The Platinum Queen does Middleham Park team proud

Abbaye could be ‘logical’ next stop for flying two-year-old.

The Platinum Queen could head to Paris for the Prix de l’Abbaye following her gallant runner-up effort in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The Richard Fahey-trained Cotai Glory filly was beaten two and a half lengths by Highfield Princess, with the juvenile having been supplemented for the race at a cost of GBP 40,000 by owners Middleham Park Racing, who more than got their money back.

The Platinum Queen, in receipt of upwards of 8lb from her 12 opponents, was having just a fifth start, in a bid to become the first two-year-old to win the race since Kingsgate Native in 2007 and the first filly of her generation after Lyric Fantasy 30 years ago.

Ridden by Hollie Doyle, she took charge and looked primed to score approaching the final furlong, only to hang her head to the right and show some greenness in the closing stages, as the John Quinn-trained winner swept past under Jason Hart.

Syndicate manager Tim Palin said he was “thrilled” for the owners, who may well book their flights to Longchamp for the five-furlong Group One contest on Arc day, October 2.

“It’s a relief – we don’t look stupid for supplementing and for four-fifths of the race we probably looked quite clever!” exclaimed Palin.

“In the end it was a great run and we’ve been beaten by a high-class animal. Fair play to the John Quinn team, we’re thrilled for them, but equally we’re thrilled for our members that we’ve come so far in such a short space of time.

“The weight-for-age might be a little bit generous and whether we can come back and replicate that in the future only time will tell, but I think she’s going to give us plenty of fun.

“She’s got the Abbaye entry and you wouldn’t know whether the ground in Paris will suit her or not. You would have thought that would be the logical place to go.

“You could go for the Flying Childers at Doncaster on the way, but this is the stuff that dreams are made of – having to sit down Aidan O’Brien-style and decide where to go.”

Second last year, the Kevin Ryan-trained Emaraaty Ana stayed on to finish third on this occasion, a length and a half behind the runner-up under Kevin Stott.

Adam Ryan, assistant to his father, said the six-year-old would now go back up in trip and head to Haydock in a bid to defend his Sprint Cup title on September 3.

Emaraaty Ana heads to Haydock to defend his Sprint Cup crown
Emaraaty Ana heads to Haydock to defend his Sprint Cup crown (John Walton/PA)

“We’re thrilled with him. It’s great to see him run like that,” said Ryan.

“He’s taken his time to recover from running in Dubai earlier in the year, but he was more himself in the July Cup and has come here a fresh horse and has run his race.

“Hopefully now he can go on to Haydock now and defend his crown in the Sprint Cup. That (six furlongs) is his ideal trip and it’s all systems go for Haydock.”

Charlie Hills was also satisfied with the run from hat-trick-seeking Khaadem, who raced on the far rail and finished fourth under Ryan Moore.

“The ground was a little bit loose over that side where he was, but he’s run a really good race,” said Hills.

“A good filly has won and he had a Group One winner just in front of him. We’ll look at the Flying Five at the Curragh next.”

Three-year-old Royal Aclaim saw her unbeaten run ended on only her fourth start.

Though sent off the 5-2 favourite under Andrea Atzeni, trainer James Tate felt she had excuses on her first start in top-class company, finishing sixth from stall two.

Tate said: “It was probably not the best part of the track to be on, but we’re still a little bit disappointed.

Royal Aclaim had her excuses, according to James Tate
Royal Aclaim had her excuses, according to James Tate (Nigel French/PA)

“Andrea just said she was on the wrong side of the track and she’ll keep progressing with racing.

“It’s only the fourth run of her career and I’m sure we’ll keep moving forward. She’ll get there.”

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