Royal Ascot

running order/results

royal ascot 2013/

Tragic End to Thomas Chippendale Hardwicke Win
22/06/13

1 Thomas Chippendale 8/1
2 Dandino 10/1
3 Universal 10/1
NR: Aiken
8 ran Distances: 1l, 2½l, shd
TIME 2m 30.65s (slow by 0.65s)

There was a dramatic end to the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot this afternoon after the 8/1 winner Thomas Chippendale collapsed and died shortly after winning.

Thomas Chippendale
© Racehorse Photos

Lady Cecil’s runner took up the running halfway up the straight and battled all the way to the line, repelling the challenge of runner-up Dandino by a length.

The son of Dansili was recording his second victory at the Royal Meeting having won the 2012 King Edward VII Stakes but there was a sad postscript to the race as Sir Robert Ogden’s four-year-old suffered a heart-attack several yards after the line as jockey Johnny Murtagh was easing him down.

“Thomas Chippendale did a great job and put everything into it,” said Murtagh.

“I felt him do a little shimmy when I was just pulling him up after the line and when I jumped off of him he lost his balance. I don’t know what happened, he just collapsed behind me.

“I got a lovely run and my horse has won well but I’m devastated at the way it’s finished.

“It is heartbreaking for everybody involved because it was a great win.”

Thomas Chippendale’s groom, Luis Villarroel, was in tears after the race but was subsequently interviewed by Clare Balding on Channel 4.

“He was such a wonderful horse,” said Villarroel.

“He was always doing his work at home, never complaining about everything and he would do everything perfectly. It seemed that he had been improving over the last couple of races and he was so happy at home. It’s incredible that this has happened – it’s quite hard.

“It has been so emotional for us with Riposte winning the Ribblesdale the other day. Today was a brilliant finish with this kind of race and then this happened. It’s very hard for us and the whole team but we are still strong and we are going to keep working.

“These things happen in the sport but we have to carry on, keep fighting and do our best. That’s what we are here for.”

Officials at Ascot Racecourse offered their sincere condolences to the connections of Thomas Chippendale after the incident.

There had also been drama shortly after the beginning of the race as leader Ektihaam, ridden by Paul Hanagan, appeared to slip coming round the bend.

The colt unshipped Hanagan as he came down and the jockey has been stood down for the rest of the day, having been taken to hospital as a precaution.

“It appears that Ektihaam slipped on the bend so we are now slitting it and then we will sand it (the ground) before the next race on the round course,” said Ascot’s clerk of the course Chris Stickels.

Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)
£200,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Firm

LADY CECIL PAYS TRIBUTE TO WINNER THOMAS CHIPPENDALE

A harrowing time for Lady Cecil, which was briefly lifted by Riposte’s Ribblesdale Stakes win earlier this week, was dealt another blow today.
Thomas Chippendale, a four-year-old she trains for Sir Robert Ogden, proved a gutsy winner of the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes, but collapsed soon after crossing the line in the mile-and-a-half contest and died of a suspected heart attack.

Lady Cecil, whose husband, Sir Henry, died on June 11 at the age of 70 following a long encounter with cancer, was visibly shaken and near to tears when she said: “Leading up to the race he was in such good form and really enjoying himself. When Luis [Villarroel, his groom] took him out for a pick of grass he was always the last one who wanted to come back in.

“He was doing what he enjoyed and loved doing and so it’s heartbreaking.

“We couldn’t have been happier with him beforehand and he could not have won like that if he had not been a happy, sound horse. We’re devastated for Luis and very sad for Sir Robert who was looking forward to this day so much.

“We didn’t realise the horse had collapsed, so we came from the grandstand into the winner’s enclosure feeling so happy and couldn’t understand why it was rather quiet. We didn’t know what had happened, but they say it was very quick and the horse did not suffer.

“It’s so awful to go from one emotion to another, from a high to a low. It puts such a dampener on the day. My heart is pounding, but we have to carry on.”

Asked about her decision to come racing this week following her husband’s death, Lady Cecil said: “I’ve had to keep going for Team Cecil and for Henry.”

Dandino
© Racehorse Photos

DANDINO AIMED AT MELBOURNE

Dandino remains on course for the Melbourne Cup after finishing runner-up in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes.

“It was a good run and he was hampered when the jockey (Paul Hanagan) fell. He then hit a flat spot before staying on,” said trainer Marco Botti. “The Melbourne Cup will be the plan and we’ll keep him fresh over the summer and then head for the Caulfield Cup before Melbourne. I can’t see why he won’t stay the Melbourne Cup trip.”

Third-placed Universal is unlikely to make the trip to Melbourne. His trainer Mark Johnston commented: “It was a very messy race in every way, even before the fall. He’s much better gradually winding up from two out rather than a messy contest like that.

“There are a lot of options for him and, although I have not talked to the owners about Melbourne, I think we’ll be sticking to the northern hemisphere.

“He is in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which would be tempting, and we could think about the Canadian International and Japan Cup. Then he could go over a mile and six in the Irish St Leger, I think he’s at least as good over that trip.”