Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s dominance of the Royal Ascot juvenile contests continued with Charles Darwin’s dominant victory in the June 19 Norfolk Stakes.

The No Nay Never colt was sent off odds-on and was briefly challenged by American Sandal’s Song and longshot Ameeq, but he exerted his class over the pair to pull clear under Ryan Moore by 2 1/4 lengths over a Godolphin’s rallying juvenile Wise Approach.

“He’s a very, very fast horse,” O’Brien said. “He’s big and mature and has a very good mind, so he’s very exciting. We were actually hoping he would get a lead — he’s very quick and he’d be happy to get a lead.

“Ryan obviously does his own thing always; when the gates open, he decides, and he was very happy with him. He said he powered to the line. We couldn’t be happier.”

Royal Ascot coverage courtesy of Racing Post

The impressive victory resulted in Charles Darwin becoming the first favorite to land the five-furlong contest since South Central’s success in 2008, and he enhanced the glowing reputation of Ballydoyle juveniles at this week’s meeting following on from wins by stablemate Gstaad in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and True Love in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes.

The win was the third success in four starts for Charles Darwin, who similarly led from start to finish when striking on his second start at Navan and again at Naas last month. Charles Darwin races for the Coolmore-affiliated Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg.

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“He’s very professional and has a super attitude,” Moore said of Charles Darwin. “He jumped very quickly, showed good speed. I was just trying to control him the best I could. They came to me about two and a half furlongs out, and I asked him to go, and he picked up well.”

Sandal’s Song, who won the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at Gulfstream Park last month in his only other start, held third under Australian rider James McDonald, beaten three lengths. The George Weaver-trained chestnut son of Mendelssohn, bred in Kentucky by Hunter Valley Farm and Tony Hegarty and owned by Wathnan Racing, threatened down the center of the course and checked in three-quarters of a length behind runner-up Wise Approach.

Case Clay, the United States racing manager to Wathnan Racing, felt Sandal’s Song gave a “valiant effort.”

“He was beaten by a very, very good horse, but we’re very happy with the effort,” he said. “We’re going to take him back to the U.S. and we’re going to try and get to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, with a race or two maybe in between.”

With the Norfolk part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenger Series, Charles Darwin earned a paid, automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Oct. 31 at Del Mar.—Catherine Macrae/Racing Post

Powerful Late Move Lifts Ombudsman in Prince of Wales’s

Patience is often in short supply in a high-pressure industry with big spending and even bigger expectations, but those behind the hugely progressive Ombudsman were handsomely rewarded for theirs when he produced a blistering turn of foot to power clear of Anmaat in the June 18 Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Buick celebrates aboard Ombudsman. (Eclipse Sportswire)

William Buick settled Godolphin’s 4-year-old at the rear of the field in a fiercely run contest, with the early fractions set by the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Continuous and favored Los Angeles, and it looked as though he might not get a clear passage, blocked by a wall of runners in the straight.

However, his jockey was more than happy to bide his time, aware of the raw speed his partner possesses, and when the gap appeared, Ombudsman responded in an instant before coming home in a remarkable flash of royal blue to win going away with the tantalizing promise of more to come.

“He’d have been a very unlucky loser, wouldn’t he?” Buick said. “I was looking for room and had to switch him a couple of times, but he won with a bit in hand.”

Buick is by now all too familiar with the fickle nature of elite sport, but there was still a sense this was a welcome victory after a challenging start to the week with defeats for the likes of Ruling Court and Notable Speech.

“This place tames lions,” he added. “It’s so special to win here because it’s so tough.”

Ombudsman was certainly stepping into the lion’s den on his first start at the highest level. Godolphin’s son of Night of Thunder was unraced at 2 but more than made up for lost time last season, winning all four starts, including a Group 3, before losing his unbeaten record when second in last month’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

It has not been a conventional journey to the top but, much like Buick having to wait for the perfect moment to strike, it is one characterized by patience.

“I think it’s all down to the owner,” said joint-trainer John Gosden, who was presented with a saddle cloth after recording his 70th Royal Ascot winner.

“When we bought him with Anthony Stroud, I said, ‘He’s immature, give me a chance with him,’ and he told me to take as long as you like. He didn’t race at 2 but at 3 we brought him out. Now he’s fully grown and developed, and because Sheikh Mohammed has been patient, he’s been rewarded.”

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and provided Ombudsman with paid, automatic entry into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar. — Jonathan Harding/Racing Post

American Affair Quickest of All in King Charles III

The progressive American Affair produced a powerful performance to hold off Frost At Dawn and strike in the King Charles III Stakes for Scottish trainer Jim Goldie June 17.

American Affair prevailed in King Charles III. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Frost At Dawn, a 4-year-old daughter of Frosted bred in Kentucky by Rabbah Bloodstock, was the first to break away from the pack when approaching the final stages, but it was Paul Mulrennan and American Affair who stayed on the strongest to land the top-level contest.

For Goldie, who has been training since 1995, it was a first Royal Ascot and Group 1 winner, while it was Mulrennan’s first victory at the royal meeting since Dandino landed the King George V Handicap in 2010.

Speaking to ITV Racing, Goldie said: “I’ve trained the family for two generations so it’s very sweet. This horse’s grandfather had his day here so we’re pretty lucky that we can breed horses like that.

“I knew he was probably one of the fastest horses in the race, but it’s how you control that. We’ve come down a day early and got him relaxed and it all fell into place. It means a lot.”

The victory earned American Affair paid, automatic entry into the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 1 at Del Mar.—Liam Headd/Racing Post

Docklands Opens Royal Meet With Queen Anne Thriller

Docklands bounced back to go one better and cause a 14-1 shock as he narrowly denied Rosallion in the Queen Anne Stakes June 17 to open the Royal Ascot meeting in thrilling fashion.

Queen Anne Stakes winner Docklands. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Trained by Harry Eustace and ridden by Mark Zahra, last year’s Queen Anne runner-up battled it out to the line alongside Rosallion and came out on the right side of a photo finish, despite his jockey dropping his whip. The opening contest sparked into life with two furlongs remaining as Lead Artist, Dancing Gemini, and Quddwah led as the pace picked up, but Docklands, who finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Charyn  12 months ago, and Rosallion both hit the accelerator button and charged to the line.

Although Zahra parted ways with his whip, he did just enough to hold off the 5-2 favorite by a nose, with 100-1 shot Cairo the nearest challenger back in third for Alice Haynes.

“It’s pretty sweet, but I’ve lost my voice,” Eustace said. “I thought it was tough to watch and a photo finish is tough, but he deserves to be in this because he’s an absolute legend for us. If ever there’s a track where you want a specialist, it’s here. It’s the best racing.

“The work and the effort of everyone back home is the reason we’re still here, and I can’t thank them enough. He’s an absolute star. He loves being a racehorse and he’s very competitive.”

The victory earned Docklands paid, automatic entry into the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile presented by Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

In his European debut, Carl Spackler raced prominently early under James McDonald but faded to sixth. A three-time grade 1 winner in North America for trainer Chad Brown, in May Carl Spackler was sold privately to Yulong Investments (Australia).—Liam Headd/Racing Post