Norfolk Stakes |
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| Group 2, Ascot 14:30 £150,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1  |
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Aidan O’Brien’s Charles Darwin could evolve into a real star of the juvenile division.
There are 32 youngsters engaged in total with Karl Burke given the chance for back-to-back victories in the race by eye-catching Beverley runner-up Naval Light, with owners Wathnan Racing also having an intriguing American raider in the form of George Weaver’s Sandal’s Song.
The countdown to Royal Ascot is always laden with hope, ambition and—occasionally—a well-timed phone call with an offer too good to ignore. But for the ever-energetic Rogues Gallery syndicate, their unbeaten juvenile Rogue Supremacy is currently providing far more excitement than indecision—at least for now.
Another smart Donny @BrzUps 2YO 👀
— Goffs UK (@GoffsUK) June 2, 2025
Rogue Supremacy wins on debut @WetherbyRaces for @omeararacing
By St Mark’s Basilica (@coolmorestud), he was sold by @HoStud to Henry Lascelles @Roguesracing_ 👏
pic.twitter.com/0Gro5VzHqm
Trained by David O’Meara, the colt made a sparkling debut at Wetherby, dominating from the front and putting clear daylight between himself and the field, leaving his connections with some enviable headaches ahead of next week's meeting. Entries in the Coventry, Norfolk, and Windsor Castle lie in wait, though that’s assuming he’s still in the silks of the Rogues come the off.
“We absolutely love this horse,” said Tony Elliott, the group’s animated founder, who is no stranger to juggling sentiment with the spreadsheet. “People are queuing up to try and buy him. He might even be gone by the time Ascot rolls around—but I’m trying not to let that happen.”
What made the Wetherby win so striking wasn’t just the margin, but the manner. “The jockey was virtually motionless the whole way. We honestly don’t know what we’ve got yet, and that’s why you go to Ascot—to find out.”
Whether Rogue Supremacy stretches to six furlongs or drops back to five remains to be seen, with Elliott deferring to O’Meara on final plans. “He’ll be in all three—David knows him best. It’s about picking the right one.”
By St Mark’s Basilica, the colt has already notched a footnote in history by getting his sire off the mark. That, naturally, has caught the eye of potential buyers, but the Rogues—so far—are standing firm. Not that they’re averse to doing business when the moment is right.
Earlier this year, Rogue Legend joined John Stewart’s Resolute Racing in a rumoured seven-figure move—a reminder that sentiment often has to share a seat with strategy.
“It’s a nice problem to have, but it’s not an easy one,” Elliott added. “We’re not all millionaires. You can’t always follow your heart. The offers make you think, of course they do. But we want to run good horses ourselves too.”
It’s a balancing act the syndicate has walked well. Rogue Millennium and Rogue Lightning both went from success on the course to headline prices in the sales ring—£1.65 million and £1 million respectively. Now, the next chapter could be about to unfold.
Norfolk Stakes
£150,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1
32 entries
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 1 Afjan 2 - H-F Devin
2 61 Ameeq 2 - Kevin Ryan
3 1 Azizam 2 - K R Burke
4 411 Charles Darwin 2 - A P O'Brien
5 214 Clear Force 2 - K R Burke Clifford Lee
6 1 Comical Point 2 - Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy
7 16 Dickensian 2 - Kevin Ryan
8 332 Exclamation 2 - Grace Harris
9 214 First Approach 2 - A P O'Brien
10 12 First Legion 2 - Richard Hannon Shane Foley
11 1 Gaga Mate 2 - 1 George Scott Callum Shepherd
12 3231 Graft 2 - Mme J Soudan Kieran Shoemark
13 12 Havana Hurricane 2 - Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop
14 2 Hey Tru Blue 2 - George Boughey Billy Loughnane
15 2 Irish Fighter 2 - Ismail Mohammed Silvestre De Sousa
16 323 Kansas 2 - A P O'Brien
17 21 Lil Brother 2 - Paul Attwater Trevor Whelan
18 1 London Boy 2 - Raphael E Freire David Egan
19 11 Military Code 2 - Charlie Appleby
20 2 Naval Light 2 - K R Burke James Doyle
21 31 Old Is Gold 2 - Andrew Balding
22 4 Paris Carver 2 - Adrian Murray
23 133 Raakeb 2 - Richard Hannon Sean Levey
24 1 Rising Power 2 - Charlie Appleby
25 211 Rogue Legend 2 - P Twomey
26 1 Rogue Supremacy 2 - David O'Meara Daniel Tudhope
27 1 Sandal's Song 2 - George Weaver James McDonald
28 2 Sovereign Spell 2 - Raphael E Freire David Egan
