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| Queen Mary Stakes 2012 |
Ceiling Kitty Hits Queen Mary Target
20/06/12
1 Ceiling Kitty 20/1
2 Hoyam 10/1
3 Hairy Rocket 11/1
27 ran
Trainer Tom Dascombe admitted to being “in a dream” following Ceiling Kitty’s Queen Mary Stakes success for owner Andrew Black and jockey Richard Kingscote.
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Dascombe has enjoyed Black’s patronage since establishing his training operation, initially in Lambourn and continuing after he took up residence in Cheshire at a yard owned by footballer Michael Owen. This was Dascombe’s third royal meeting winner, and, having trained Brown Panther to score for Owen at the event last year, today’s victory completed a sweet double for the trainer - satisfyingly both horses were bred by their owners.
Dascombe also trained fourth-placed Upward Spiral (Johnny Murtagh), who was the more fancied of the pair. Following the race the trainer said: “This is all about Andrew Black, who has been an amazing supporter of me, and to have a Royal Ascot winner for him is incredible.
“It’s also great for Richard, who wasn’t given a choice of which filly to ride, but felt she not only had experience but was also as hard as nails. Richard is a really good jockey and a lovely lad.
“The other filly ran well too, but there was nothing on her side of the track to lead her - I think she is the better horse, but just not today.
“The main thing is Andrew Black owns the winner, which is so important. I don’t know what we’ll do now because it really doesn’t matter. She’s a Listed winner and now a Group winner who will retire to Andrew’s stud one day, and probably sooner rather than later. We’ll have to try her over six furlongs at some point, and she wasn’t stopping today.”
Black, co-founder of betting exchange Betfair, bred Ceiling Kitty and offered her at public auction last year when she failed to reach her reserve. He admitted to being “almost speechless”, but said: “She is a proper home bred, whose mother I claimed for £15,000. I knew this filly was good, so put half of her up on Betfair and they gave away four, one eighth shares in her for a year. I guess I didn’t know she was this good, but at least people are getting a smart horse for their money.”
Kingscote said: “Johnny is retained by Sheikh Fahad, so he rode Upward Spiral and I was on Ceiling Kitty. On homework my filly can’t touch Upward Spiral, who won well first time out, but my filly is tough and game so job done. I always knew we had the speed on our side of the track which was ideal. Two out my filly showed a great turn of foot and got away from the field. I don’t mind this becoming a regular thing.”
Owner Andrew Black is now eyeing a step up to full company for his home-bred daughter of Red Clubs, with the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 24 a possible target.
Queen Mary Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)
£75,000 added, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1
27 runners
Going: Good
|
Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
|
1 |
Ceiling Kitty Tom Dascombe |
R Kingscote 8st 12lbs |
20 - 1 Winner |
|
2 |
Hoyam M L W Bell |
J P Spencer 8st 12lbs |
10 - 1 1 length |
|
3 |
Hairy Rocket R Hannon |
R L Moore 8st 12lbs |
11 - 1 1 length |
|
4 |
Upward Spiral Tom Dascombe |
J P Murtagh 8st 12lbs |
6 - 1 1/2 length |
|
5 |
Jadanna J G Given |
L Dettori 8st 12lbs |
10 - 1 1/2 length |
|
6 |
Lasilia K A Ryan |
T Hamilton 8st 12lbs |
100 - 1 1 length |
|
7 |
Satsuma D H Brown |
William Buick 8st 12lbs |
12 - 1 Head |
|
8 |
Jillnextdoor M R Channon |
Craig A Williams 8st 12lbs |
12 - 1 Head |
|
9 |
Madam Mojito J J Quinn |
M O'Connell 8st 12lbs |
25 - 1 3/4 length |
|
10 |
Threes Grand S Dixon |
K Fallon 8st 12lbs |
25 - 1 1 1/4 length |
|
11 |
Excel Yourself J Tate |
Martin Dwyer 8st 12lbs |
80 - 1 1/2 length |
|
12 |
Miss Diva R Hannon |
J Fortune 8st 12lbs |
33 - 1 Nose |
|
13 |
Baileys Jubilee M Johnston |
S De Sousa 8st 12lbs |
33 - 1 1/2 length |
|
14 |
Lady Phill W G M Turner |
Kieren Fox 8st 12lbs |
40 - 1 3/4 length |
|
15 |
Mironica D Wachman |
W M Lordan 8st 12lbs |
5 - 1 Neck |
|
16 |
Sharaarah E A L Dunlop |
P Hanagan 8st 12lbs |
20 - 1 Neck |
|
17 |
Star Up In The Sky K A Ryan |
Amy Ryan 8st 12lbs |
33 - 1 Head |
|
18 |
Projectisle K A Ryan |
N Callan 8st 12lbs |
40 - 1 1 1/2 length |
|
19 |
All Fur Coat J Hughes |
Hayley Turner 8st 12lbs |
33 - 1 Neck |
|
20 |
Jubilee Diamond R Hannon |
R Hughes 8st 12lbs |
14 - 1 1/2 length |
|
21 |
Starlight Angel R Harris |
L Morris 8st 12lbs |
100 - 1 Neck |
|
22 |
Graphic Guest M R Channon |
M Harley 8st 12lbs |
15 - 2 Nose |
|
23 |
Masarah C E Brittain |
T P Queally 8st 12lbs |
100 - 1 1 3/4 length |
|
24 |
Melodee Princess R Harris |
Darren Edward Egan 8st 12lbs |
150 - 1 Neck |
|
25 |
Belle Intrigue Mrs A J Perrett |
Jim Crowley 8st 12lbs |
66 - 1 1 length |
|
26 |
Modern Lady R C Guest |
J-P Guillambert 8st 12lbs |
150 - 1 4 lengths |
|
27 |
Delphica G L Moore |
S W Kelly 8st 12lbs |
50 - 1 6 lengths |
HOYAM DELIGHTS BELL
Trainer Michael Bell was pleased with the effort of Hoyam to finish runner-up in the Queen Mary Stakes.
“It was a good run and Jamie (Spencer) was impressed and said the horse would get six furlongs,” said Bell. “It’s a shame she didn’t have time for another run before today. She’s a filly with a big future and the Cherry Hinton Stakes and Princess Margaret Stakes would both be possibles. I’ll see how quickly she comes out of this.”
The Richard Hannon-trained Hairy Rocket finished third. “She’s only tiny and there were no excuses but she’ll win something nice before the season is out. She looks like she’ll get six furlongs and I wouldn’t mind running her in the Cherry Hinton Stakes,” said Richard Hannon junior, assistant to his father.
