Queen Anne Stakes
Group 1, Ascot 14:30 £375,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
Tuesday 17th June 2014

1 Toronado 4/5F
2 Verrazano 6/1
3 Anodin 9/1
10 ran Distances: ¾l, 1¼l, ½l
TIME 1m 37.73s (fast by 1.07s)

Toronado (High Chaparral) justifies favouritism with victory in the opening Grade1 Queen Anne Stakes.

Jockeys, after the first race, are indicating that the ground is on the 'easy side of good'.

Toronado
© Racehorse Photos

Richard Hannon, welcoming in his first Royal Ascot winner at the first opportunity, said: "It is great - wonderful to get the meeting off to a start like that - Toronado did it very well. He is settling much better this year and Hughesie rode him with all the confidence in the world.

"I was nervous this morning and am starting to feel a bit better now. Royal Ascot is such a great place and it is brilliant for the owner - he is sending plenty of horses our way.

"It was a pretty smooth success - he is a nice horse. He probably needed that and getting tired approaching the line. He was awesome today and will come on for the race - he had not run for a long time. It was important to get him back and winning.

"We will talk to Sheikh Joaan and Harry Herbert, but I would have thought we would be going for the Prix Jacques Le Marois or the QIPCO Sussex Stakes. Then maybe the Prix Moulin, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Breeders' Cup but we will see.

"He is every bit as good as any horse we have ever had. Just look at him, the stature of the horse. I was quoted saying that he looks like Superman. He does - almost superhuman - a hell of a horse. He is the real deal. He has shown a massive turn of foot today."

Harry Herbert, racing advisor to Al Shaqab Racing, added: "We will let the dust settle and see how he is but I would have thought we would go back to the QIPCO Sussex Stakes which he won last year. Hughesie said he is more relaxed this year and, while not racing lazily, he was not straight into the bridle. Toronado was beginning to get tired a furlong from home and they got close to the track record (0.57s outside the straight mile record) - that was some performance.

"We came into the race with a lot of confidence - he is better and stronger. He will come on a ton for the run. It's so exciting. I am new to this team and I am thrilled to bits for everyone. It was a great piece of training from Richard Hannon and his team. Hughsie loves this horse and the confidence going into the race was scary.

"The issue, if there was an issue, was that he hadn't run for 300 days and that's a long time to come into this level of competition. All my trips down to seen the horse - you have never seen a horse look better. I am thrilled for the Sheikh because this is a huge thing for him with his massive involvement and investment that he is putting into the game at the moment. To kick off Royal Ascot 2014 with a Queen Anne winner is just amazing."

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani commented: "The team did well. Richard and the guys put the horse back on the track and it's a good start for a great week, hopefully. Hopefully, it will keep on going and tomorrow will also be a big race, with Treve. We have this luck, let's hope it continues."

Verrazano
© Racehorse Photos

Former US-star Verrazano continued his European odyssey with a fine effort in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Although unable to collar favourite Toronado, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Verrazano finished just three-quarters of a length behind in second, and one and a quarter lengths ahead of third-placed Anodin. This seemed an improved effort on his European debut, when third in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, and Tullius, who was second in that race, was back in fourth today.

O'Brien, whose son Joseph rode the four-year-old, said: "It was a lovely run today. I should think it was an improved run on form [compared to the Lockinge]."

Verrazano became very hot before today's race, but O'Brien said: "He did the same at Newbury, but I don't think it bothers him - I get that way myself. He's a big, good-natured horse and he tried hard today. At half-way I was getting warm.

"He looks like he will get further and has to be considered for races like the Coral Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes. He's a big horse and we might not have him fit yet!"

Freddy Head, trainer of Anodin, said: "I'm very happy, because the first two horses are Group One winners and the form is very good. My horse has run a brilliant race.

"He just lacks a bit of acceleration, but he is a good horse, nonetheless."

Anodin holds an entry in Glorious Goodwood's QIPCO Sussex Stakes, but when asked if he might be seen in that race, Head said; "We'll see - we'll see how he is nearer the time."

Queen Anne Stakes (British Champions Series)
£375,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good

THE QUEEN ANNE STAKES
Past Results

2013-WINNER-DECLARATION OF WAR 4-9-00 Owner-Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Joseph Allen; Trainer-
Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Joseph O’Brien; SP-15/2
2ND-Aljamaaheer 4-9-00 Owner-Hamdan Al Maktoum; Trainer-Roger Varian; Jockey-Paul Hanagan; SP-8/1
3RD-Gregorian 4-9-00 Owner-Princess Haya Of Jordan; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Tom Queally; SP-16/1
13 ran; Time-1m 38.48s; Dist-¾, ½ 5/4 Fav Animal Kingdom (11th)

