Ghanaati proves best in Coronation

Ghanaati gave the Hills even more to celebrate (Frank Sorge/Horsephotos.com) In the battle of One Thousand Guineas winners from England, Ireland and France, it was Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s homebred GHANAATI (Giant’s Causeway) who successfully defended the home turf for England with a powerful score in Friday’s £250,000 Coronation S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot. Showing a strong turn of foot in taking command inside the final quarter-mile, the 2-1 favorite opened up a clear advantage through the straight and was never in danger of being caught. The final margin was two lengths at the wire, with the round mile completed in a course-record 1:38.32 over the good-to-firm ground. Trained by Barry Hills and ridden by his son Richard, Ghanaati was winning for the second time in as many starts on grass. The sophomore was campaigned exclusively on the all-weather surface at Kempton as a juvenile, finishing third in her debut and then breaking her maiden by six lengths. Unraced between late October and the May 3 English One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket, she turned in a shocking 20-1 upset in her first ever turf effort over the Rowley Mile, but firmly established herself as Europe’s leading three-year-old filly miler in the Coronation. “She’s the best filly I’ve ridden without a doubt,” Richard Hills said. “My dad never lets me take the handbrake off her at home and for a very good reason.” Second in the Coronation was Reggane (Red Ransom), who was making only her third career start after a close second-place finish in the Prix de Sandringham (Fr-G2) at Chantilly in her previous outing. She was 2 1/4 lengths clear of Rainbow View (Dynaformer), who has now dropped three straight this year after going undefeated in four starts last year when she was named champion juvenile filly of Europe. Elusive Wave (Elusive City), the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) heroine, was prominent much of the way but had little to offer when headed by Ghanaati in the stretch and finished 6 1/4 lengths back of the winner in fourth. Again (Danehill Dancer), who captured the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) on boggy ground at The Curragh, was not fancied in the betting due to the dry ground and finished seventh in the field of 10. It was her second loss in as many starts outside of Ireland.

Barry Hills, who has been treated recently for throat cancer, was not in
attendance Friday as he was being released from the hospital having overcome a
life-threatening blood disorder.

Charlie Hills, the son and assistant to his trainer father, suggested the
July 8
Falmouth S. (Eng-G1), August 1 Nassau S. (Eng-G1) and October 17 Champion S. (Eng-G1) as possible
goals for Ghanaati for the remainder of the season.

Another impressive display was put forth by Khalid Abdulla’s homebred FATHER
TIME (Dansili [GB]), who romped home by four lengths in the
£150,000 King Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) for
three-year-olds. The subject of some serious play throughout the day, Father
Time’s opening price was cut by more than half to 9-1 for the 1 1/2-mile race
sometimes referred to as the Ascot Derby.

Tracking in midpack through the early stages, Father Time gradually improved
position inside the final half-mile, seized command with just over a furlong
remaining, and opened up late in strong fashion. He completed the course in
2:27.37.

“I thought this was my best chance of winning a race,” trainer Henry
Cecil said regarding his 71st Royal Ascot winner. “He wants a trip and is a full
brother to Passage of Time (GB), who didn’t really get a mile and a half, but it
looks as though he gets it really well.”

Your Old Pal (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), a 14-1 shot, finished a neck ahead of
9-2 second choice Black Bear Island (Sadler’s Wells) for second. South Easter
(Galileo [Ire]), who captured the Dee S. (Eng-G3) at Chester but was a late
scratch for the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) earlier this month, weakened to sixth as
the 7-2 favorite.

In winning the King Edward VII, Father Time firmly reversed narrow defeats in
the Lingfield Derby Trial (Eng-G3) and Fairway S. in his prior two starts, which
he had missed by about a half-length and a neck, respectively.

Ladbrokes, the sponsor of England’s St Leger S. (Eng-G1) on September 12, cut Father Time’s
price to 6-1 for the third leg of the English Triple Crown.

Trainer Wesley Ward’s lone starter on the day, Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3) winner
Aegean (Northern Afleet), was 11-4 in the £70,000
Albany S. (Eng-G3) for two-year-old fillies, but ran out of gas after showing
speed and switching from the far side to the more favorable stands’ side.
Upsetting at 16-1 was Hamdan Al Maktoum’s HABAAYIB (Royal Applause [GB]), who
had finished third in her debut for trainer Ed Dunlop at Newmarket two months
ago and entered this one off a maiden win at Nottingham. Richard Hills was aboard for his second group stakes score of the day.

“We thought they would go very fast and we toyed with the idea of running her
in (Wednesday’s) Queen Mary S. (Eng-G2), but Richard was very adamant to come
here and he has been proved right,” Dunlop said.

Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer), the 11-8 favorite off a score in the
Fillies’ Sprint S. (Ire-G3) at Naas, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths back, and was
followed in third by 12-1 chance Chachamaidee (Footstepsinthesand [GB]). Final
time for the six furlongs was 1:15.63.

The £70,000 Queen’s Vase (Eng-G3) for
three-year-olds over two miles was won impressively by Sheikh Hamdan bin
Mohammed al Maktoum’s HOLBERG (Halling), who cruised up the far side rail to win
by four lengths for jockey Joe Fanning and trainer Mark Johnston. Yankee Doodle
(Dalakhani) edged Derby Italiano (Ity-G2) winner Mastery (Sulamani [Ire]) by
three parts of a length for second. Dhushan (Rainbow Quest), the 4-1 favorite,
was effectively eased after leading for more than 1 1/2 miles and finished 12th.
The final time was a course-record 3:24.13.

In the day’s handicap action, PERFECT STRIDE (Oasis Dream [GB]) prevailed in
the 1 1/4-mile Wolferton H. under Ryan Moore for trainer Sir Michael Stoute,
while the Hills, Barry and Michael, struck again in the seven-furlong Buckingham
Palace S. with GIGANTICUS (Giant’s Causeway).

The five-day Royal Ascot meet concludes Saturday with the features being the
£450,000 Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) at six
furlongs and the £125,000 Hardwicke S.
(Eng-G2) over 1 1/2 miles, both for older horses. The final race of the meet is
the Queen Alexandra S., a conditions event which has the distinction of being
the longest race run under Jockey Club flat racing rules at nearly 2 3/4 miles.