Coventry Stakes |
 |
|
| Group 2, Ascot 15:05 £175,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1  |
||
|
||
1 Great Barrier Reef 6/1
2 Adaay Of Scarlett 40/1
3 Royal Heritage 12/1
21 ran NR: Arizona Raider Distances: ½l, nk, nk
Time: 1m 13.14s (slow by 1.14s)
It's another Coventry Stakes for Aidan O'Brien!
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 16, 2026
Great Barrier Reef is on top at the line for Wayne Lordan 👏 pic.twitter.com/0HjfjsOtsR
Great Barrier Reef maintained his unbeaten record with a determined victory, providing Aidan O’Brien with a record-extending 12th success in Royal Ascot’s premier six-furlong contest for two-year-olds.
The son of No Nay Never had been partnered by Ryan Moore in his first two victories, but Moore instead chose to ride stablemate Confucius, who was sent off the 2-1 favourite.
Wayne Lordan took over aboard Great Barrier Reef and tracked the action down the centre of the course as much of the field converged towards the stands’ side in the closing stages.
With eight runners still in contention inside the final furlong, Great Barrier Reef found the strongest finish, pulling clear late on to beat Adaay Of Scarlett by half a length. Royal Heritage stayed on well to take third, a neck further back.
O’Brien said: “Great Barrier Reef has never really been a flashy worker at home and even before his last run we were a little disappointed with his homework, but he’s clearly a much better horse on the racecourse.
“We’ve always liked him and knew he had ability. He won very impressively on debut and although he was still green when winning his second race, he beat a good field.
“We worked him alongside Ryan’s horse last week and Confucius came out on top, which is why Ryan chose him.
“Wayne gave him a lovely ride. Ryan felt his side of the race went very hard and perhaps got dragged into it, whereas Wayne’s group finished strongly because they had gone a little steadier.
“Great Barrier Reef handles different ground conditions, is very straightforward and I think he’ll stay further than six furlongs.”
Lordan said: “When he started to roll forward, he drifted a little to his left looking for company because I was out there on my own, but I always felt he was finishing well.
“I thought David Egan’s horse was the one to follow and I wanted to keep things simple. From halfway I began to ask him and he kept responding all the way to the line.
“He shapes as though stepping up in trip won’t be a problem.
“Any winner at Royal Ascot is special and to get one on my first ride of the meeting is a brilliant start.”
Hugo Palmer said of runner-up Adaay Of Scarlett: “What a run. I probably owe a few apologies because I told people beforehand that I didn’t think he was quite good enough for this level.
“Clearly he’s proved me wrong. Stepping him up in trip has opened up plenty of options such as the July Stakes, Richmond Stakes and Phoenix Stakes.
“It’s frustrating to be beaten by such a narrow margin, but we’re delighted with the performance.”
Billy Loughnane added: “He ran a great race. We had an economical trip with cover, he relaxed beautifully, picked up well and was only caught close home.”
James Doyle said of third-placed Royal Heritage: “I’m very proud of him. He’s had plenty asked of him in a short period and only raced at Hamilton last week, so it was a terrific effort.”
Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
£175,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
21 ran
Going: Good to Firm
COVENTRY STAKES
Previous results
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-3
Trainer: Brian Meehan
Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Owner: Manton Thoroughbreds IX
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-03
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg, Brant
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-03
Trainer: Archie Watson
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Owner: Victorious Racing
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-03
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Owner: Berkshire Parts & Panels Ltd No1 Fanclub
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Adam Kirby
Owner: Marie McCartan
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Owner: Khalid Abdullah
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Richard Spencer
Jockey: Stevie Donohoe
Owner: Rebel Racing
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: William Buick
Owner: Godolphin
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: John Quinn
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Owner: Al Shaqab Racing
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: J A Heffernan
Owner: J Allen/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Jim Bolger IRE
Jockey: Kevin Manning
Owner: Jackie Bolger/J P Spain
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Richard Hughes
Owner: Julie Wood
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Richard Hughes
Owner: The Heffer Syndicate
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Michael Bell
Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Owner: Richard Green
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Michael Kinane
Owner: Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Bryan Smart
Jockey: Ted Durcan
Owner: Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed
Age/Weight: 2 / 9-01
Trainer: Barry Hills
Jockey: Michael Hills
Owner: Ronnie Arculli
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Kieren Fallon
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Roger Charlton
Jockey: Richard Hughes
Owner: Khalid Abdullah
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Michael Kinane
Owner: Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Owner: Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Steve Drowne
Owner: Circular Distributors Ltd
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Michael Kinane
Owner: Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Paul Cole
Jockey: Richard Quinn
Owner: Fahd Salman
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE
Jockey: Christy Roche
Owner: Sue Magnier
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Kevin Prendergast IRE
Jockey: Willie Supple
Owner: Chryss O'Reilly
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Barry Hills
Jockey: Walter Swinburn
Owner: Maktoum Al Maktoum
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-12
Trainer: Paul Cole
Jockey: Richard Quinn
Owner: Sultan Ahmad Shah
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Peter Chapple-Hyam
Jockey: John Reid
Owner: Robert Sangster
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Geoff Wragg
Jockey: Walter Swinburn
Owner: Mollers Racing
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Paul Cole
Jockey: Alan Munro
Owner: Fahd Salman
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Bill O'Gorman
Jockey: Alan Munro
Owner: Tamdown Ltd
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Willie Carson
Owner: A F Budge (Equine) Ltd
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Henry Cecil
Jockey: Steve Cauthen
Owner: Jim Joel
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Michael Stoute
Jockey: Walter Swinburn
Owner: Maktoum Al Maktoum
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-13
Trainer: Lester Piggott
Jockey: Cash Asmussen
Owner: Mahmoud Fustok
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Barry Hills
Jockey: Brent Thomson
Owner: Sheikh Mohammed
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Brian Swift
Jockey: John Reid
Owner: Peter Wetzel
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Ron Sheather
Jockey: Ray Cochrane
Owner: Jeff Smith
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Matt McCormack
Jockey: Pat Eddery
Owner: Ahmed Rachid
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Guy Harwood
Jockey: Greville Starkey
Owner: Paddy Burns
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Guy Harwood
Jockey: Greville Starkey
Owner: Anthony Bodie
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Ryan Price
Jockey: Brian Taylor
Owner: PTP Plant Hire Ltd
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Ryan Price
Jockey: Brian Taylor
Owner: Harry Demetriou
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Vincent O'Brien IRE
Jockey: Lester Piggott
Owner: Daniel Schwartz
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
Trainer: Neil Adam
Jockey: Taffy Thomas
Owner: John Murrell
Age/Weight: 2 / 8-11
