Bradsell Shows Sharp Turn of Foot in Coventry Stakes

We knew Bradsell  must be good, you can't win a York maiden on debut by nine lengths and not be good, but it turns out he's a lot better than just good, judging by this stellar Coventry Stakes (G2) show.

It supplied Hollie Doyle with her third Royal Ascot victory and made her the most successful female rider of all time at the meeting, although it brought her a two-day ban for using her whip above the permitted level from approaching the final furlong.

Doyle partnered Scarlet Dragon  to victory in 2020 and Amtiyaz last year, but this was her first royal victory in front of packed grandstands. There will, no doubt, be many more to come.

Sold by former jump jockey Mark Grant at the Goffs breeze-up sale in April for £47,000 ($61,423), Bradsell came out of stall 1 and ended up toward the near side, yet still won comfortably at odds of 8-1.

In fact, the outcome was never really in doubt from halfway. He must be very, very good, and he even caught Doyle by surprise.

"His instant response surprised me because he can be a little bit lazy," Doyle said.

"He turns it on at the track. I gave him a squeeze two (furlongs) down and he responded really, really well. From most of his work, the further he goes, the better, so I wasn't too worried when I committed a long way from home as I knew he would keep galloping to the line."

He did indeed gallop all the way to the line and was always keeping the previously unbeaten SBK Brocklesby Conditions Stakes winner Persian Force  at bay, doing so by a length and a half with a neck further back to Royal Scotsman  in third.

The favorite Blackbeard  was unable to provide Aidan O'Brien with a 10th Coventry, finishing fifth, and neither was the late gamble Age of Kings, backed into 3-1 at the off but only seventh under Frankie Dettori.

Doyle said: "I was ever so worried throughout that I was on the wrong side (of the track), to be honest. However, once I got into a handy position on the girths of them, I knew the further I went, the better I would go.

"He hit the line hard and I struggled to pull him up afterwards. Off the back of that performance, the world is his oyster."

It was a second Royal Ascot winner for Archie Watson, for whom Soldier's Call  won the 2018 Windsor Castle Stakes, but he also suffered the agony of having Dragon Symbol  demoted from first in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) last year.

There was no doubt whatsoever about this one.

Watson said: "It's the place where all of us want to have winners. I had a third in this race, beaten less than three-quarters of a length, and it is just incredible to win it now. He is a very, very good horse.

"I thought the win was full of merit. Early on it looked like the near side was well ahead, I was a bit worried we were out on the wing with nothing to lead us there.

"I said to my fiancé, Brodie, last night whatever wins this by daylight will be a superstar, I am delighted it is us!"

'He's Still a Special Horse in My Eyes'

Persian Force surrendered his unbeaten record but confirmed himself to be a very classy juvenile.

Trainer Richard Hannon said of the runner-up: "He's run a super race. He ran around a little bit, which didn't help. We came here to see if he was a good horse and he's still a special horse in my eyes, but it's always up to the horse to prove that. He's run an extremely good race and I'm proud of him."

Impressive Goodwood winner Royal Scotsman was third, with joint-trainer Ollie Cole chuffed over the display.

He said: "He ran really well. He did a bit too much in front and the winner's just come past him after we've used our two-length burst. He has that in him and we had to use it a bit earlier than ideal. It's just the way it goes sometimes, but he's a very good horse."

Bradsell was just that bit better on the day. There could prove to be no shame in that.