Mike De Kock. Keeping the flag flying
Whatever your passion and wherever your loyalties may lie, Royal Ascot 2013 delivered something for all of us on all fronts. In the end horseracing was the big winner.
From the Klawervlei Stud bred Shea Shea’s awesome heart stopping second in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday, to Estimate’s gallant win in Thursday’s Gold Cup, wherever you were these are the moments that make this gigantic festival great.
Estimate presented the Queen with her biggest triumph at her own special race meeting 60 years after her first.
It was a famous victory as she became the first reigning monarch to win Ascot’s centrepiece in the 206-year history of the race.
And as a first Royal win in a British Group One prize since the Silver Jubilee in 1977, it was also a result of huge significance for the Queen’s racing and thoroughbred breeding operation.
But for British racing itself, the win was inestimable after a challenging two months with doping and corruption scandals.
The Queen threw a party at Windsor Castle on Thursday evening for “a small gathering who all appreciated what the Gold Cup win meant to her”, according to John Warren, her racing adviser. “It was a wonderful night,” he said.
Something similar occurred in 1974 when the Queen had flown to Chantilly to see Highclere win the Prix de Diane, and on her return summoned her jockey, Joe Mercer, and trainer, Dick Hern, and others connected to her Classic winner, to celebrate.
Sir Michael Stoute, who trained Estimate so skilfully to have her peaking on Thursday, had only just returned to the racecourse following a serious operation.
Elated but tired physically after a special day, he was not going to miss the impromptu party. “They are moments you must seize and enjoy,” Stoute said.
But South Africa’s own ‘stout Michael’ did not let the side down either. Our champion trainer could train winners on Mars.
The man is a legend. His National Emblem gelding Shea Shea may have been beaten, but he was not disgraced and De Kock made us all proud again.
Sole Power produced a powerful finish to pip our pre-race favourite in the King’s Stand Stakes last Tuesday.
The winner, trained by Edward Lynam and ridden by Johnny Murtagh, claimed victory in a photo finish.He was not winning out of turn. He had after all knocked at the door in Gr1 sprints ever since his 100-1 shock victory in the Nunthorpe at York three years ago.
Mike de Kock’s Shea Shea was gallant in defeat and the toast of Africa. He carried our major hopes in the five day festival.
After smashing the Meydan track record in the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night in March, and appearing to have claimed victory when coming through on the far side of the track, he had to settle for second.
No excuses. Sole Power was produced to perfection by Johnny Murtagh, turning on the jets and absolutely blitzing through the final furlong and getting up right on the line on the near side of the track.
As the pair were so far apart, the result went to a photo finish, but the judge confirmed the Irish runner the victor by a neck.
Great racing. Great days.
