DETTORI HAS ROYAL ASCOT VISION
   Colour Vision (Fr) (Rainbow Quest) easily disposed of G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) in last month's rescheduled G3 Sagaro S. at Kempton, but was forced to pull out all the stops under a vintage Frankie Dettori ride, and survived a stewards' enquiry, to claim glory in Royal Ascot's G1 Gold Cup yesterday. Dettori, who had switched allegiance from fellow Godolphin colorbearer Opinion Poll (Ire) (Halling), was handily placed throughtout the marathon test and drove the 6-1 chance into a slender lead entering the final eighth. Colour Vision exchanged bumps with Opinion Poll soon after, as that rival loomed large with 150 yards remaining, before asserting for a half-length success. Defending champion Fame and Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) was last off the bridle inside the final half mile, but was unable to feature at the business end and finished seventh. "It takes the whole year to prepare for this race and it made the blood boil to see them finishing together," commented Sheikh Mohammed. "They are two brilliant horses and both jockeys rode great races." Racing Manager Simon Crisford added, "Frankie gave the horse a magnificent ride. Sheikh Mohammed gave him the choice and he made a judgement call based on the fact Colour Vision would stay better than Opinion Poll. He is such a gritty little stayer."

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
GOLD CUP-G1, £350,000, Ascot, 6-21, 4yo/up, 2 1/2mT, 4:42.05, gd/sf.
1–sCOLOUR VISION (FR), 126, g, 4, by Rainbow Quest
        1st Dam: Give Me Five (Ger) (GSW-Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
        2nd Dam: Grey Pearl (Ger), by Magic Mirror (GB)
        3rd Dam: Gettysburg (Ger), by Alpenkonig (Ger)
(100,000gns yrl '09 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Capricorn Stud; T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Frankie Dettori; £198,485. Lifetime Record: 18-6-1-3, £289,674. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Opinion Poll (Ire), 128, h, 6, Halling--Ahead (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB). O-Godolphin; B-Darley; T-Mahmood Al Zarooni; £75,250.
3--Saddler's Rock (Ire), 126, c, 4, Sadler's Wells--Grecian Bride (Ire), by Groom Dancer. O-Michael O'Flynn; B-Rockfield Farm; T-John Oxx; £37,660.
Margins: HF, NK, 1. Odds: 6-1, 5-1, 9-2.
Also Ran: Gulf of Naples (Ire), Askar Tau (Fr), Nehaam (GB), Fame and Glory (GB), Caucus (GB), Bridge of Gold.
Click for the Racing Post chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, courtesy attheraces.com.
   Colour Vision served his apprenticeship in the handicap ranks, but stepped out of that company to run fourth in August's Listed Prix Michel Houyvet at Deauville before failing to make a dent in minor events at Salisbury and Chester. Successful at Pontefract in an Oct. 3 conditions event, the grey hit the board in the marathon Cesarewitch H. at Newmarket five days later, and occupied the same berth behind Fame and Glory in the Oct. 15 G3 British Champions Long Distance Cup going two miles here in his final start representing the Mark Johnston yard. He opened up for Godolphin with a bloodless victory in the rescheduled G3 Sagaro S. at Kempton last time May 2, and dug deep in the mud to register a career high here and remain unbeaten in the blue silks. Colour Vision occupied a prominent role in second early as former Johnston stablemate and eventual fourth Gulf of Naples (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) set sensible fractions in the prevalent conditions. Allowed to surrender one spot going down the backstraight, he was stoked up on the home turn as the lactic build-up bit hard and came under sterner urging to challenge at the quarter-mile marker. He took a slender advantage into the final eighth, but was joined by Opinion Poll soon after and, having traded barges with that rival, dug deep for every ounce of stamina to assert nearing the line. "This was my best chance of the week, I had a very difficult decision to make when choosing between the two, and I'm delighted to get it right," admitted Frankie Dettori, who registered a fifth victory in the marathon contest. "Both are great warriors and I finished off best, but it was only by a short margin. It's great for the team, as it's been a very hard week and I'm glad this one came up. First and second is a great result for us. Mickael [Barzalona] and myself are good friends, but when you are out there you are by yourself. It doesn't matter who is in the finish because you always try to win."

Proud of the Placegetters...
   Opinion Poll, who has not been out of the first two in eight runs since chasing home Fame and Glory last year, had to settle for the bridesmaid's role again. "Opinion Poll ran very well and there are no excuses today," trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni told PA Sport. "They are two nice horses, and it doesn't matter who won as we are one team. As for future plans we will see what Simon [Crisford] and Sheikh Mohammed want to do." Saddler's Rock, who stayed on resolutely in the straight, was undone by the track conditions and lack of a suitable pace, according to John Oxx. "The race was a bit of farce for him, as they went too slow early on, which meant he pulled for the first mile or so," the trainer told PA Sport. "It was then a sprint for the last mile, and he couldn't quicken on the soft ground. Johnny [Murtagh] said he got a bit unbalanced and he was struggling, but then he finally got going when it was too late. There are a lot of options for him, probably starting off with the [Aug. 2 G2] Goodwood Cup, and we'll look at similar races. He needs good-to-firm ground and a good pace to be at his best, but unfortunately we haven't got a pacemaker." Reigning title-holder Fame and Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) was none the worse for his exertions according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, who added, "Fame and Glory has come back fine and seems to be fine after the race. It was an interesting race."