By Sean Cronin
Barraston Racing's 5-year-old handicap regular American Affair (Washington DC) had not set foot in black-type territory until last month and stepped forward to claim GI King Charles III Stakes glory for Scotland after another ding-dong cliffhanger. The race is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.
The 11-1 chance finished a close-up fifth behind Mgheera (Zoustar) in Haydock's G2 Temple Stakes and the Jim Goldie trainee's task was made easier when that rival was scratched at the start after losing a shoe.
Tucked away in mid division until coming under pressure to reduce arrears approaching the quarter-mile marker, he went second with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and was driven out in the latter stages to deny G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf winner Frost At Dawn (Frosted) by a neck after another pulsating duel. The fast-breaking long-time leader Regional (Territories) ran on in game fashion once headed and finished one length back in third.
“I have trained the family for three generations, so it's very sweet,” beamed veteran trainer Goldie. “The horse's grandfather [Orientor] had his day here [at the Shergar Cup], so we're pretty lucky that we can breed horses like that. American Affair is just getting faster and better and better. He has the talent and I was quite confident he could do it today. I knew he was probably one of the fastest horses in the race, but it's how you control that. We've come down a day early, got him relaxed and it all fell into place. It means a lot.”
Winning rider Paul Mulrennan, bridging a 15-year gap back to his last Royal tally, continued, “It all went pretty smooth and we got a lovely tow along. We just tweaked a couple of things today and we put a hood on him. Jim has always had a lot of faith and he is a good horse, but nothing went right at Haydock. I am a northern jockey and I ride Monday-to-Friday horses. To get here, just to come here, and have a ride here is special. This is our Olympics and you're riding with the best jockeys in the world. The best horses, trainers, owners are all here and it's a big stage. To win a Group 1 here is very special and the last time I had a Royal Ascot winner [aboard Dandino in 2010] I had jet-black hair!”
Winning owner-breeder John McGrandles added, “American Affair is probably the only horse here with a Glasgow postcode in his passport. I got the mare from Jim after she'd finished racing. We had two foals out of her, but unfortunately lost her. We've got another mare by Orientor as well and she's gone back to Washington DC, so we're hoping we might do it again. We keep the mares at home and I have been involved with horses since I was six. This horse is the biggest winner we've had.”
William Knight, trainer of runner-up Frost at Dawn, had mixed emotions in the aftermath. “I thought the stiff five furlongs really suited her and it's just annoying to not get the win,” he said. “I've always had belief and campaigned her aggressively in that sense. We'll continue to do so. I think she's run a blinder there today and we'll stick at five furlongs. That's her trip.”
Third home Regional is poised for a step up in trip and has the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup, over longer distances, on the agenda, according to trainer Ed Bethell. “He's an amazing horse and has taken his owners on an amazing journey,” he insisted. “I'm hugely appreciative of the horse and Callum [Rodriguez]. I would have loved to win, but this is horse racing and the winner and second were faster than us and that's the bottom line. I entered him in the Maurice de Gheest and I would like to go there. The flat six furlongs at Deauville on some nice ground would probably play to his strengths and then we'd like to go to the Sprint Cup.”
Last year's winner Asfoora (Flying Artie) was unable to deliver a knockout blow this time around and dead-heated for fifth with Kerdos (Profitable), who unshipped his rider and ran loose during the preliminaries. “Oisin [Murphy] was of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track,” explained Asfoora's trainer Henry Dwyer. “She loomed at the 150-metre mark, like she had a fair chance, but probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race. There's not much for us at home, so it will be Goodwood [for the G2 King George], York [for the G1 Nunthorpe] and beyond, hopefully.”
Pedigree Notes
American Affair, who becomes the first black-type performer under his first four dams, is the second foal and scorer out of six-time winner Classy Anne (Orientor). The April-foaled bay hails from a family featuring G1 Prix de la Foret-winning sire Salse (Topsider), G1 Oaks d'Italia-winning dual Italian champion Carnauba (Noholme II), multiple Group 1-winning four-time Mexican champion El Villano (Danzante II) and GI Sapling Stakes victor Smart N Slick (Smarten).
AMERICAN AFFAIR WINS THE KING CHARLES III STAKES! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/8puaIhIuw7
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2025
Tuesday, Ascot, Britain
KING CHARLES III STAKES-G1, £725,750, Ascot, 6-17, 3yo/up, 5fT, :59.64, g/f.
1–AMERICAN AFFAIR (GB), 133, g, 5, by Washington DC (Ire)
1st Dam: Classy Anne (GB), by Orientor (GB)
2nd Dam: Class Wan (GB), by Safawan (Ire)
3rd Dam: Ayr Classic (GB), by Local Suitor
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Barraston Racing & Jim Goldie; B-John McGrandles; T-Jim Goldie; J-Paul Mulrennan. £411,573. Lifetime Record: 22-8-5-2, $854,153. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Frost At Dawn, 130, f, 4, Frosted–Hawana, by War Front. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Abdulla Al Mansoori; B-Rabbah Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-William Knight. £156,036.
3–Regional (GB), 133, g, 7, Territories (Ire)–Favulusa (GB), by Dansili (GB). (35,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 120,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; 3,500gns 3yo '21 TATTJU). O-Future Champions Racing Regional; B-Razza Del Sole Societa Agricola SRL; T-Ed Bethell. £78,091.
Margins: NK, 1, NK. Odds: 11.00, 28.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Starlust (GB), Asfoora (Aus), Kerdos (Ire), Washington Heights (GB), Monteille (GB), Balmoral Lady (Ire), Jasour (GB), Believing (Ire), Night Raider (Ire), West Acre (Ire), Rumstar (GB), Estepona (Fr), Aesterius (Ire), Tropical Storm (GB), Twilight Calls (GB), Prime Art (Ire), Manaccan (GB). Scratched: Bucanero Fuerte (GB), No Half Measures (GB).
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