29 621 Star Material 2 - Adrian Paul Keatley P J McDonald
30 2 Utmost Respect 2 - Richard Fahey Oisin Orr
31 14 Wise Approach 2 - Charlie Appleby
32 4 Wyle Cop 2 - Jack Jones
NORFOLK STAKES WINNERS
YEAR GR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WGT SP
2024 2 SHAREHOLDER K R Burke James Doyle Wathnan Racing 2 9-03 12/1
2023 2 VALIANT FORCE Adrian Murray Rossa Ryan Amo Racing/Mrs R O'Callaghan/G De Aguiar 2 9-03 150/1
2022 2 THE RIDLER Richard Fahey Paul Hanagan Steve Bradley 2-9-03 50/1
2021 2 PERFECT POWER Richard Fahey Paul Hanagan Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum 2-9-01 14/1
2020 2 THE LIR JET Michael Bell Oisin Murphy Qatar Racing Ltd 2-9-01 9/2
2019 2 A'ALI Simon Crisford Frankie Dettori Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa 2-9-01 5/1
2018 2 SHANG SHANG SHANG Wesley Ward USA Joel Rosario Breeze Easy LLC 2-8-12 5/1
2017 2 SIOUX NATION Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-01 14/1
2016 2 PRINCE OF LIR Robert Cowell Luke Morris Cool Silk Racing Partnership 2-9-01 8/1
2015 2 WATERLOO BRIDGE Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor 2-9-01 12/1
2014 2 BAITHA ALGA Richard Hannon Frankie Dettori Al Shaqab Racing 2-9-01 8/1
2013 2 NO NAY NEVER Wesley Ward USA Joel Rosari Linda Shanahan & Ice Wine Stable 2-9-01 4/1
2012 2 RECKLESS ABANDON Clive Cox Adam Kirby Miss J Deadman & S Barrow 2-9-01 4/1
2011 2 BAPAK CHINTA Kevin Ryan Phillip Makin T A Rahman 2-9-01 6/1
2010 2 APPROVE William Haggas Eddie Ahern Highclere Thoroughbred Racing 2-9-01 16/1
2009 2 RADIOHEAD Brian Meehan Jamie Spencer Carmen Burrell & Jonathan Harvey 2-9-01 10/1
2008 2 SOUTH CENTRAL Howard Johnson Robert Winston Transcend Bloodstock LLP 2-9-01 11/4F
2007 2 WINKER WATSON Peter Chapple-Hyam Jimmy Fortune Comic Strip Heroes/Joy Trotter 2-9-01 2/1F
2006 2 DUTCH ART Peter Chapple-Hyam Alan Munro Susan Roy 2-9-01 11/4
*2005 3 MASTA PLASTA Howard Johnson Robert Winston Transcend Bloodstock Llp 2-8-12 7/2
2004 3 BLUE DAKOTA Jeremy Noseda Eddie Ahern Adrian Nolan, Geraldine Ryan 2-8-12 5/4F
2003 3 RUSSIAN VALOUR Mark Johnston Kevin Darley Tony Latter & Partners 2-8-12 4/1
2002 3 BARON’S PIT Richard Hannon snr Richard Hughes Jeff & Kath Thomas 2-8-12 12/1
2001 3 JOHANNESBURG Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 11/8F
2000 3 SUPERSTAR LEO William Haggas Richard Quinn Superstar Leo Partnership 2-8-07 5/1
99/17/06 3 WARM HEART John Gosden Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 2-8-12 7/2
98/18/06 3 ROSSELLI Jack Berry John Carroll Terry Holdcroft 2-8-12 10/1
97/19/06 3 TIPPITT BOY Kevin McAuliffe John Reid Highgrove Developments Ltd 2-8-12 33/1
96/20/06 3 TIPSY CREEK Ben Hanbury Willie Ryan Abdullah Ali 2-8-12 7/2F
95/22/06 2 LUCKY LIONEL Richard Hannon snr Frankie Dettori Antonio Balzarini 2-8-12 11/1
94/16/06 3 MIND GAMES Jack Berry John Carroll Robert Hughes 2-8-13 5/2
93/17/06 3 TURTLE ISLAND Peter Chapple-Hyam John Reid Robert Sangster 2-8-13 3/1
92/18/06 3 NICHE Richard Hannon snr Lester Piggott Lord Carnarvon 2-8-08 9/1
91/20/06 3 MAGIC RING Paul Cole Alan Munro Fahd Salman 2-8-13 7/4F
90/21/06 3 LINE ENGAGED David Elsworth Steve Cauthen I Karageorgis 2-8-13 14/1
89/22/06 3 PETILLANTE Alex Scott Richard Hills Peter Newell 2-8-08 10/1
88/16/06 3 SUPERPOWER Bill O’Gorman Tony Ives Mrs Poh Lian Yong 2-8-13 EvensF
87/18/06 3 COLMORE ROW William Jarvis Bruce Raymond Doris Allen 2-8-13 10/3
86/19/06 3 SIZZLING MELODY Lord John FitzGerald Richard Hills Mary Watt 2-8-11 5/1
85/20/06 3 MAROUBLE Charlie Nelson Joe Mercer Countess of Lonsdale 2-8-11 20/1
84/21/06 3 MAGIC MIRROR Vincent O’Brien IRE Lester Piggott Stavros Niarchos 2-8-11 11/8
83/16/06 3 PRECOCIOUS Henry Cecil Lester Piggott Lord Tavistock 2-8-11 4/11F
82/17/06 3 BRONDESBURY Bill O’Gorman Tony Ives Ahmed Foustok 2-8-11 8/11F
81/18/06 3 DAY IS DONE Dermot Weld IRE Wally Swinburn Bertram Firestone 2-8-11 5/2
80/19/06 3 CHUMMYS SPECIAL Gavin Hunter Greville Starkey Jack Maxwell 2-8-11 11/2
79/21/06 3 ROMEO ROMANI Ryan Price Brian Taylor Harry Demetriou 2-8-11 7/2
78/22/06 3 SCHWEPPESHIRE LAD Michael Stoute Greville Starkey M Madden 2-8-11 9/4
77/16/06 3 EMBOSS Ron Boss Lester Piggott Torki Saud 2-8-11 11/4
76/16/06 3 GODSWALK Christy Grassick IRE Dermot Hogan Patrick Gallagher 2-8-11 8/13F
75/19/06 3 FALIRAKI Mick O’Toole IRE Lester Piggott Mrs M O’Toole 2-8-11 6/1
74/20/06 3 OVERTOWN Doug Smith Eric Eldin Sir H Calley 2-8-11 9/2
73/21/06 3 HABAT Peter Walwyn Pat Eddery Dr Carlo Vittadini 2-8-11 7/4F
*run at York
