Solow Rolls in Queen Anne to Open Royal Ascot
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In the Royal Ascot opener Tuesday, June 16, favored Solow delivered a one-length victory in the $585,000 Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I).
The victory in the straight mile Queen Anne marked the seventh straight score for Wertheimer & Frère homebred Solow, who entered off victories in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) and Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (UAE-I). The 5-year-old Singspiel gelding has opened the season with three straight group I wins in three different countries.
Not faring as well on Tuesday was Able Friend, who finished sixth after entering with six straight victories, all group I or group II races in Hong Kong. Rounding out the top three Tuesday were Baron Edouard de Rothschild's 5-year-old mare Esoterique and Cougar Mountain, who is campaigned by owners associated with Coolmore.
Sent off at 11-8 odds, Solow was guided to victory Tuesday by Maxime Guyon for trainer Freddy Head and he completed the straight mile in 1:37.97.
Head, who trains at Chantilly in France, said: "He is a fantastic horse, a great warrior who can do anything—you can wait, you can lead. I didn't think the pace was that fast and he got caught for speed for a moment, but you are running against the best; what do you expect?"
The trainer ruled out the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland for Solow.
"I hope he lasts and we have many more years with him. Maybe we will come back for the Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Goodwood. We'll see. I'm not going to run in everything that comes because I want him to last. I'm not a fan of the Keeneland track. I think it's a bit tight so we won't go to America [(or the Breeders'Cup) this year. Next year will be the same; he hasn't got that many races to run, so it's Dubai, Longchamp and Ascot.
"He's a lovely horse, great balance, great action, great mover, very easy to train, great mind, which is very special because at 2 and 2 he was a very nervous horse, wouldn't travel well and things, so he has changed with time and with racing. I think we will still have some more good days with him.
Guyon said: "It's amazing. Before the race we didn't know if Able Friend could win because, in Hong Kong, he is the best horse but, today, the boss is Solow.
"I think he is the best horse that I have ridden in my career. It's amazing because this year is a new contract for me with my new bosses, the Wertheimers. When you can win a group I at Ascot, it's amazing.
"My horse was really relaxed in the race and showed a very good turn of foot. We didn't know how he would react to Ascot because he hadn't raced here before and it was also the first time in a straight line. He has proved he is the best today."
In the day's second race, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Buratino overpowered his 17 rival 2-year-olds in the stretch to register an easy, two-length victory in the $106,000 Coventry Stakes (Eng-II) under William Buick for trainer Mark Johnston. In completing the six-furlong test in 1:13.11 on good to firm turf, the son of Exceed And Excel secured his second stakes win and first group stakes score in the six-furlong Coventry. He was followed home by favorite Air Force Blue and Eltezam.
Finnegan, campaigned by owners associated with Coolmore, was scratched from the race. Trained by U.S.-based Wesley Ward, Finnegan is a half brother to grade I winner Bodemeister .
In the day’s final race, Coolmore and partners’ 5-1 favorite Washington Dc seized the lead in the final furlong and repelled a strong challenge from runner-up Areen to win the listed Windsor Castle Stakes by a head.
The Aidan’O’Brien-trained son of Zoffany covered five furlongs on turf in 1:00.04, earning his first stakes win. Areen bested third-place finisher Steady Pace by three-quarters of length.
Washington Dc's victory capped a three-win day for Moore, who also won the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-I) aboard Coolmore and partners’ Gleneagles and the 2 1/2-mile Ascot Handicap with Act D Wagg Syndicate’s Clondaw Warrior (by Overbury).
Myra Lewyn contributed to this story.