ASCOT REPORT:THE DAY Four feature at Royal Ascot provided another Irish one-two as the well-backed favourite Lillie Langtry outgunned Gile Na Greine to land the Coronation Stakes and highlight a dramatic return to form for Aidan O'Brien.
Age Of Aquarius’s narrow defeat to Rite Of Passage in Wednesday’s Gold Cup had been just the latest setback to the Ballydoyle powerhouse but O’Brien struck back with a vengeance yesterday.
Mikhail Glinka completed a double for the champion trainer with a dramatic victory in the Queen’s Vase, edging out Theology by a nose to justify heavy market support and setting himself up as a possible St Leger candidate.
In fact O’Brien’s one reverse yesterday was when the Derby runner-up At First Sight could finish only fourth in the King Edward VII Stakes but the coincidence of that King’s famous mistress appearing in the next race helped provoke widespread support for Lillie Langtry.
She started a 7 to 2 favourite and Johnny Murtagh secured a dream run around the turn in to overhaul the 25 to 1 Gile Na Greine who had attempted to make all the running.
“I got a perfect run, fourth of fifth on the inside, then got out and she showed she is a real little champion,” the champion jockey said.
“I remember going to America last year and telling Aidan how far she was going to win the Breeders’ Cup.”
Lillie Langtry fractured a knee in Santa Anita and only returned to action with a fifth in the Irish Guineas that she improved on that markedly yesterday.
“We always thought she was very good but she was off for the winter and credit to everybody for getting her back,” said O’Brien.
“She has the option of staying at a mile or stepping up to a mile and a quarter in the Pretty Polly or the Nassau.”
Mikhail Glinka got 8 to 1 odds for the Doncaster Leger after his Queen’s Vase victory but Murtagh is already thinking further ahead, both in time and distance.
“I think he could make up into a Gold Cup horse. It was a stop-start race with the gallop which didn’t suit him but he still won,” he said.
Murtagh still fancies his chances of retaining the leading rider title for the week but he will have go some today to overhaul Frankie Dettori who nominated the Irish Derby as a suitable target for the King Edward winner Monterosso.
Dettori said: “Perhaps a pop at the Irish Derby could be on the cards. He is still learning and he was running about. But that is a good sign as it means that he is not quite tired yet.”
This has already been a more than acceptable Royal Ascot for Sheikh Mohammed and Frankie Dettori and the pair can even start to expect greater things from King Edward VII Stakes winner Monterosso.
The Mark Johnston-trained colt’s road to riches started in minor events at humble tracks through mid-level handicaps, but this Group Two event was the scene of his coming of age.
It provided great satisfaction for Johnston to have eked out five wins for Monterosso in his last six starts. Johnston said: “We have been gradually stepping him up in class and it has paid off. He was so green at Ripon in April but still won and we knew we had a class horse.
“Frankie said ‘I love him’ when he got off at Newmarket last time. He has the speed for a mile but the aptitude for a mile and a half. It’s one step at a time. I did hear Frankie mention the Irish Derby to Sheikh Mohammed, so that’s maybe something to think about.”
