Coventry Stakes
Group 2, Ascot 13:50 Winner: £35,520, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
Saturday 20th June 2020

1 Nando Parrado 150/1
2 Qaader 3/1
3 Saeiqa 25/1
15 ran NR: Mehmo Distances: 1l, 1¼l, 1¼l
Time: 1m 15.21s (slow by 2.81s)

150/1! Nando Parrado causes a massive upset in the Coventry! #RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/ytPJxVyhMI

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2020

Nando Parrado became the longest priced winner in the modern era at Royal Ascot when defying odds of 150/1 to take the Group 2 sprint.

The two-year-old Kodiac colt had finished fifth on debut at Newmarket on June 4 and there was no hint of a fluke about his victory today. Always in a prominent position, Nando Parrado took the lead just inside the final two furlongs and saw off all challengers to score by a length from Qaader.

Clive Cox said: “Not a shock at all! He is a lovely horse. He was drawn one at Newmarket, and on the day it turned out to be a little bit of a tough ask. When you looked at the form from Newmarket, there was a little bias to either rail that day. He was first in the stalls that day on a really windy day and stood there like a saint. He was a bit slowly away, and had been so good at everything that he had done at home, and then had to run a little bit forwards – we were hoping he was going to come across a bit, but he used a bit of petrol to do that and then he didn’t come down the hill and it was game over. But you have only got to look at the horse – he has got a real stamp of class about him, and he has clearly shown that today.

“Fair play to Paul and Marie McCarten, who own him. We were a little bit deflated at Newmarket, he ran well but I think on the day, as Adam said, he did not handle the track. He had a nice introduction, but we were expecting a bit more on the day to be fair.

“The price was a shock. Nando Parrado is a proper horse and we loved him from the start. This was always the plan, it was just a sideways step on his first run. He came home and thrived from there, and then when the rain came earlier in the week, I knew he would be better on good or slower ground than quicker ground. I am just delighted, but there was a little bit of wavering from the owner. We actually took him out the other morning, because he wasn’t sure he could really go for the Coventry, and I persuaded him to put him back in there. Paul McCartan’s a great guy and I am really pleased to train a winner for him and Marie. He thought after Newmarket, could we really turn up and take the right step, and I am grateful – I have a great team at home. Jerry McGrath rides this horse at home every day, and he has made all the right steps since he came back from Newmarket.

“I did back him! So we are very happy… I don’t know what price I got yet. When I saw the price, it was a little bit of an insult to our thoughts on him, so I am delighted.

“Listen, it is all about having winners at Royal Ascot, and to have two like this is so, so special.

“I always thought he would be a horse for the autumn rather than the height of summer, to be honest with you, so that is what I’d be aiming for. We will plan our way from here but we won’t be rushing him. I would say he will be a miler next year. I would say he would be more of a Dewhurst horse than a Middle Park horse later in the season.”

Adam Kirby said: “Nando Parrado has a very good trainer.

“He galloped with a very smart horse five weeks ago. His work was above average – a very strong piece of work and he finished his work very well.

“When he went to Newmarket [finished fifth], we thought we were going there with a live chance, but he didn’t handle the track or ground. He didn’t come down the hill, but we have got different ground today and he was a lot more streetwise – he toughed it out really well.

“It is a surprise because we’ve brought some very nice horses here in the past for this particular race and it takes a serious horse to win it. I am delighted to win it. We have fired a lot of live bullets in the race and I am very pleased to have the race won now.

“He could be well a Guineas horse. I can see him getting a mile very easily. He has got a decent mind, is very relaxed and there is no reason he can’t get a mile.

“It is no fluke he won today on the front end and toughed it out, I am pleased for him.”

Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
Winner: £35,520, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
15 ran
Going: Good

COVENTRY STAKES
Previous results

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WEIGHT SP

2019 LORD GLITTERS
2018 CALYX
2017 RAJASINGHE Richard Spencer Stevie Donohoe Rebel Racing 2-9-01 11/1
2016 CARAVAGGIO Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 2-9-01 13/8F
2015 BURATINO Mark Johnston William Buick Godolphin 2-9-01 6/1
2014 THE WOW SIGNAL John Quinn Frankie Dettori Al Shaqab Racing 2-9-01 5/1JF
2013 WAR COMMAND Aidan O’Brien IRE J A Heffernan J Allen/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith 2-9-01 20/1
2012 DAWN APPROACH Jim Bolger IRE Kevin Manning Jackie Bolger/J P Spain 2-9-01 7/2
2011 POWER Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-01 4/1F
2010 STRONG SUIT Richard Hannon Richard Hughes Julie Wood 2-9-01 15/8F
2009 CANFORD CLIFFS Richard Hannon Richard Hughes The Heffer Syndicate 2-9-01 7/4F
2008 ART CONNOISSEUR Michael Bell Jamie Spencer Richard Green 2-9-01 8/1
2007 HENRYTHENAVIGATOR Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Sue Magnier 2-9-01 11/4F
2006 HELLVELYN Bryan Smart Ted Durcan Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed 2-9-01 4/1JF
2005 RED CLUBS Barry Hills Michael Hills Ronnie Arculli 2-8-12 11/2
2004 ICEMAN John Gosden Kieren Fallon Cheveley Park Stud 2-8-12 5/1JF
2003 THREE VALLEYS Roger Charlton Richard Hughes Khalid Abdullah 2-8-12 7/1
2002 STATUE OF LIBERTY Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 5/2F
2001 LANDSEER Aidan O’Brien IRE Jamie Spencer Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 20/1
2000 CD EUROPE Mick Channon Steve Drowne Circular Distributors Ltd 2-8-12 8/1
1999 FASLIYEV Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 15/8F
1998 RED SEA Paul Cole Richard Quinn Fahd Salman 2-8-12 6/1
1997 HARBOUR MASTER Aidan O’Brien IRE Christy Roche Sue Magnier 2-8-12 16/1
1996VERGLAS Kevin Prendergast IRE Willie Supple Chryss O'Reilly 2 8-12 9/1
1995 ROYAL APPLAUSE Barry Hills Walter Swinburn Maktoum Al Maktoum 2 8-12 13/2
1994 SRI PEKAN Paul Cole Richard Quinn Sultan Ahmad Shah 2 8-13 6/1
1993 STONEHATCH Peter Chapple-Hyam John Reid Robert Sangster 2 8-13 EvensF
1992 PETARDIA Geoff Wragg Walter Swinburn Mollers Racing 2 8-13 5/1CF
1991 DILUM Paul Cole Alan Munro Fahd Salman 2 8-13 11/10 F
1990 MAC'S IMP Bill O'Gorman Alan Munro Tamdown Ltd 2 8-13 2/1F
1989 ROCK CITY Richard Hannon Willie Carson A F Budge (Equine) Ltd 2 8-13 9/1
1988 HIGH ESTATE Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Jim Joel 2 8-13 10/11 F
1987 ALWAYS FAIR Michael Stoute Walter Swinburn Maktoum Al Maktoum 2 8-13 9/2
1986 CUTTING BLADE Lester Piggott Cash Asmussen Mahmoud Fustok 2 8-11 11/1
1985 SURE BLADE Barry Hills Brent Thomson Sheikh Mohammed 2 8-11 3/1F
1984 PRIMO DOMINIE Brian Swift John Reid Peter Wetzel 2 8-11 4/7F
1983 CHIEF SINGER Ron Sheather Ray Cochrane Jeff Smith 2 8-11 20/1
1982 HORAGE Matt McCormack Pat Eddery Ahmed Rachid 2 8-11 85/40
1981 RED SUNSET Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Paddy Burns 2 8-11 14/1
1980 RECITATION Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Anthony Bodie 2 8-11 11/1
1979 VARINGO Ryan Price Brian Taylor PTP Plant Hire Ltd 2 8-11 11/8F
1978 LAKE CITY Ryan Price Brian Taylor Harry Demetriou 2 8-11 7/1
1977 SOLINUS Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Daniel Schwartz 2 8-11 7/4F
1976 CAWSTON'S CLOWN Neil Adam Taffy Thomas John Murrell 2 8-11 11/2