Chesham Stakes
Listed, Ascot 14:30 £60,000 added, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1
Saturday 21st June 2014

1 Richard Pankhurst 10/1
2 Toscanini 4/1
3 Dick Whittington 15/8F
NR: Marmalad (IRE)
14 ran Distances: 3¾l, hd, ¾l
TIME 1m 27.58s (slow by 1.98s)

Another winner for John Gosden as Richard Pankhurst lands the opening Chesham Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot at 10/1.

Richard Pankhurst

Richard Pankhurst stayed on strongly to run out the impressive three and three quarter length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot this afternoon.

The 10/1 shot was always travelling strongly under William Buick and stormed to the lead a furlong from home to give the jockey his third winner of the week.

Buick was full of praise for the son of Raven's Pass immediately after the race.

"He's done it very well and was clearly the best horse in the race," said Buick.

"He's given me a really nice feel throughout. I spoke to Rab (Havlin, jockey who rode Richard Pankhurst in his first start at Newmarket) and he said he was very green first time out so that run has clearly done him the world of good.

"He was still a bit green in the first couple of furlongs but halfway he came good and it was just a matter of trying to get out in time.

"He has won by three lengths or something and has gone away at the finish, so it was a very good performance."

15/8 favourite Dick Whittington, trained by Aidan O'Brien for Coolmore, could find no more in the final furlong and finished third, a head behind Godolphin's Toscanini, a 4/1 chance who kept on in second after momentarily taking the lead before Richard Pankhurst swept ahead to score well by three and three quarter lengths.

Toscanini
© Caroline Norris

Michael Halford, Toscanini's trainer, said: "It was a very good run with no excuses. He has done everything well, loved the ground and travelled well into the race, challenged and just met one too good.

"His turn will come. We have been training him with today in mind for a while. There is nowhere to hide in Ireland - the two-year-old races are quite strong.

"I think seven furlongs is a good trip for him - he settles, travels and quickens up. We will get him home and make a plan from there."

The fourth, the Barry Hills-trained Nafaqa ran a remarkable race, being reluctant to go in the stalls and starting very slowly but coming through to take fourth.

His jockey Paul Hanagan said: "He is a big baby and will come on a ton for the run."

Chesham Stakes
£60,000 added, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good to firm