Something had to give in the St James’s Palace Stakes here on Tuesday and it proved to be the unbeaten record of Notable Speech, the favourite, as Richard Hannon’s unshakeable faith in his colt Rosallion was rewarded with victory by a neck in the feature race on day one of the royal meeting.
“Quite often, you call these horses something that they’re not,” Hannon said afterwards, “and quite often you are disappointed, it’s an occupational hazard. But this lad has never let me down.”
Rosallion had finished a length-and-a-half behind Notable Speech in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, despite a subsequent win in the Irish equivalent a few weeks later, he was sent off at 5-2 with Notable Speech heading the market at 6-4. Charlie Appleby’s horse was never a serious threat, however, and a distinct lack of running room against the far rail was a much bigger issue for Sean Levey, Rosallion’s jockey, as they passed the furlong pole.
Darlinghurst, a 40-1 outsider, was holding them in but as he started to drop away a few strides later Levey seized the chance to give his colt a target to run at and Rosallion needed no second invitation, as he chased down Henry Longfellow for a win that was more convincing than the margin might suggest.
A bitterly disappointing third of five when odds-on for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last season remains the only significant blot on Rosallion’s record, and Levey is convinced that the winner is still improving by the race.
“To be honest, there was never a time when I thought that [we weren’t going to get there],” Levey said. “He’s hard as nails. He’s been in races where he’s had to show how versatile and how good he is tactically, but I’d love to see him in a race where there’s plenty of pace on and he can show that he gets the mile really well. Colts like him are hard to find. It’s nice to have one like him that’s progressing like a really good miler, and fingers crossed that he keeps on progressing.”
Rosallion was subsequently cut to around 5-4 for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on 31 July, a race that the trainer’s father, Richard Hannon Sr, won three times. Henry Longfellow is quoted as available at around 4-1 to reverse the form, while Charyn, who registered a first Group One win with a comfortable two-and-a-quarter‑length success in the Queen Anne Stakes, the opening race here on Tuesday, is a 9-2 chance.
“He was special before today,” Hannon said. “Unfortunately we lost in the Guineas [at Newmarket], but he has always been brilliant, physically, mentally. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in our place. He’s in the Sussex, he’s in all those big races and I can’t wait. It’s not about being proven right either, it’s about the work that goes into these horses from everybody at home.”
Rashabar (pictured), an 80-1 outsider, thrilled punters in fending off Electrolyte and Columnist to win the Coventry Stakes.
Ridden by teenager Billy Loughnane, the colt held firm in a tight finish. The winning post arrived in the nick of time as 18-year-old Loughnane took his first career victory by a fraction.
After the race the jockey said: "It's an amazing feeling, to be doing it so young is massive. What a feeling today, I'll try to savour every moment."
Appleby, Notable Speech’s trainer, could not explain his colt’s disappointing performance and will take stock before deciding on his next move. “He’s a horse who has always picked up when asked,” Appleby said. “Will [Buick] said when he pulled him out and asked him to pick up, he didn’t, and more importantly he didn’t run through the line. All seemed fine afterwards, he just didn’t fire.
“We’ll see if anything comes out in the wash and maybe coming back in trip might be what we need to look at.”
The first running of Ascot’s five‑furlong Group One as the King Charles III Stakes went the way of the southern hemisphere as Henry Dwyer’s mare stepped up significantly on her form at Haydock last month to beat Regional by a length with Big Evs, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner last year, back in third.
The six-year-old horse is the sixth Australian-trained winner of the race since Choisir’s breakthrough success in 2003. “We’ve got so many people here,” Dwyer said. “Not only the owners of Asfoora, but 40 or 50 of my owners from home who would saw the end of their leg off to have a runner at Royal Ascot. I think there will be the mother of all parties tonight.”
Rodin can roar to success
The decision to run Inspiral over a mile-and-a-quarter in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes adds considerable interest to the feature event on Wednesday at Royal Ascot, but ultimately it may just make the market for backers of last year’s Derby winner, Auguste Rodin (4.25).
Aidan O’Brien’s colt has thrown in a couple of stinkers since his win at Epsom last June, but his best form – including wins in both the Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf – gives him a narrow edge on Wednesday.
The return to a faster surface after a solid run behind White Birch at the Curragh last time is also in his favour and he is an excellent bet at around 7-4 to give his trainer a fifth success in this race.
2.30 As ever, there is a wealth of untapped potential in a big field for the Queen Mary, but Wesley Ward’s record in this race in particular is such that Ultima Grace could be the way to go at around 12-1. She was an emphatic winner on debut at Keeneland in April, has a helpful high draw and will have been primed to the minute for this race ever since.
3.05 Jockey bookings suggest that Illinois is the pick of Aidan O’Brien’s runners but the claims of Highbury, a wide-margin winner on his second start at Leopardstown in May, are equally persuasive and he has the greater scope for progress too.
Hamilton 1.45 Twoforthegutter 2.15 Georgecandoit 2.50 Herecomesthebear 3.30 Spanish Hustle 4.10 John L Sullivan 4.50 Persian Phoenix 5.25 Hot Team
Worcester 2.05 Tropical Talent 2.40 Bob Bob Ricard 3.15 Elysian Knight 3.55 Forget The Way 4.35 Seeyouinmydreams 5.15 Melton Mossy 5.50 Hillsin
Royal Ascot 2.30 Ultima Grace 3.05 Highbury 3.45 Rogue Millennium (nb) 4.25 Auguste Rodin 5.05 Streets Of Gold (nap) 5.40 Elim 6.15 Ain’t Nobody
Nottingham 5.45 Al Waseela 6.20 Ten Commitments 6.50 Angle Land 7.20 Carey Street 7.50 Standbackandlook 8.20 Ballsbridge 8.50 Young Merlin
Ripon 6.00 Coeur Jaune 6.35 Oligopoly 7.05 Kardia 7.35 Cash In 8.05 Organic 8.35 Protest Rally
3.40 There was plenty of money for Rogue Millennium when she made her debut for Joseph O’Brien at the Curragh last month and she looked an unlucky loser after failing to find running room until inside the final furlong. Her win in this race 12 months ago was on soft ground but she has form on a faster surface too and a repeat success looks likely.
5.05 Several plunges have gone astray in the Royal Hunt Cup in recent years but the last winning favourite was in 2009 and an each-way bet at double figures is probably the best option. There is a fair case to be made for Couer D’Or and the veteran Bless Him, but Streets Of Gold, who ran really well over seven furlongs in the Jersey Stakes in 2022, might just be ready for this step up to a mile.
5.40 Edward Bethell’s Elim ran a fine race on her first start for 13 months at Redcar last month and does not have much to find on that form to go close at around 12-1.
6.15 Ain’t Nobody achieved as much as most of these when successful on debut at Carlisle last month and Jamie Spencer could well make the most of his excellent draw near the stands rail.
