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Lashes crowns great week for Irish
Lush Lashes flew home to lift the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday as Irish-trained horses continued to dominate the key races at the five-day meeting.
Haradasun, Henrythenavigator, Duke Of Marmalade and Yeats have all struck for Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O'Brien over the course of the week but this time it was his compatriot Jim Bolger sporting the biggest smile.
Returned to a mile after finishing fifth in the Oaks, Bolger's 5-1 chance found a telling turn of foot to sprint clear of the John Gosden-trained Infallible inside the distance.
In passing the post three-and-a -quarter lengths to the good, Lush Lashes was putting the icing on the cake for Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning, who had earlier teamed up to win the Albany with Cuis Ghaire.
There was a rough beginning to the race with plenty of jockeys vying for an early position before Frankie Dettori bagged the rail on Nahoodh.
He dictated a sensible pace up front but Manning was always travelling sweetly on the eventual winner, who came in for telling support just before the off.
He moved his mount up to challenge for the lead at around the one-furlong pole and while Infallible threw down a significant challenge, she was very quickly brushed aside by Bolger's ace.
Bolger said: "I've been very impressed with her but I didn't think she could win in that style.
"We knew after Epsom that she was going the right way but obviously I was very tempted to go for the Ribblesdale.
"But having won a Group race already, we decided to upgrade her into a Group One and she's done it very well.
"She had the Goffs (Fillies) Million won with a furlong to run and that is only seven furlongs, so she's always shown plenty of pace.
"I was a little concerned about her getting the mile-and-a-half at Epsom but, to be fair, it was more that she didn't handle the track there.
"Next time it will probably be a mile-and-a-half. There's the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.''
Manning added: "She travelled very well and we were in a lovely position all the way.
"She stays well and I think she didn't handle the track at Epsom – at York (in the Musidora), she put her head down and ran right the way to the line.
"She makes the job very easy.''
What has been a memorable Royal Ascot – the most thrilling in recent years – closes today and the best could have even been saved until last.
Many of the world's top sprinters line up for the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and on this ultra-fast ground they are likely to leave scorch marks.
The going will probably rule last year's winner Soldier's Tale out of the equation while the French raider Matchand D'or, entitled to be named Europe's top sprinter after beating King's Stand Stakes winner Equiano at Chantilly, also needs some give.
Freddie Head's grey could only finish fourth behind Sakhee's Secret on fast going in last season's July Cup and the winner has conditions to suit today.
Add to this mix the Ballydoyle hope US Ranger, sure to be better for his run behind Assertive in the Duke of York Stakes, the crack South African War Artist, who was just touched off that day on the Knavesmire, the brilliant New Zealand mare Seachange, and of course the Australian Takeover Target, who has become synonymous with top-class sprinting at Royal Ascot.
It should be a tremendous contest – don't blink or you will miss it – and it's worth sticking with the Aussie, who came very close before being narrowly edge out in the 5f King's Stand Stakes on Tuesday.
Aidan O'Brien and the Ballydoyle team have had a fabulous Ascot and it may not be finished yet. Macarthur, who ran an excellent race behind stablemate Soldier Of Fortune in the Coronation Cup, takes on arguably weaker opposition in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.
A rapidly improving colt who will be suited by the climb to the finish here, he may be ridden with a little more restraint than at Epsom and looks yet another big winner for the brilliant Coolmore operation.
The Wokingham Handicap is one of the toughest races of the season to sum up and there could be as many as 28 with chances.
In fact, it's the bottom two on the card, King's Apostle and Knot In Wood, that catch the eye and hopefully the latter, who has been primed for this by Richard Fahey after his superb run in last season's Stewards' Cup, can bring the big prize back to Yorkshire.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
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