Ghanaati romps to Coronation win

ROYAL ASCOT
Date: 16-20 June Coverage: BBC One, BBC Two, website streaming (UK only), commentary of all the main races on BBC Radio 5 Live; follow Cornelius Lysaght at twitter.com/5liveracing (external link).
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Barry Hills' Ghanaati swept aside her rivals to add the Coronation Stakes to May's 1,000 Guineas win on the fourth day of Royal Ascot.

Jockey Richard Hills drove the horse out early and then kicked on to break the course record.

The Gerald Mosse-ridden Reggane - running only her third race - was two lengths back and never threatened.

Rainbow View was third and could have finished slightly closer to Reggane but met with interference.

Having been 33-1 for her Newmarket success, Ghanaati was sent off as 2-1 favourite despite a stellar entry including the winners of the Irish and French 1000 Guineas, Elusive Wave and Again, and responded with a run which fully justified her odds.

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" Ghanaati was clearly the best and it was a great performance but i would have much preferred to have seen her sit off Elusive Wave and then make a move "

"There are only two women in my life, my wife and this filly," a delighted Richard Hills said afterwards.

"She's aptly-named because in Arabic Ghanaati means 'My Love' and she's certainly that today."

Charlie Hills, son and assistant to the winning trainer and brother of Richard, said: "She's so professional. She is a beautiful stamp of a filly and is just getting better and better. She's class."

Richard Hills was also successful in the day's opening race, coming off the pace on Ed Dunlop's Habaayib to win the Albany Stakes.

Henry Cecil's Chachamaidee set the early pace along with Wesley Ward's American challenger Aegean, but the latter fell away and the former faded but dug in to claim third behind Aidan O'Brien's Lillie Langtry.

Training legend Cecil would be more than compensated in the following race when he welcomed back his 71st winner at the Royal Ascot meeting when Father Time won the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes.

The Eddie Ahern-ridden colt ran well throughout but quickened to finish four lengths clear of Jeremy Noseda's Your Old Pal, with Dante winner Black Bear Island in third.

"It is always good to have a winner at Royal Ascot, I have had a few lean years but this week has been good," said Cecil.

Perfect Stride provided Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute with a second Royal Ascot winner of the week when coming out on top in the Wolferton Handicap after a thrilling dual with Moonquake.

Moonquake set out to make all the running under Frankie Dettori, but Moore kept pace and remained in the front three throughout.

The pair fought out a tremendous finish up the straight that appeared to be Dettori's for the taking but Perfect Stride dug deep to take it by a nose.

Tony Martin's Salute Him ran on well for third, but favourite Stone Of Scone faded tamely along the straight.

Mark Johnston continued his fantastic record in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot as Holberg stretched right away from his rivals under Joe Fanning.

The Middleham handler has now saddled five of the last nine winners of the two-mile contest after the three-year-old kept pace and accelerated in the straight to beat Yankee Doodle by four lengths, with Godolphin's Mastery third, another three-quarters of a length back.

Giganticus ran away with what was supposed to have been a competitive renewal of the Buckingham Palace Stakes, to round off a superb day for the Hills family.

The six-year-old, ridden by Michael Hills and trained by father Barry, defeated Al Muheer by a length and three-quarters with Redford finishing third.

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