2012-WINNER-FRANKEL 4-9-00 Owner-Khalid Abdullah; Trainer-Sir Henry Cecil; Jockey-Tom Queally; SP-1/10 Fav
2ND-Excelebration 4-9-00 Owner-Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Joseph
O’Brien; SP-5/1
3RD-Side Glance 5-9-00 Owner-Qatar Racing Limited; Trainer-Andrew Balding; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-33/1
11 ran, Time-1m 37.85s; Dist 11, nk

2011-WINNER-CANFORD CLIFFS 4-9-00 Owner-The Heffer Syndicate, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; Trainer-Richard
Hannon; Jockey-Richard Hughes; SP-11/8
2ND-Goldikova 6-8-13 Owner-Wertheimer et Frere; Trainer-Freddy Head FR; Jockey-Olivier Peslier; SP-5/4 Fav
3RD-Cityscape 5-9-00 Owner-Khalid Abdullah; Trainer-Roger Charlton; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-14/1
7 ran, Time-1m 38.38s; Dist: 1, 1¾

2010-WINNER-GOLDIKOVA 5-8-11 Owner-Wertheimer et Frere; Trainer-Freddy Head FR; Jockey-Olivier Peslier; SP-11/8
Fav
2ND-Paco Boy 5-9-00 Owner-The Calvera Partnership No 2; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey-Richard Hughes; SP-11/4
3RD-Dream Eater 5-9-00 Owner-Jeff Smith; Trainer-Andrew Balding; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-50/1
10 ran, Time-1m 37.74s; Dist: nk, 3¼

2009-WINNER- PACO BOY 4-9-00 Owner-The Calvera Partnership No 2; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey-Richard Hughes;
SP-100/30
2ND-Cesare 8-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd; Trainer-James Fanshawe; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-11/1
3RD-Aqlaam 4-9-00 Owner-Hamdan Al Maktoum; Trainer-William Haggas; Jockey-Richard Hills; SP-10/1
9 ran, Time-1m 39.31s; Dist: 1½, ½. 9/4 Fav Gladiatorus (6th)

2008-WINNER-HARADASUN 5-9-00 Owner-Frank Tagg/Sue Magnier/Frank Meduri/Garry Moffitt; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien
IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-5/1
2ND-Darjina 4-8-11 Owner-Princess Zahra Aga Khan; Trainer-Alain De Royer-Dupre FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP-
5/1
3RD-Finsceal Beo 4-8-11 Owner-Michael Ryan; Trainer-Jim Bolger IRE; Jockey-Kevin Manning; SP-9/2 Fav
11 ran, Time-1m 38.98s, Dist: hd, ¾

2007-WINNER-RAMONTI 5-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-5/1
2ND-Jeremy 4-9-00 Owner-Betty Moran; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-14/1
3RD-Turtle Bowl 5-9-00 Owner-B van Dalfsen; Trainer-Francois Rohaut FR; Jockey-Olivier Peslier; SP-33/1
8 ran, Time-1m 37.21s, Dist: sh, sh 10/11 Fav George Washington (4th)

2006-WINNER-AD VALOREM 4-9-00 Owner-Sue Magnier & Bob Ingham; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Kieren Fallon;
SP-13/2
2ND-Court Masterpiece 6-9-00 Owner-Gainsborough Stud; Trainer-Ed Dunlop; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-11/2
3RD-Proclamation 4-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-2/1
7 ran, Time-1m 40.0s, Dist: 1½, nk 7/4 Fav Peeress (4th)

2005-WINNER-VALIXIR 4-9-00 Owner-H H Aga Khan; Trainer-Andre Fabre FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP-4/1
2ND-Rakti 6-9-00 Owner-Gary Tanaka; Trainer-Michael Jarvis; Jockey-Philip Robinson; SP-5/6 Fav
3RD-Starcraft 5-9-00 Owner-The Australian Syndicate; Trainer-Luca Cumani; Jockey-Darryll Holland; SP-7/1
10 ran, Time-1m 36.64s Dist: 1½, ½ (Run at York)

2004-WINNER-REFUSE TO BEND 4-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-12/1
2ND-Soviet Song 4-8-11 Owner-Elite Racing Club; Trainer-James Fanshawe; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-6/1
3RD-Salselon 5-9-00 Owner-Scuderia Briantea Srl; Trainer-Luca Cumani; Jockey-Darryll Holland; SP-12/1
16 ran, Time-1m 39.14s Dist: nk, ¾ 5/2 Fav Six Perfections (6th)

2003-WINNER-DUBAI DESTINATION 4-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori;
SP-9/2
*2ND-Right Approach 4-9-00 Owner-The Queen; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-20/1
3RD-Where Or When 4-9-00 Owner-John Humphreys (Turf Accountants Ltd); Trainer-Terry Mills; Jockey-Kevin Darley; SP-
8/1
10 ran, Time-1m 38.56s Dist: 4, ¾ 8/13 Fav Hawk Wing (7th)
*Tillerman originally finished second but was disqualified after failing a post-race urine test