Tim Easterby’s Art Power could head to France next after stunning Royal Ascot success

Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, Art Power could be targeted at the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp after beating Keep Busy, trained by John Quinn, by over three lengths in a Yorkshire one-two.

It was a sixth Royal Ascot winner for Great Habton-based Easterby whose son William was representing the stable at the course.

And he was thrilled for the owners King Power whose family own Leicester City Football Club. “It was great to get a winner for the King Power team as they love this meeting so much,” he said.

“We will see how he goes. I don’t think Dad will want to over-face him too soon. Something like the Abbaye could be of interest to him.”

This was echoed by De Sousa who has rarely ridden an easier winner at a big meeting. He said: “Art Power is a very talented horse. After he won at Newcastle, we decided to go for this race because we thought we had have a few pounds in hand and we thought we would get the ground that suits him. I think he is still on his way up – I don’t think we will see him in a handicap again.”

Meanwhile Dandalla made it two wins from as many starts when powering to an impressive victory in the Group Three Albany Stakes over six furlongs, handing jockey Ben Curtis his first Royal Ascot win.

Dandalla is another exciting filly to be trained by Leyburn’s Karl Burke who has had Group One success in recent years with Quiet Reflection and Laurens.

Owned by the trainer’s wife Elaine, and Nick Bradley Racing, the Prix Morny in France could be on the agenda for this highly promising horse.

“It is on every jockey’s to-do list. I have been coming down to Royal Ascot for a good while now and not really getting involved, so finally to get a winner is unbelievable,” said Curtis.

“Karl’s daughter Lucy rides Dandalla every day and does all the hard work at home. I remember her coming down from the gallops one day, and she mentioned her in the same sentence as Laurens, and said she gave her that kind of feel.

“I don’t care, crowd or no crowd! I am in racing to ride winners, and ride big winners, and try to improve myself year on year.”

On a good day for Yorkshire, Richard Fahey’s Ventura Rebel – the mount of Tony Hamilton – was a notable third in the Group One Commonwealth Cup to Golden Horde who had been off the course for 265 days.

Meanwhile champion jockey Oisin Murphy got up on the line to take the Norfolk Stakes on The Lir Jet – he told The Yorkshire Post last Saturday that the two-year-old, trained by Michael Bell, was his most likely winner of the week.

And, on another landmark day, Frankie Dettori came from last to first on Fanny Logan to land the Hardwicke Stakes, the jockey’s 70th Royal Ascot career success and 30 years to the day after his very first success at the meeting.

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