Frankie Dettori’s decision opens door for James Doyle at Royal Ascot

He was only called up to ride John Gosden’s late maturing four-year-old gelding, named after a former prime minister, when Frankie Dettori opted to ride the ultimately unplaced Mehdaayih.

And Doyle’s day got even better when he partnered the Queen’s two-year-old prospect Tactical to a famous Royal winner in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

One of the very best jockeys in the country, Doyle took maximum advantage of not being required to ride for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation.

All seven horses were in contention in the Prince of Wales’s, a Group One 10-furlong test, after turning into the home straight.

However, Lord North, who won his maiden at Redcar in 2018, showed a blistering turn of pace to pull clear of Addeybb. Japan, the 2019 Juddmonte International winner, was bitterly disappointing after missing the break.

It sets up the tantalising possibility of a high-profile clash with stablemate Enable when Gosden’s champion reappears in next month’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

“I think when John [Gosden] takes a horse into a race like this, you do have to prick your ears,” explained Doyle.

“Obviously, Lord North looked quite unexposed coming into it and he has gone through his grades. He won the Brigadier Gerard nicely up at Haydock but looked to get a bit tired, and John said he’d definitely improved a lot for that run.”

Yet it was clear that Tactical’s win in the Royal colours meant the world to Doyle, even though the Queen was not present to witness her 24th success at the meeting due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Trained by Andrew Balding, Tactical was third on his racecourse debut at Newmarket – the colt did not enjoy a clear run – before confirming his potential with a commanding win to lift the nation’s spirits.

“This is what dreams are made of,” said Doyle, after a race that saw Muker finish third for North Yorkshire trainer Phil Makin. “I have hit the board a couple of times for Her Majesty at this meeting so to get a winner for her is what dreams are made of.

“It is just a huge honour. It is not one of the flagship races here, but for the connections involved – it’s great.

“I was here the day Estimate won, it was an amazing reaction, we don’t have that here today unfortunately, but I hope Her Majesty enjoyed watching it.”

Compensation for the Queen after First Receiver was just denied by Irish raider Russian Emperor in the Hampton Court Stakes, she was delighted by the success according to her racing manager John Warren who spoke to Her Majesty.

“It is lovely for The Queen. She has a nice, young mare [Make Fast, dam of Tactical] and this is her first foal. Throughout the conversations, Her Majesty was saying how delighted she was to breed a two-year-old winner. It is lovely to breed and own a lovely Royal Ascot two-year-old.” he reported.

Meanwhile there was Yorkshire success when Dark Vision won the Royal Hunt Cup for Middleham trainer Mark Johnston and jockey William Buick.

Winner of the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, this was a return to form for the Godolphin-owned runner who has not fulfilled his potential until now.

“It is a drop in class to handicap company, but the best of handicaps, and he’s done it so well,” said Johnston.

“Remember, he is a G2 winner already. He has come down enough to get into handicaps; whether he goes back up to Group races, we will leave that for the handicappers to decide for us.”

It was a welcome winner for Buick, a Northern Racing College graduate, who missed last year’s Royal meeting with concussion. “We got a glimpse from Dark Vision as to what we saw from him as a two-year-old,” he said.

And champion jockey Oisin Murphy got off the mark for the week, winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup on Sir Busker, a first success at the meeting for trainer William Knight.

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