By Tom Frary
Joining the ground-breaking Choisir (Aus) in following up triumph in Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. with the same outcome in Saturday's G1 Diamond Jubilee S., Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) was the latest to achieve Royal Ascot legend status and cap a week to savour. Arriving back in Berkshire with the same indomitable spirit and physical superiority that had ensured the first part of the double, the 6-4 favourite tanked along under James Doyle behind the rapid Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and the writing was already on the wall heading to two out. Allowed to gain command a furlong later, he was in the clear for precious seconds but in the end he needed the line desperately as Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) lunged. When the winning post came, there was only a head between the bay and the flashy chestnut who had forged on a stride after. Luckily for the Godolphin team and Charlie Appleby, the Ascot gods who had gifted so much to Frankie Dettori on Thursday had some spare for this particular defining moment in the meeting's history. “That was special and he gave me an unbelievable feeling,” Doyle said. “We did what's pretty much impossible. What an athlete he is. Kachy went a break-neck pace and I was trying to restrain him, but he wanted to chase him down a bit earlier than ideal. He's hard to disappoint and he was electric on both days. It was a little bit smoother on Tuesday and he got a little bit lonely late. The petrol gauge was running a bit empty but I've not ridden many who want to win like he does.”
While there was no Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) this time, Blue Point had to draw on reserves to see off a different type of sprinter over a trip that draws out his brilliance to the limit. He had proven himself over six on several occasions, including when setting the track record here in the 2017 G3 Pavilion S., and his record at Ascot is exemplary. His sole defeat at this venue came when third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup in that year, when Appleby viewed him as a work in progress who needed time to fulfil his true potential.
By the time he had seen out the six furlongs of the G1 Al Quoz Sprint best on the Dubai World Cup card, his trainer's prediction was looking on the money and he returned to Europe in bullish mood. Although it was raining hard during the King's Stand, he probably managed to escape the worst of the slow ground that blighted the first three days of this meeting as it had only just started to get in at that stage. With a warm summer wind transforming Ascot's renowned quick-drying surface over the past 48 hours, the stage was set for the double attempt and Blue Point carried out his recovery to perfection in the interim period.
Few horses could come back just days after his gruelling effort when subduing Shadwell's souped-up Battaash and reload in a race of this nature, but Blue Point is one of that minority and he duly lit up the finale of a week that has been even more emotive than normal. Charlie Appleby was feeling the gravity of the occasion. “What sets him apart is what we've seen today. He's a class animal and from four to five he's developed into the real deal. A week before the King's Stand, he put in a piece of work which told us we knew we had him where we wanted him and I thought about doing both races then. We were lucky enough to win on the first day and we thought we should allow him to take his chance.”
“His Highness rang me on Wednesday morning to ask me how he was and he had eaten up and was fine. Sheikh Mohammed made the call. I just gave him the information on the horse. This morning, he was 536 kilos which was bang-on his weight. If anything, he was a bit more relaxed when I was saddling him here and I jokingly said 'hopefully Tuesday got the freshness out of him'. We've had him since he was two, he won the Gimcrack and has been phenomenal. Full credit to the team at home, as they have done a fantastic job with him. He's going to retire this year and he's a superstar of a horse.”
Sir Michael Stoute said of Dream of Dreams, who would have won had Danny Tudhope found a gap a fraction earlier as he was held up behind a wall of horses passing halfway, “It would have been nicer if there'd been one more stride, but we are delighted with the performance. He has been progressing all year and is in a good place. He will go to the [July 13 G1] July Cup now. He was running very well in group races last year without winning one, but he has improved and has become calmer and is saving his energy.”
The trailblazing Kachy held on for third, 2 1/2 lengths away, showing outstanding speed once again to gain another place at the Royal meeting having been second in the 2016 G1 Commonwealth Cup. Trainer Tom Dascombe commented, “I'm delighted with him. He has been a super horse on the all-weather all winter. He is so fast into his stride and after a furlong he was four lengths clear. I think over six he has got that much early speed they let him go, but over five they are all with him. He is in the July Cup, we will have a look and see. I don't think we will drop him back to five, we will keep him at six.”
Blue Point's dam Scarlett Rose (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who also produced the G2 Railway S. scorer and G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Formosina (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), is a half-sister to Tumbleweed Ridge (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who was a seven-furlong specialist who captured the G3 Horris Hill S., G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot and three renewals of the G3 Ballycorus S. Her other half-sibling Tumbleweed Pearl (GB) (Aragon {GB}) was responsible for Gilded (Ire) (Redback {GB}) who captured the G2 Queen Mary S. at this meeting before throwing the triple listed scorer and group-placed Fort Del Oro (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Scarlett Rose's 2-year-old colt Desert Destination (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has yet to race, while she also has a yearling filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
DIAMOND JUBILEE S.-G1, £600,000, Ascot, 6-22, 4yo/up, 6fT, 1:11.42, g/f.
1–BLUE POINT (IRE), 129, h, 5, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Scarlett Rose (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
2nd Dam: Billie Blue (GB), by Ballad Rock (Ire)
3rd Dam: Blue Nose (Ire), by Windjammer
(110,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; 200,000gns Ylg '15 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Oak Lodge Bloodstock (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £340,260. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE, 20-11-3-3, $3,366,810. *1/2 to Formosina (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), GSW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $185,830. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dream of Dreams (Ire), 129, h, 5, Dream Ahead–Vasilia (GB), by Dansili (GB). (37,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; £44,000 RNA Ylg '15 DNPRM). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Prostock Ltd (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £129,000.
3–Kachy (GB), 129, h, 6, Kyllachy (GB)–Dubai Bounty (GB), by Dubai Destination. (£52,000 Ylg '14 DNPRM). O-David Lowe; B-Denniff Farms Ltd (GB); T-Tom Dascombe. £64,560.
Margins: HD, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 12.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Speak In Colours (GB), Le Brivido (Fr), The Tin Man (GB), Invincible Army (Ire), Cool Gambler (Aus), City Light (Fr), Projection (GB), Tip Two Win (GB), Keystroke (GB), Bound for Nowhere, Yafta (GB), Enzo's Lad (Aus), Sands of Mali (Fr), Emblazoned (Ire). Scratched: Donjuan Triumphant (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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