Dramatic Royal Ascot result as Frankie Dettori and Campanelle given win after enquiry
Dragon Symbol #DragonSymbol
Frankie Dettori added to his haul of Royal Ascot victories when the stewards reversed the Commonwealth Cup result.
Dragon Symbol edged ahead of Dettori’s mount Campanelle in Friday’s Group 1 sprint, but the filly was given the verdict following an enquiry.
Race replays showed the pair had come close together, with Dragon Symbol appearing to take his rival across the track.
He was called the winner from the photo finish print, however there was only a head between them and the stewards took action.
It continued the dramatic theme of day four, as the card had to pass an inspection following heavy rain at the track.
Campanelle’s victory was an upturn in fortunes for American trainer Wesley Ward, who was saddling his first winner of the week from a highly-touted team.
“I said earlier if we were in the States we would be drinking champagne already!” he said after the result was called.
“Both horses ran fantastic, you can take nothing away from both, they dug down deep and they were only inches apart there.
“I think it was a validated result though as far as racing in the States is concerned, (they have) come all the way across the track. The trainer (of Dragon Symbol) Archie Watson came over and shook my hand – a true gentleman.”
Campanelle (5-1) was following up her win at last year’s meeting in the Queen Mary Stakes.
“For her to come back since the Breeders’ Cup, on heavy ground here, to get through it and to put it a performance like that it really is a true testament to how good this filly is,” Ward added.
Dettori said: “It is never nice winning a race in the stewards’ room. I feel sorry for Dragon Symbol’s connections that I took it off them. But in these conditions, when you are taken across about eight lanes, I got nudged three times, lost my momentum and got beaten a head, so the stewards felt they gave me the benefit of the doubt.
“I was coming back on the line, and it was a good effort by Campanelle and by the original winner, but I’m glad that we’ve got it. I feel very sad that I got it, but I had reason to believe that my filly was still the best on the day.
Jockey Oisin Murphy, who rode Dragon Symbol, gained some fine compensation when Alcohol Free (11-2) won the next race.
The Coronation Stakes success made it a double on the day for trainer Andrew Balding, following Sandrine’s 16-1 triumph in the Albany.
Murphy fell off Alcohol Free as the filly cantered back in, but they did make it back to the winners’ enclosure to be congratulated by fans.
Full day four results to follow…