Spotlight on Saturday - Rebel's Romance saves Charlie Appleby from Royal Ascot disaster
Rebel's Romance provided Charlie Appleby with a welcome winner on the final day of Royal Ascot, a week that had been a disaster up to that point.
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The stable's big guns failed to deliver a telling blow all week. They include Notable Speech, who finished fourth in the Queen Anne, Ruling Court, a well-beaten third in the St James's Palace, and Cinderella's Dream, who was run out of it in the closing stages of the Duke of Cambridge when sent off favourite. Shadow Of Light and Treanmor also disappointed at short odds.
Charlie Appleby: "He's been an honour to train. I was coming into the final day with my last roll of the dice and he was the horse we needed. Once he kicked for home, it was going to take a good horse to pass him. I'm glad I got one on the board myself. It's a tough week but it's one you have to enjoy."
William Buick: "He's a dream horse and any jockey who is fortunate enough to have a horse like Rebel's Romance is blessed. He's a fan favourite. He travels the world, is recognised everywhere and has won more than £10 million in prize money. He's a top-class racehorse and you don't find many of them with the will to win that he has. He always finds a way and he's my best friend."
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Saturday's ITV Racing Results
2.30 Royal Ascot - Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f)
1st: Humidity (Andrew Balding / James Doyle) 4/1
2nd: Thesecretadversary (Fozzy Stack / Seamie Heffernan) 12/1
3rd: Moments Of Joy (Aidan O'Brien / Ryan Moore) 10/3
3.05 Royal Ascot – Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2, 1m4f)
1st: Rebel's Romance (Charlie Appleby / William Buick) 6/4 fav
2nd: Al Riffa (Joseph O'Brien / Dylan Browne McMonagle) 4/1
3rd: Ghostwriter (Clive Cox / David Egan) 5/1
3.40 Royal Ascot - Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1, 6f)
1st: Lazzat (Jerome Reynier / James Doyle) 9/2
2nd: Satono Reve (Noriyuku Hori / João Moreira) 2/1 fav
3rd: Flora Of Bermuda (Andrew Balding / P J McDonald) 12/1
4.20 Royal Ascot - Jersey Stakes (Group 3, 7f)
1st: Noble Champion (Ed Walker / Kieran Shoemark) 25/1
2nd: Spy Chief (John & Thady Gosden / Robert Havlin) 20/1
3rd: Comanche Brave (Donnacha O'Brien / Ryan Moore) 11/4 fav
5.00 Royal Ascot - Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (6f)
1st: Get It (George Baker / Seamie Heffernan) 28/1
2nd: More Thunder (William Haggas / Tom Marquand) 3/1 fav
3rd: Ten Pounds (Harry Charlton / Trevor Whelan) 18/1
4th: Holkham Bay (William Knight / Brandon Wilkie) 28/1
5.35 Royal Ascot - Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap) (1m2f)
1st: Quai De Bethune (Andrew Balding / Oisin Murphy) 12/1
2nd: Seraph Gabriel (Ralph Beckett / Rossa Ryan) 11/4 fav
3rd: Best Secret (Stephane Wattel / James Doyle) 4/1
6.10 Royal Ascot - Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions Race) (2m5½f)
1st: Sober (Willie Mullins / Ryan Moore) 4/5 fav
2nd: Samui (Gordon Elliott / Colin Keane) 10/3
3rd: Wild Waves (Andrew Balding / Oisin Murphy) 4/1
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QEII Jubilee Stakes Analysis
The feature race of the day was the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and it was the French raider Lazzat who came out on top in the hands of James Doyle. The Japanese raider Satono Reve was all the rage in the betting before the off and he served it right up to the winner, although he might not have been helped with his rail draw and, beaten half a length, that could have been the difference.
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Saturday Statistics
Biggest SP winner of the Day - Saratoga Special (Ayr, 5.55) 50/1.
Widest Margin winner of the Day - Solent Gateway (Bangor, 5.50) 10 lengths.