By Tom Frary
Royal Ascot is never short in supply of drama, but the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. ensured it will be the most talked-about race of the meeting as Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) reverted to his former stalls panic and threw away his chance at the start before the ex-Australian and now Irish-trained Merchant Navy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) denied the French raider City Light (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and US rep Bound For Nowhere (The Factor) in a thrilling finale. With the 5-2 favourite Harry Angel trying to break out of the stalls before missing the start by several lengths only to finish 10th, this renewal was thrown open and it was Bound For Nowhere who set out to make all up the centre with Spirit of Valor (War Front) leading up Merchant Navy in his group. The Wesley Ward runner began to lug left and into Ballydoyle's 4-1 second favourite as that rival was grinding his way ahead passing the furlong pole, where City Light got motoring the other side under Christophe Soumillon. City Light was in front before and after the line, but Merchant Navy's head was down in time for the photo and the bobbing finish resulted in a short-head verdict for Ryan Moore, with 3/4 of a length back to a gallant Bound For Nowhere in third. “He's a remarkable horse,” Moore said of the winner, whose weight-for-age advantage had been stripped away prematurely in this hemisphere. “He hasn't been up here long and is only a young horse, but he's come and beat a high-class field. I thought I'd win easier, but the American horse leaned into me and he lost his rhythm for a second. If I'd got beaten I'd have been unlucky.”
It later transpired that Harry Angel's near-hind leg was stuck on the running board when the stalls opened, having kicked out with both hind legs in the gate. This was a repeat of his antics in the early days, which the Clive Cox stable had worked so hard to overcome and which had not been a problem for many outings. He is now 0-5 at this track, so the curse continues. With him effectively discounted, it was a case of whether Bound For Nowhere could maintain the gallop he set under Joel Rosario but Moore looked happy tracking the pace set by Spirit of Valor towards the stand's side and his mount is a renowned strong finisher as he proved when third in Flemington's G1 Newmarket H. Mar. 10. With Merchant Navy and Bound For Nowhere becoming entangled as the race's final moments sapped the runners, last year's winner The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) was building momentum and City Light bore down on the duelling leaders but it was the Irish and French who forged on to make the pulsating finale.
Merchant Navy had shown the same desire to fight at the end of his prior top-level success in the Flemington's G1 Coolmore Stud S. Nov. 4 and the manner of his success on his European bow suggested he would still be a potent force despite taking on these sprinters on less favourable weight terms. In The Curragh's G2 Greenlands S. May 26, he beat some smart sprinters including last year's Diamond Jubilee runner-up Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {Aus}) and that form worked out here with The Tin Man so close up. Aidan O'Brien said, “He was travelling very well and we knew looking at him that Ryan was very happy on him. He's always been very straightforward since he arrived. He did five half-speeds before he went to the Curragh, so we weren't really sure what was going to happen but we wanted to get a run into him before he came here. We thought it was an impossible task for him here as he was 12 pounds worse off than he would have been in Australia. He's being treated as a four-year-old here and he's really a three-year-old. I came here prepared that he couldn't win, reading what everyone was saying.”
Stephane Wattel said of the fast-progressing City Light, who could be targeted at the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 5. “There were horses everywhere, but it was a great effort. This horse has come a long way and I thought for a minute I was going to have a group one winner.” Wesley Ward said of Bound For Nowhere, “He ran fantastic. I was proud of him. He's a miler and was not meant to be in front, but I guess there wasn't much pace. I've always had a lot of faith in him and for him to step up and finish in the top three in a group one at Royal Ascot is fantastic. He can only get better and we'll try for the Breeders' Cup Mile.” Clive Cox was downcast after witnessing the stalls debacle of Harry Angel, who has an injury as a result. “His leg was still in the stall when it opened,” he said. “He's not straightforward in the stalls, as you can see. It's a shame it's happened and it obviously affected the whole day. He's got a nasty puncture wound, which we're concerned enough about. He wasn't sound behind when he came in. Not dreadful, but he wasn't sound. I'm just sorry for everyone and it's a shame, but I hope he'll be fine.”
Merchant Navy is one of three black-type performers by Fastnet Rock out of the G3 Sweet Embrace S. winner Legally Bay (Aus) (Snippets {Aus}), who was also third in the G1 Oakleigh Plate and G1 Australia S. His most notable sibling is the G2 Roman Consul S. winner and G1 Ascot Vale S. runner-up Jolie Bay (Aus), while the dam is kin to the G1 Myer Classic heroine Bonaria (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and the G3 Mercury Two-Year-Old Classic scorer Time Out (Aus) (Rory's Jester {Aus}), as well as the dam of the GSW Montsegur (Aus) (New Approach {Ire}) and Tessera (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). This is the family of the multiple group 1-winning Australian champion and sire Gypsy Kingdom (Aus) (Planet Kingdom {Aus}) and the latter's G1 Queensland Derby-winning full-brother Our Planet (Aus). Legally Bay also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt by All Too Hard (Aus) and a yearling full-brother to Merchant Navy.
Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
DIAMOND JUBILEE S.-G1, £600,000, Ascot, 6-23, 4yo/up, 6fT, 1:12.09, g/f.
1–MERCHANT NAVY (AUS), 129, c, 4, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Legally Bay (Aus) (GSW & MG1SP-Aus, $430,193), by Snippets (Aus)
2nd Dam: Decidity (Aus), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Class (Aus), by Twig Moss (Fr)
(350,000 Ylg '16 INGEAY). O-Merchant Navy Syndicate, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-C Barham (AUS); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £340,260. Lifetime Record: 10-7-0-2, $1,257,833. *Full to Jolie Bay (Aus), GSW & G1SP-Aus, $242,860. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–City Light (Fr), 129, c, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Light Saber (Fr), by Kendor (Fr). (€55,000 Ylg '15 AR15). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard & Isabelle Corbani; B-Jedburgh Stud & Isabelle Corbani (FR); T-Stephane Wattel. £129,000.
3–Bound for Nowhere, 129, c, 4, The Factor–Fancy Deed, by Alydeed. ($310,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O/T-Wesley Ward; B-Wayne Lyster, Gray Lyster & Bryan Lyster (KY). £64,560.
Margins: NO, 3/4, NK. Odds: 4.00, 12.00, 16.00.[bullet ad=”ashview-farm-bred-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]
Also Ran: The Tin Man (GB), Projection (GB), D'Bai (Ire), Sir Dancealot (Ire), Spirit of Valor, Librisa Breeze (GB), Redkirk Warrior (GB), Harry Angel (Ire), Intelligence Cross. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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