Rest of Ascot: Blue Mist an International star

Sporting Life · Journalist

Last Updated

14:22 · July 25, 2020 · 6 min read

A review of the rest of the action from Ascot on King George day as Blue Mist landed the International Handicap for Roger Charlton.

Blue Mist put his luckless run at Royal Ascot behind him with a dominant victory in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes.

Roger Charlton’s charge was a well-supported favourite for the Silver Wokingham at the Berkshire circuit last month – but a tardy start put him on the back foot, and he encountered trouble in running on his way to finish a never-nearer ninth.

There were no such problems on his return to Ascot this time, however, as the 9-2 market leader travelled strongly for much of the seven-furlong journey under Ryan Moore before displaying a sharp turn of foot to leave his rivals trailing in his wake.

Jamie Osborne’s dual Ascot winner Cliffs Of Capri finished strongly to close the gap late on, but Blue Mist had plenty in hand at the line.

Harry Charlton, assistant to his father, said: “He was unlucky last time, but he always runs pretty well here.

“Ryan gets on particularly well with him. He is the kind of the horse you try not to get there too soon on, and every time Ryan gets there he goes early and goes clear. Fair play to him – that is why he has been champion jockey.

“He did it well. I was worried about the quick ground, because we hadn’t got as much cut as we wanted. Maybe he can handle it, but it is probably not the best for his legs.

“He is pretty quick. As everyone knows, he has been leading Quadrilateral all winter, so we were hoping he would show some light – and that sort of proves it, I guess.

“He has been third in the Victoria Cup and third in this last year. I guess we may have to step a rank or two now.”

Chindit remains unbeaten

Richard Hannon expects Chindit to be plying his trade at the top level before the season is out, after maintaining his unbeaten record with an authoritative display in the BetfredTV Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot.

A winner on his racecourse debut at Doncaster three weeks ago, the Wootton Bassett colt was a 15-2 chance to follow up in what appeared a strong renewal of a seven-furlong Listed event formerly known as the Winkfield Stakes.

Ridden with restraint by Pad Dobbs for much of the race, Chindit began to make smooth headway racing inside the final two furlongs and quickened smartly when a gap opened up between Cobh and 3-1 favourite Naval Crown.

The further Hannon’s youngster went the better he looked, and he was ultimately well on top as he passed the post a length and three-quarters to the good, with Cobh beating Naval Crown to the runner-up spot.

Hannon said: “He won well first time – and generally if ours win first time, they are very good.

“He worked very well during the week, and I thought he was very impressive. He looked like he’ll get a mile no problem, and won with authority.

“I had him in the Vintage (at Goodwood next week) and I nearly thought of going there, but then this morning my dad said ‘we should maybe have just gone for a novice’, but that achieves nothing.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “There are loads of options, but we’ll have to go big, so to speak. It will be seven furlongs or a mile.

“He’s come out of nowhere, because he wasn’t flashy at home. Early on, I thought he might have come to hand sooner, but we’ve taken our time – and he’s felt the benefit.

“Every time he’s done a piece of work, he’s taken a step forward. He’s been working with Etonian, so when he went and did what he did the other day (won easily on debut at Sandown), I was very confident.

“He’ll be in the Dewhurst, all those sorts of races.”

Zabeel Queen rules on debut

The colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum were carried to success in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes by Postponed back in 2015 and the owner enjoyed success on QIPCO King George Diamond Day in 2020 when Zabeel Queen (Roger Varian/Andrea Atzeni, 5/1) made a winning debut in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

A daughter of Frankel out of Listed-placed Dubai Queen, Zabeel Queen was settled off the pace before being delivered with her challenge up the stands’ rail over a furlong from home. She stayed on well, getting up to score by a length and a quarter from Snow Lantern (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs, 6/1). A further neck away in third was 15/8 favourite Isle Of May (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori).

Successful trainer Roger Varian said: “She has always looked nice at home right from the early days. She is not the biggest but is a very graceful mover and has shown up well on the gallops.

“Andrea gave her a lovely educational ride, because she broke very quick from the gates and it would have been very just easy to make the running, and she wouldn’t have learnt much just doing that.

“He got her in behind horses, then she raced maybe a touch green, first off the bridle, but she came home lovely, hopefully she has got a bright future.

“We have got to have high hopes for her, they were all bar one unraced but with flashy pedigrees, they looked a nice bunch of fillies, I would think the form will stand going forward.

“I would be surprised if the race doesn’t work out – there were nice types in the paddock, nice pedigrees on show.

“We will speak with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid – she is a filly I hope will have two or three more starts as a two-year-old and hopefully she has got a future beyond two.

Zabeel Queen wins at Ascot

“She could go back into novice company or a stakes race, maybe the race at Doncaster [May Hill Stakes] but that is six weeks away. I will speak to the owner and make sure she is OK after this.”

Andrea Atzeni said: “Zabeel Queen is a filly that always showed something – there was always something about her, really.

“She is obviously a homebred by the boss [Sheikh Mohammed Obaid]; he owns the dam [Dubai Queen] and she is by Frankel.

“I think the first day she arrived in the yard Roger loved her – he kept talking about this filly – and eventually I got to ride her work and she always showed she was quite natural. A very good-moving filly.

“We thought she would run well today; we didn’t know if she was good enough to win, because I think it could turn out to be a very nice race. I think everything was fancied in the race. She will get a mile as well; it’s really great for the boss.”

Mohawk King impresses on debut

The opening Anders Foundation British EBF Crocker Bulteel Maiden went the way of debutant Mohawk King (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs, 6/1), who got up close home to score by a head from Churchill Bay (Clive Cox/Adam Kirby, 15/2), with a 100/30 favourite Mayaas (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) a further neck back in third.

Winning trainer Richard Hannon said: “Mohawk King is a very nice colt. He came home from the breeze-ups; he was not a runaway or anything like that, he is a gentleman.

“He missed the gate by design today because we didn’t want him to pull too hard, and I was pleased with the way he came through horses. We trained the mare, actually – Marsh Hawk – a very good mare.

“We think quite a bit of him, and our other horse [Shanghai Rock, sixth] ran well too. I should think it was quite a hot race.

“I’ll speak to Sheikh Isa [Salman Al Khalifa, owner of Mohawk King] and see what he thinks. That is the first winner I have trained for him; I was starting to think it wasn’t going to happen!

“He is up to that level [running in a Group race], it’s just how we find our way there. He will get seven and we might look at something like the Acomb [7f, G3, York, 19 August].”

Jockey Pat Dobbs added: “He was very professional and travelled like the winner all the way. I just waited for gaps and he quickened up well.”

Jockey Tom Marquand (third on Mayaas) opined that it was “very quick ground”, while in the view of Thomas Greatrex (fifth on El Patron) is was “good ground”.

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