US trainer Wesley Ward is always a formidable force at Royal Ascot, but he had to settle for second overnight in the featured Group I Commonwealth Cup (6f) with his Munnings filly Kimari beaten by progressive colt Golden Horde.
Fifth in last season's Group II Royal Ascot Coventry Stakes before winning the Group II Goodwood Richmond Stakes, and then placing twice in Group I races, Golden Horde was last seen when beaten narrowly Group I Newmarket Middle Park in September to Earthlight.
Trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby, he was dominant at the finish, skipping clear to claim his first G1 victory by a length and a half.
“I'm very pleased with Golden Horde today,” said Clive Cox, who trained his sire Lethal Force to win the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2013.
“He was a great horse last year and we thought he would build again this year and he's clearly shown that. To win a Group I at Royal Ascot is very special.
"I think he’s ahead of where Lethal Force was at this stage, I don’t think there’s any doubt. Lethal Force was a horse that matured and improved as a four-year-old. He was a special horse, but I’d like to think this fella is as good and at this stage he’d be in front of him."
With three wins and two placings from seven starts, Golden Horde is set to attempt to follow Lethal Force on to the Group I Darley July Cup roll of honour, a race for which he is now joint favourite.
Golden Horde was bought by his trainer for 65,000 pounds from the Goffs Premier UK Yearling Sale and is a half-brother to stakes-winner Exhort from winning Pivotal mare Entreat, a half-sister to Group II winner Producer.
Entreat is from a half-sister to US Champion 3YO Filly Serena’s Song, the family producing Group I winners all over the world including Sophisticat, Honour Code, Rizeena and Zabeel Prince as well as Swettenham Stud’s successful young sire Puissance de Lune (IRE).
Golden Horse is the first stakes-winner and first Group I winner for his sire Lethal Force, the son of Dark Angel starting his stud career at Cheveley Park before switching to France.
He now stands at Haras de Grandcamp at a fee of 6,000 euros.
