900th major win for trainer O'Brien

ASCOT • Record-breaking Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien brought up another milestone on Saturday, as he celebrated his 900th Group or Graded winner with Broome's victory in the Hardwicke Stakes on the last day of Royal Ascot.

The 52-year-old Irishman has been racking up group races at a rate of knots.

On Thursday, Kyprios gave him a record-extending eighth Ascot Gold Cup.

There was to be no winner for Queen Elizabeth II, who missed the meeting she is so closely associated with for the first time since her coronation in 1953 - the meeting was held behind closed doors due to Covid-19 in 2020.

However, as a reminder of her influence over the meeting, 70 schoolchildren donned her colours to form a guard of honour for the Royal party as they rolled into the parade ring in their carriages pre-racing.

Ryan Moore rode a brilliant and bold tactical race on Broome, leading for most of the contest.

O'Brien, never one to blow his own trumpet, brushed aside taking credit for his latest landmark.

"In this life and world, we take one day at a time and try to appreciate every day," he said.

"We're so grateful to do what we do every day. It's incredible really."

Moore's broad grin after he completed a double when Rohaan won the Wokingham Stakes for a second successive year - only the fifth horse to do so - replaced the frown when he and O'Brien drew a blank in the opening race.

Their runner, Alfred Munnings, entered the Chesham Stakes as 16-1 favourite for next year's Epsom Derby but ran like a drain. After coming with a challenge, he raised the white flag almost as quickly.

Instead, it was the debutant 40-1 shot Holloway Boy, who stormed home to overhaul another outsider, Pearling Path (80-1) and give jockey Danny Tudhope his fourth and most surprising win of the week.

"It is a bit of a surprise to be honest," said Tudhope.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE