By Sean Cronin
Wathnan Racing's Crimson Advocate (Nyquist), who annexed the 2023 G2 Queen Mary Stakes for George Weaver, returned to the scene of her greatest triumph with a decisive victory in Wednesday's G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Her 1 3/4-length tally provided the Gosden stable with a record-extending sixth win in the one-mile contest.
Crimson Advocate had previously registered a second stakes win in Goodwood's Listed Conqueror Stakes last month, her third outing and first win for John and Thady Gosden since joining from the Weaver stable, and the four-year-old landed a monster gamble here after opening the day at long odds.
The well-backed 13-2 chance broke alertly from the gates and was reined back by James McDonald to race in rear after the initial exchanges. Placed in snooze mode for the most part, she was the last of seven to come off the bridle when stirred into action soon after passing the two pole and thundered home down the outside to collar last year's winner and stablemate Running Lion (Roaring Lion) with 100 yards remaining en route to a clear-cut success.
Godolphin's Grade I-winning 5-4 favourite Cinderella's Dream (Shamardal) outbobbed the rallying 2024 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) by a head for the runner-up spot as Running Lion's bold frontrunning effort petered out in the dying embers.
“We knew Crimson Advocate would run a big race, although I didn't expect her to go by those three fillies,” said John Gosden. “Running Lion won it last year and the second and third are Group 1 fillies. James [McDonald] settled her, he did a beautiful job and she was in really great hands. At the furlong marker, I thought Running Lion had it. Then, suddenly, this filly comes. Last year, she came in from America and the plan was to run her in the King Charles III. William [Buick] rode her and told me she was looking for a bend after three furlongs. We settled her, gave her a long time off and she ran really well in the [Listed] Snowdrop. Rab [Havlin] settled her at Goodwood the other day, got up and won. Full marks to Rab and everyone, and Thady, who have been devoting their time to settling her. She sat in last and blew them away. I am absolutely thrilled. I have to say this one was not much to do with me.”
McDonald added, “Coming into it, the questions were whether she would relax well enough and if she ran a stiff mile, but she ticked all those boxes. She relaxed, she gave me a beautiful ride and she was fantastic. She was bubbling underneath me the whole way and, the further the race went, the more she actually gave me. When William [Buick] committed [aboard Cinderella's Dream], she was still on the bridle. She accelerated so quickly and, now she is stretching out over a mile, it bodes well for the future.”
Cinderella's Dream was not as electric as when plundering last month's G2 Dahlia Stakes at HQ and trainer Charlie Appleby reflected, “She ran a good, solid race. William [Buick] felt he had everything covered turning in, but didn't expect the winner to come over the top the way she did. William would prefer to see her back on a straight track, so we will head to the [G1] Falmouth Stakes next.”
Fallen Angel delivered a one-three finish for Wathnan and the operation's Richard Brown was beaming in the aftermath. “I am absolutely delighted with Fallen Angel. The ground was probably a little bit quicker than ideal, but I was so pleased with what she did in the last 50 yards. I think in the autumn, when we get a bit of ease in the ground, she'll be back into a big one for us. We might go up in trip, somewhere between a mile and a mile-and-a-quarter, but ease in the ground is going to be important.”
Running Lion made a valiant attempt to make all in defence of her title, but was running on vapours when swamped late on. “I thought we had it there for a while,” admitted owner David Howden. “She ran a cracker, a huge race, and just tired at the end. She's back in great form and she clearly likes it here. She gave me a lot of excitement for a while.”
Pedigree Notes
Crimson Advocate is the fifth of seven live foals and lone black-type performer from four runners and three scorers produced by multiple stakes-placed GIII Azalea Stakes second Citizen Advocate (Proud Citizen), herself kin to the dam of three black-type winners headed by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Caledonia Road (Quality Road). Descendants of Crimson Advocate's third dam Sunset Service (Deputy Minister) include GI Donn Handicap hero Hymn Book (Arch) and GI Maker's Mile-winning sire Data Link (War Front). The April-foaled chestnut is kin to a 2-year-old colt by Leinster, a weanling colt by Uncle Mo and to the dam of the stakes-placed Flowers For Me (West Coast).
LAST TO FIRST! CRIMSON ADVOCATE WINS THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/CsUjPX3JUP
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2025
Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES-G2, £225,000, Ascot, 6-18, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f 213yT, 1:38.60, g/f.
1–CRIMSON ADVOCATE, 128, f, 4, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Citizen Advocate (MSW & GSP-US, $327,450), by Proud Citizen
2nd Dam: Twilight Service, by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
3rd Dam: Sunset Service, by Deputy Minister
($100,000 Ylg '22 OBSOCT). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Whitehall Lane Farm (KY); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-James McDonald. £127,598. Lifetime Record: MSW-US, 9-5-1-1, $433,950. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cinderella's Dream (GB), 131, f, 4, Shamardal–Espadrille (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. £48,375.
3–Fallen Angel (GB), 128, f, 4, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Agnes Stewart (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Branton Court Stud LLP; T-Karl Burke. £24,210.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, HF. Odds: 6.50, 1.25, 6.00.
Also Ran: Running Lion (GB), Start Of Day (GB), One Look (Ire), Soprano (Ire). Scratched: Elmalka (GB).
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