Royal Ascot 2017 – Al Shaqab Lockinge winner Ribchester cut for Ascot glory after impressive Newbury success
Trainer Richard Fahey was thrilled with the performance of his four-year-old who looks likely to head to Royal Ascot next and described him as having "a Ferrari engine"
RIBCHESTER calmed trainer Richard Fahey’s nerves with a brilliant victory in the £350,000 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes.
Fahey admitted to having pre-race jitters as the star of his Yorkshire stable lined up as the 7-4 favourite for the Newbury Group 1.
He needn’t have worried as Ribchester – owned by Godolphin – made all the running for a three-and-three-quarters length win from Lightning Spear.
Fahey chuckled: “I enjoyed that. I was nervous – I don’t do nervous. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but it’s what keeps getting us up in the morning.
“This guy’s special – the best I’ve had. He’s a horse that can go 0-35 in four strides. He’s got a lot of speed - a Ferrari engine.”
Ribchester showed those gears from the gate. He jumped straight into the lead under William Buick
Fahey added: “It wasn’t really Plan A but I wasn’t disappointed because he seemed relaxed.
“He’s won and everything's gone great. I feel he will get better.”
If that’s the case Ribchester will have an outstanding chance of adding Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes to his trophy haul next month.
Coral cut him to 2-1 favourite from 5-2 for the Royal meeting’s opening contest. Jockey Buick is not bothered about the prospect of faster ground.
He said: “He pricked his ears in front and just kept finding all the way to line.
“He’s a horse with a good turn of foot so fast ground suits him just as good. He’s very versatile – best at a mile.
“He’s a top-class miler so he might as well stick to what he’s good at.”
It was Godolphin's eighth Lockinge success and the ‘boys in blue’ also bagged the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes with Hawkbill.
Last year’s Coral-Eclipse hero was another to make all the running. The 3-1 favourite never looked likely to be caught by fast-finishing My Dream Boat and held on by a couple of lengths.
Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “He’s entered in everything but the key thing is the ground. If we’re going to compete at the top level it needs to be with ease in the ground.
“When they came to him he quickened up the straight – the rest plugged on. I couldn’t be more pleased with what’s he’s done.”
The Godolphin team will be hoping their luck holds in the coming weeks.
Friday’s impressive ten-length Newbury winner Dubai Thunder could join their Derby squad.
They also have Lingfield Derby Trial scorer Best Solution, Dante runner-up Benbatl and last year’s Royal Lodge winner Best Of Days.
Godolphin chief John Ferguson said: “He’s on the team sheet but it depends how many we play.”
Defoe looks in line for promotion – unlike his namesake Sunderland striker Jermain.
Roger Varian’s 8-1 shot came through to grab aggressively-ridden Mucho Applause in the final furlong to land the London Gold Cup.
Smart horses like Al Kazeem have landed the prize in recent years and Defoe looks likely to pick up plenty more trophies.