NEWS
Henrythenavigator brilliant on opening day at Ascot
Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:38 AM
HENRYTHENAVIGATOR (blue cap)
Racing Post photo
Trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Johnny Murtagh opened Royal Ascot in style on Tuesday with a pair of victories, including a course record by dual classic winner Henrythenavigator in the St. James Palace Stakes (Eng-G1).
The three-year-old Kingmambo colt, winner of the Stanjamesuk.com Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and the Boylesports Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) in his previous two starts, rated off the pace set by Falco before making his move two furlongs out and winning by three-quarters of a length.
Henrythenavigator completed one mile in a course-record time of 1:38.70 on turf rated good.
Two races earlier, Murtagh guided Australian champion three-year-old colt Haradasun, trained by O’Brien, to a head victory over dual classic-winning filly Darjina in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-G1) to open the six-race card.
Group 3 winner Raven’s Pass, the only threat to Henrythenavigator in the eight-horse field, finished second in front of Twice Over, who defeated him in the Banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes (Eng-G3) on April 17 at Newmarket.
"We are delighted; he's a really special horse,” O’Brien told Racing Post. "He has speed, stamina, class and he picks up; he has a great attitude and Johnny rode him with so much confidence.
"He's a great horse, and I think it's very hard to say that we'll get a better miler than this lad."
Group 2-placed Equiano pulled the first upset of the meeting when he stunned 14 challengers in a half-length victory in the King’s Stand Stakes (Eng-G1).
The three-year-old Acclamation colt was sent off at odds of 22-to-1 under rider Olivier Peslier and was able to remain in the front of the pack early in the five-furlong race. Equiano held off 2006 Australian champion sprinter and five-time Group 1 winner Takeover Target at the finish and won the five-furlong race in :59.35.
Multiple Group 2 winner Fleeting Spirit finished third in front of English Group 3 winner Dandy Man
Equiano entered off a runner-up finish by just a neck to Marchand d’Or in the Prix du Gros-Chene (Fr-G2) on June 1 at Chantilly.
"He ran very well in France last time and today was the big ambition,” Peslier told Racing Post. "The horse has a lot of speed and he travels well.
"The trainer said he would be better to stay behind and get cover but I said over five furlongs he'd better be in front. He was handy and everything went right for him."
Australian champion three-year-old colt Haradasun made a late charge under jockey Johnny Murtagh to best Darjina at the line and capture the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-G1) by a head.
Despite starting on the outside of the field of 11, Haradasun and Murtagh made their way to the rail and the five-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus horse, a multiple Group 1 winner in his native country, responded to Murtagh’s urging in the lane to forge ahead at the line, just in front of the four-year-old Zamindar filly, a multiple Group 1 winner in France last year. Haradasun completed one mile in 1:38.98.
English and Irish classic-winning filly Finsceal Beo finished third, just in front of English Group 2 winner Cesare.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien was thrilled by Haradasun’s effort.
"You can see why everyone was so excited by him in Australia," O Brien told Racing Post.
Art Connoisseur rallied from last in a field of 18 and remained unbeaten in three starts with a 2 1/4-length victory in the Coventry Stakes (Eng-G2).
Trained by Michael Bell for owner R.A. Green, two-year-old Art Connoisseur was moved to the outside approaching the stretch by jockey Jamie Spencer. The Lucky Story colt was ridden out while winning the six-furlong race in 1:13.59.
Runner-up Intense Focus edged Lord Shanakill by a nose.
