Quick Suzy Heads Twilight Gleaming in Queen Mary

Gavin Cromwell added the Stayers' Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle to his Cheltenham Festival tally in March and once again proved his skill and versatility as a trainer with a Royal Ascot winner at the first attempt courtesy of the well-named Quick Suzy  in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2).

Cromwell has the Prix de Royallieu (G1) on Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) weekend, Welsh National at Chepstow, Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle, and the Champion Hurdle on his CV but proved training a juvenile sprinter is no hardship either as the talented filly sealed a length-and-a-quarter success.

Quick Suzy, a Curragh maiden winner on her second of three previous starts, traveled smoothly and headed the Wesley Ward-trained favorite Twilight Gleaming  inside the final half-furlong for a ready win, with outsider Cheerupsleepyjean  finishing well for third and another United States raider, Artos , back in fourth. She became the first black-type winner for her sire, Profitable , who stands at Kildangan Stud in Ireland.

Cromwell, who has six 2-year-olds among 15 flat horses in training, said: "It's absolutely unbelievable—it's such an occasion here, so to have a winner is just fantastic.

"I was very confident she would run a big race, but we didn't know how she would lay up with the U.S. or British-trained horses. She showed blistering pace at Naas the last day but didn't quite see out six furlongs on soft ground, so we thought this might suit her if she handled the quicker ground.

"The plan was she was to remain with me for Royal Ascot then head to America, but you wouldn't know—we might get to twist the Americans' arms and hold on to her, maybe go to the Breeders' Cup."

It was similarly a first Royal Ascot victory for jockey Gary Carroll, who heaped praise on Cromwell and reveled in the adrenaline rush of a winner back in front of a sizable crowd.

Carroll said: "Fair play to Gavin Cromwell—from three-mile staying hurdlers to five furlongs at Ascot, he can do it on both ends of the richter scale. He's invested a lot of money into his set-up, and it's great to see it paying dividends.

"This really means a lot, especially today back with the crowds and with the atmosphere. It's been a long time since we've felt something like that, and if I could have extended the walkway in, I would have. It's a magical feeling to ride a winner here and what jockeys dream of.

"She's well named, that's for sure, she's very quick. She was very good and traveled so sweetly. I knew she would get to the line and probably outstay the American horse. She was very genuine and is a very good filly."

The majority of owners involved in Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners watched the race from the U.S. but Mariam Zerehi made the trip over from Los Angeles, self isolated in a five-star hotel, and witnessed a five-star performance on the track.

Zerehi said: "I don't know how many days ago I came over here and I had to self isolate, although it's not really a punishment when you do it at Claridge's!

"This is just surreal to see our wonderful 2-year-old win so convincingly on the world stage against other great juveniles. It's a thrill. I'm sorry our partners at Eclipse are not here to experience it, but when I get back to California we'll all be celebrating."