More glamour and galloping overnight at Royal Ascot with four Group races decided and the Coolmore juggernaut won three of them, but not the prized feature on the card, the Group I Ascot Gold Cup (2m4f) which was won in dazzling course record time.
Aidan O’Brien has a fine record in the rich marathon contest having won it four times in a row with the great stayer Yeats and then twice in the past three years with another staying star in Kyprios, but the stable’s four year-old representative this year Illinois had to settle for second when soundly beaten by Godolphin runner Trawlerman.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by William Buick, Trawlerman started favourite and the seven year-old gelding by Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn turned in a career best performance to win by daylight.
Second to Kyprios last year, he went one better this time around opening up to win his first G1 by seven lengths in course record time and breaking the old mark by nearly two seconds. The victory took his overall record to nine wins from 21 starts.
“Trawlerman did it in the Henry II and I said to William [Buick] 'try and do the same, set your own pace, pick it up all the way'. He's such a lovely horse,” said John Gosden.
Trawlerman gave William Buick his first win in this iconic race.
“Trawlerman is a great horse. We tried it [same tactics] last year and we were only beaten by the great Kyprios. He's been such a good horse, he's so genuine. John and Thady's [Gosden] horses are in great shape. I was so happy with this fellow when he won at Sandown so he had a beautiful prep into this and he was just so smooth throughout the race; he's really what you want in a two and a half-mile race,” Buick said.
“I didn't have to touch the brakes once, he was in a nice rhythm and he was relaxed; he went on autopilot, he knows his own speed and he stays well so I was just a passenger. My first Gold Cup, it's been a long time coming and it's not an easy race to win.”
A homebred for Godolphin, Trawlerman is the best of two winners from Group III placed Monsun mare Tidespring, a daughter of Group I winning stayer Sweet Stream.
He is the first G1 winner for his sire Golden Horn.
The Group II Ribblesdale Stakes (1m4f) for three year-old filles was won by Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with progressive Saxon Warrior filly Garden of Eden.
A maiden winner at two over 7f from five starts, Garden of Eden has been on the improve this year as she has stepped up in trip and was a last start winner of Listed Naas Oaks Trial before heading to Ascot.
She took another step forward when forging clear to win by a dominant three and a quarter lengths and has now won three of nine starts.
“I was impressed with that.Garden of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her and we stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“She's by Saxon Warrior and when they go up in distance they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade One over there.”
Garden of Eden was a €200,000 purchase from the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale after previously selling for €160,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale.
She is a half-sister to Group III placed Internationaldream and is the best of four winners from winning Kodiac mare Komedy, a sibling to stakes-winners On Her Toes and Jane’s Memory.
Garden of Eden is one of 15 stakes-winners for Deep Impact’s G1 winning son Saxon Warrior, who shuttled to Coolmore Australia for four seasons.
The Group III Hampton Court Stakes (1m2f) for three year-old colts delivered a quality winner for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with Dubawi colt Trinity College improving off a last start second to his stablemate Camille Pissarro in the Group I Chantilly Prix du Jockey Club.
Ridden like the best horse in the race, he was exactly that, claiming his first stakes win by three and a half lengths.
“Ryan [Moore] gave him a beautiful ride, had him lovely rhythm early and when he started getting him to move, he really moved, kept going to the line so you'd be very happy with him now,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“He would have a lot of options, he could be an American Derby horse; I'd say he's improving and we always thought he was a high-enough class horse last year as a two-year-old, but things just didn't fall for him, he's probably matured and he's just got stronger now as well.”
A homebred for Coolmore, Trinity College is the best of two winners from dual Group I winning Galileo mare Hermosa, a full sister to Group I winners The United States, Hydrangea and the dam of this year’s Epsom Oaks runner-up Whirl.
Trinity College is the 302nd stakes-winner for Darley’s champion sire Dubawi.
