2012 QEII Stakes

racing news /

Olympic Glory Stroms Home in QEII
19/10/13

1 Olympic Glory 11/2
2 Top Notch Tonto 14/1
3 Kingsbarns 14/1
12 ran Distances: 3¼l, ¾l, 2l
TIME 1m 44.18s (slow by 5.18s)

Olympic Glory streaked away from a top class field to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day.

Olympic Glory
© Racehorse Photos

Richard Hannon's three-year-old burst through a narrow gap between Top Notch Tonto and Kingsbarns a furlong out and the race was over as a contest.

The supplemented Top Notch Tonto ran an unbelievable race to finish second, but Richard Hughes was able to coast home aboard the blinkered Olympic Glory (11-2) to win by three and a quarter lengths.

The jockey said: "We always believed in him - he just travelled so well in that soft ground."

Hannon added: "I spoke to The Queen this morning and she said she was presenting the trophy for the QEII, so I said, 'I'll see you later!'. It's funny how it's worked out. It's great.

"He's a very good horse, this. The French race (Prix du Moulin) turned out a bit of a mess, but he ran a hell of a race in the Jacques le Marois (second behind Moonlight Cloud).

"He likes a bit of a cut in the ground. We put a pair of blinkers on him at home and Hughesie settled him nicely. They certainly helped. He stays in training next year. That will probably be it for him this year."

The handler's son, Richard jnr, added: "It's a big shout to put blinkers on a good horse like him, but he lost his concentration in Paris last time and he was disappointing after his run in the Marois. They went very fast today and that helped him - he travelled very well. He's always gone well on this ground."

Top Notch Tonto
© Racehorse Photos

Connections’ decision to supplement Top Notch Tonto at a cost of £70,000 was justified when the three-year-old put in a career-best effort to finish runner-up and earn £227,900 in prize money.

“I’ve never been so happy to finish second,” said trainer Brian Ellison. “The ground wasn’t all that soft when he won his Group Three and he won a Listed race on good ground. We knew that he would improve again if the ground was soft or heavy here. It was a gamble – I put my jacket on in the hope that it would keep raining!

“Every day I was hoping that it would rain. He’s a real good horse on that ground. I know I can train anything – I have done for a long time – we just need the horses.

“I can’t believe how much he has improved and we’ll never run him again unless it’s soft ground. He’ll have a break now. I did suggest going for the dirt race at the Breeders’ Cup, because the mother had run on that surface, but it was going to cost £100,000 so we decided to pay £70,000 and come here. I wish I’d put blinkers on him now.

“I left supplementing him up to the owner and he hopefully he might buy some more horses now! He’s run a great race and it was worth doing.”

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of third-placed Kingsbarns, commented: “I’m delighted with that. It all went wrong for him in the spring and this was like our first run of the season. I’d imagine that will be it for this year and we’ll look forward to next season with him.”

Dawn Approach
© Racehorse Photos

Multiple Group One winner Dawn Approach, who took the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June as well as winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his first start this year is now set to take up a new career at Sheikh Mohammed’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland, after finishing fourth.

Jim Bolger, who bred and trained the son of New Approach, said after this his final racecourse appearance: “Kevin reported that when he let him go he just floundered in the ground. He is leaving me during the week and of course I will miss him.”

Kevin Manning, son-in-law and stable jockey to Bolger, added: “He travelled very well – two out I thought he was travelling like the winner but when I let him down he just didn’t act on the ground.”

Although Dawn Approach had to be switched wider when the winner, Olympic Glory, went for the same gap Manning didn’t feel that this had any impact on his eventual fourth place. “It was all down to the ground.” said Manning.

Simon Crisford, racing manager of Godolphin, added: “The ground was against him which blunted his turn of foot but he has won four of the best Group One races in our calender so his record is fantastic. He is now retiring to Kildangan Stud and we are very much looking forward to seeing his progeny in the future.

“He has done Godolphin very proud – he has been a great racehorse for us. He’s been fantastic.”

Connections of Maxios feel the testing conditions contributed to the French raider's dismal display on Saturday.

Alan Cooper, racing manager for owners the Niarchos family, said: "He's on his way home and we'll have him checked over once he arrives to see if there is anything amiss.

"At the moment there is nothing obvious, but Stephane (Pasquier) said he wasn't happy on the track even going down to the start. It was really testing."

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored By Qipco
(British Champions Mile) (Group 1)
£1,000,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Soft