Prescott back in business at Royal Ascot with Pledgeofallegiance

Adam Morgan and Molly Hunter
June 18, 2024 4:57 pm

First Royal meeting success for Arc-winning trainer since Pivotal in 1996.

Sir Mark Prescott celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner since Pivotal in 1996 when Pledgeofallegiance saw off all-comers to win the Ascot Stakes.

Prescott, who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Alpinista in 2022, was saddling just his third winner at the meeting in all, with Wizard King in the 1994 Britannia his only other success.

Drawn one, jockey Luke Morris had been worried about being able to take up an early position, but with Boher Road going a good early gallop, he was able to slot in behind before striking for home a long way out.

Divine Comedy burst out of the pack to chase him down, but the 20-1 chance – who went for 450,000 guineas as a yearling – held on by half a length.

Prescott said: “He’s a lovely horse and the only thing he has done wrong in his life is cost all that money and then after that the expectation is so high on him. If he couldn’t win the Derby then the next best thing was to win at Royal Ascot and I’m glad he has.

“I was very concerned about the draw, I had a thoroughly bad day when I found out his position. My secretary is very good, but not completely racing-minded about the minute details and I came back from third lot to find out Trooper Busier had been balloted out by one at 9.59am and I said ‘don’t tell me the other horse is drawn one’ – she said ‘oh yes’, which was just what I didn’t want.

“Luke got it right and there was enough room for him to keep pushing and get where we wanted. It was one of those races where I can’t remember one going so well since Alborada got the pacemaker and High-Rise didn’t (in the 1999 Champion Stakes). Everything went just as we planned it.

“I like planning, it gives me great satisfaction. I like feeling that we have been a part of the process and it is not just because it’s a good horse. It has been the obvious race for him since last year and we’ve just had to creep there. The owners have been very good and said if that is what you want to do then go for it.

“It’s been too long without a winner here and Pivotal was a long time ago. I’d honestly forgotten it was that long ago. It’s very good and when those plans go right then you are churlish if you don’t enjoy it.”