Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
Group 2, Ascot 15:45 £225,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
Tweet Wednesday 19th June 2024

1 Running Lion 6/1
2 Laurel 4/1
3 Doom 12/1
14 ran Distances: 2l, 2l, shd
Time: 1m 39.12s (fast by 0.08s)

She's very good! Roaring Lion filly Running Lion wins the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/AazrPViM5y

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 19, 2024

Owner-breeder David Howden, whose company Howden Insurance is an official partner of Ascot, saw his colours carried to victory by Running Lion.

Oisin Murphy made most of the running and gainied a game response from his partner in the home straight, with his mount ultimately scoring by two lengths.

Her John and Thady Gosden-trained stable-mate Laurel came out of the pack to take second on her first appearance since May 2023, two lengths ahead of third-placed Doom.

The 100/30 favourite Rogue Millennium, who won the race last year when it was run on the straight course, finished fifth.

Howden said: “I knew Running Lion had it in her and what a way to do it, fantastic. She gets her head down, she changes her legs and she digs in. Her sire Roaring Lion ran the same way, with his head down, and it's wonderful to see.

"We are obviously a partner at Royal Ascot. I bred her, she's by Roaring Lion who tragically died, so it just couldn't be more special. For Oisin to do it on Roaring Lion's filly is as good as it gets.”

John Gosden said: “Running Lion has been unlucky. She moved a bit soon in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket and then got boxed in at Epsom. We did decide this time, Oisin, do what you want. He was drawn 11, go to the front, and control it. It was perfect, because we got in a muddle in the last two races.

“The second filly Laurel has run a brilliant race. She has been off for 13 months so she’s run an absolute blinder from the inside and Ryan [Moore] is very happy with her.”

Murphy said: “Running Lion is by the horse that put me on the map, Roaring Lion, and she's owned by David Howden, who sponsors Ascot through Howden Insurance.

“She was brilliant today, we got it together. The plan was to go forward and forget about her last two races. Today I had to have a bit of confidence to go out and do my own thing, and fair play to David Howden, David Redvers and John and Thady – they allowed me to have an open book, and when she broke well and pricked her ears up, I was happy to lead. 

“When she saved energy like that, she was going to be hard to pass. I got some breathers into her all the way round the turn, but today I had the horse to do that, whereas on her first start this year I couldn’t slow her down. 

“This means an awful lot, because there were no complaints when things didn’t go right at Newmarket and Epsom, and I appreciate that support and confidence in me. David Howden is vital to British racing, and he’s been rewarded this afternoon.”

David Redvers, who advises Howden, said: “I think we’re all pretty delirious. Running Lion had a couple of near efforts, and what’s great is seeing her now with everything kept really simple and uncomplicated. Oisin said she loved meeting that ground, loved the hill and hopefully that is the start of an upward trajectory towards a Group One before too long.

“It is so lovely seeing her – very reminiscent of her sire [Roaring Lion] – there are a lot of lovely things about that. And it’s brilliant for someone like David who is investing so much through sponsorship, breeding… and who is just getting going. To have a proper winner is wonderful.

“There is no one riding better than Oisin at the moment. He was so frustrated with the outcome and the ride at Epsom, he made up for it today in spades.

“It’s lovely to have a Tweenhills-bred winner, bred in partnership with David. The old line is that this is our Olympics, but it really is. We’ve had four seconds virtually in a row for Qatar and it is getting really frustrating, so hopefully we can have one for Qatar as well.

Doom’s trainer William Haggas said: “She ran a lovely race. We weren’t sure about the ground and the trip, but she handled both very well, so it’s onwards and upwards for us. She is in the Falmouth and she might be in the Rothschild. I don’t see any reason why we should be going backwards – we’d like to win a proper Group race with her. She’s stayed in training to do things like this and hopefully she will. She’s run two very good races this year and needs to win now.”

Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
(Fillies' Group 2) (Formerly the Windsor Forest Stakes) (Str)
£225,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (11)    Running Lion 4 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Oisin Murphy 6/1
2 (1) 2 Laurel 5 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Ryan Moore 4/1
3 (6) 2 Doom 4 9-2 William Haggas Tom Marquand 12/1
4 (3) shd Magical Sunset 4 9-2 Adrian Murray David Egan 66/1
5 (2) shd Rogue Millennium 5 9-2 Joseph O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle 100/30F
6 (5) ½ Julia Augusta 5 9-2 David O'Meara Daniel Tudhope 50/1
7 (13) hd Breege 4 9-2 John & Sean Quinn Jason Hart 14/1
8 (9) 1¼ Royal Dress 4 9-2 James Tate Ben Coen 25/1
9 (4) nk Orchid Bloom 4 9-2 William Haggas Cieren Fallon 28/1
10 (7) nk Novus 4 9-2 Gary & Josh Moore Tom Queally 28/1
11 (12) 3½ Ocean Jewel 4 9-5 W McCreery W J Lee 15/2
12 (8) 1¼ Nibras Angel 4 9-2 Ismail Mohammed Kevin Stott 125/1
13 (10) hd Sea The Lady 4 9-2 Christopher Head Aurelien Lemaitre 17/2
14 (14) nk Gregarina 5 9-2 Joseph O'Brien William Buick 14/1

DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES WINNERS

YR/DATE GR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WGT SP

2023 2 ROGUE MILLENNIUM Tom Clover Daniel Tudhope Scott C Heider 4 9-02 10/1
2022 2 SAFFRON BEACH Jane Chapple-Hyam William Buick Mrs B V Sangster, J Wigan & O Sangster 4 9-07 5/2J
2021 2 INDIE ANGEL John & Thady Gosden Frankie Dettori Cheveley Park Stud 4 9-00 22/1
2020 2 NAZEEF John Gosden Jim Crowley Hamdan Al Maktoum 4-9-00 100/30
2019 2 MOVE SWIFTLY William Haggas Danny Tudhope Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum 4-9-00 9/1
2018 2 ALJAZZI Marco Botti William Buick Salah Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar 5-9-00 9/2
2017 2 QEMAH Jean-Claude Rouget FR Gregory Benoist Al Shaqab Racing 4-9-00 5/2F
2016 2 USHERETTE Andre Fabre FR Mickael Barzalona Godolphin 4-9-03 9/4F
2015 2 AMAZING MARIA David O’Meara James Doyle Sir Robert Ogden 4-9-00 25/1
2014 2 INTEGRAL Sir Michael Stoute Ryan Moore Cheveley Park Stud 4-9-00 9/4F
2013 2 DUNTLE David Wachman IRE Wayne Lordan Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd 4-8-12 100/30
2012 2 JOVIALITY John Gosden William Buick HRH Princess Haya of Jordan 4-8-12 11/1
2011 2 LOLLY FOR DOLLY Tommy Stack IRE Wayne Lordan David Keoghan 4-8-12 11/1
2010 2 STRAWBERRYDAIQUIRI Sir Michael Stoute Ryan Moore Renata Jacobs 4-8-12 9/2
2009 2 SPACIOUS James Fanshawe Johnny Murtagh Cheveley Park Stud 4-8-12 10/1
2008 2 SABANA PERDIDA Alain de Royer-Dupre FR Christophe Lemaire Scuderia Zaro 5-8-12 4/1
2007 2 NANNINA John Gosden Jimmy Fortune Cheveley Park Stud 4-8-12 3/1CF
2006 2 SOVIET SONG James Fanshawe Jamie Spencer Elite Racing Club 6-8-12 11/8F
*2005 2 PEERESS Sir Michael Stoute Michael Kinane Cheveley Park Stud 4-8-09 14/1
2004 2 FAVOURABLE TERMS Sir Michael Stoute Kieren Fallon Maktoum Al Maktoum 4-8-12 13/2
*run at York