Golden Horde on fast track

Ashley Iveson
June 19, 2020 6:30 pm

Commonwealth winner may prove pick of Cox’s famous sprint stars.

Clive Cox was left contemplating whether Golden Horde could be the best sprinter he has ever trained following his impressive display in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

The former jumps jockey has had a number of high-profile speedsters pass through his hands during the last decade – not least Golden Horde’s sire Lethal Force, who won the Diamond Jubilee at the Royal meeting seven years ago before following up in the July Cup a month later.

Profitable and Harry Angel were other rapid colts Cox ably prepared to win at the top level, so it speaks volumes that he believes Golden Horde could be top of the shop.

Placed in a couple of Group Ones behind French ace Earthlight as a juvenile, the powerful chestnut was a 5-1 shot for his reappearance and always appeared to have matters under control under Cox’s long-time ally Adam Kirby.

The Lambourn trainer afterwards stated his belief Golden Horde is ahead of where his sire was at the same stage. He will now bid to emulate that flying grey by adding the July Cup to his CV in a few weeks’ time.

Karl Burke was also left drawing comparisons to a former stable star too, after Dandalla (13-2) blitzed her rivals in the Albany Stakes.

The daughter of Dandy Man was considered in the mould of the yard’s multiple Group One winner Laurens even before she made a successful debut at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago – and it is not hard to see why, judged on this foot-perfect performance under Ben Curtis.

Michael Bell’s The Lir Jet (9-2) and Oisin Murphy needed every yard of the five furlongs to reel in American raider Golden Pal in the Norfolk Stakes, while Fanny Logan came from last to first to claim the Hardwicke for the formidable John Gosden-Frankie Dettori axis.

The fifth and final Group race of the day was the Queen’s Vase, which Aidan O’Brien plundered for the seventh time with the St Leger-bound Santiago (100-30), ridden by Ryan Moore.

The penultimate day was bookended by two handicaps, with Art Power (6-4 favourite) looking a top draw sprinter in the making when blitzing his rivals in the opener for Tim Easterby and Silvestre de Sousa – before Hollie Doyle became only the third female jockey to ride a Royal Ascot winner on Alan King’s 33-1 shot Scarlet Dragon in the concluding Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.

Picture of the day

Jockey Frankie Dettori celebrates his 70th Royal Ascot winner after the victory of Fanny Logan (Megan Ridgwell/PA)

Quote of the day

Performance of the day

Art Power (R, blue/white) looked like a Group horse in a handicap — Art Power (blue and white) looked like a Group horse in a handicap (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

On a day that produced a few emphatic victories, none was more impressive than Art Power in the opening five-furlong handicap. Following a couple of emphatic strikes at York and Newcastle, Tim Easterby’s northern raider was prohibitively priced considering he was taking on 20 other runners, but those who got involved at short odds can have had few concerns. The grey dominated proceedings from start to finish – making a mockery of his handicap mark of 97. Art Power looks sure to dine at the top table before the year is out.

Ride of the day

Hollie Doyle was all smiles after the victory of Scarlet Dragon (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Hollie Doyle needs no introduction at this stage, with her talent and work ethic seeing her ride more winners in a calendar year than any female jockey in history in 2019 – 116, to be precise. It was only a matter of time before she got on the board during the biggest week of the Flat season – and she was at her brilliant best aboard Alan King’s Scarlet Dragon, delivering the 33-1 shot with an impeccably-timed challenge to get up in the dying strides. Further success on this grandest of stages awaits.

What’s next?

Can Pinatubo bounce back to winning ways in the St James's Palace? — Can Pinatubo bounce back to winning ways in the St James’s Palace? (Niall Carson/PA)

The re-scheduling of a few of the races major races means we have a Super Saturday to look forward to, with three Group Ones and two Group Twos featuring on a bumper eight-race card. The marginal highlight is perhaps the St James’s Palace Stakes, which throws up a rematch between 2000 Guineas second and third Wichita and Pinatubo, the latter looking to bounce back from his first career defeat. The second and third from the 1000 Guineas, Cloak Of Spirits and Quadrilateral, renew rivalry in a fascinating renewal of the Coronation Stakes, while Sceptical would be a popular winner of the traditional final-day feature – the Diamond Jubilee – for Denis Hogan and Frankie Dettori. With a whole host of exciting juveniles contesting the Coventry Stakes and the Queen Mary, Royal Ascot 2020 promises to go out with a bang.