jockey's dream, he does what you want and there's no quirks about him.
"If he performs, he wins. When I turned in and I started picking up I had plenty of horse left so I thought something would have to chase me to beat me and nothing did. He's won so well."
Having won a sixth Cazoo Derby success with the impressive Desert Crown trainer Stoute couldn't add another Group One victory in the 1m2f feature in Berkshire. His improving four-year-old was just second best on his first start at the top level, but his trainer said: "The race didn't pan out brilliantly for him, but he ran a very big race. We are absolutely delighted. He's run a big race. We didn't know about the ground because we had not run him on that ground before, but that didn't inconvenience him. No problem there.
"We will have a think. We can stick at 10 (furlongs) or go 12. No decision for a little while. We are not going to decide now. He is in all the big races."
Bay Bridge is co-owned by James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud, and the former said: "We just thought the winner got the run of the race and he was in a slightly impossible position. He ran a really good race."
Ballylinch's John O'Connor added: "He ran a really good race and we are really happy with him. He is a Group One horse. We will leave any plans to Sir Michael. We will get him home and he will assess how he is.
"Some of the races come up quite quickly so we will let him decide where he wants to run him next. He will aim at all those mile-and-a-quarter races. Congratulations to the winner."
Japan still wait for a first Royal Ascot winner with Shahryar eventually finishing fourth. Jockey Cristian Demuro said: "When I asked (him) to go, he didn't have the same acceleration as last time."
