3 minute read

Aidan O'Brien scored his 52nd Royal Ascot winner when Brave Anna took the first race of the day, the Albany Stakes, over six furlongs.

The War Front filly, owned and bred by Coolmore Stud supremo John Magnier's mother, Evie Stockwell, was the less-fancied of O'Brien's pair in the race and won at odds of 16/1, beating Bletchley by a short-head. The O'Brien-trained Cuff was favourite at 2/1 and finished fifth.

Seamus Heffernan rode Brave Anna, and he was aboard her when she won her maiden at the Curragh last month.

O'Brien said: "We were nearly leaving her at home, because I thought she might need seven furlongs, rather than six. Mrs Stockwell said to let her take her chance, so that's why she's here.

"She's a brave filly, and Seamus gave her a lovely ride. She's here because the ground is soft - I thought she needed seven furlongs, so I thought she might get it here on soft. But she's a War Front so she shouldn't be a soft ground lover. It was the same at the Curragh - she ran as second string there and came and nabbed a fancied runner. She was green first time out [when unplaced at Naas on her debut] and came on from that. I think she will want a mile in time."

He continued: "We were happy with Cuff - she was drawn out a little bit, and the ground was a bit different for her today than it was when she won at Naas, a bit slower.

"I was hoping the winner would run well and that Mrs Stockwell would be happy."

M V Magnier, grandson of the winning owner and breeder, said: "This will mean so much to her [Mrs Stockwell]. She bred Brave Anna and really wanted to come today but thankfully she is looking after my uncle Peter.

"Brave Anna is very tough and, in fairness to Seamus, he said beforehand that he fancied her because she would like the ground. She won well and it is great for Seamus because he works very hard."

The 16/1 shot was slowly away under jockey Seamie Heffernan to begin with but the pair were soon travelling nicely and came with a challenge just over a furlong out. The runner-up, Bletchley, loomed up alongside the winner in the dying strides but Heffernan just had enough up his sleeve to deny the Qatar Racing Limited-owned filly by a narrow margin.

Heffernan, celebrating his third Royal Ascot success, was happy with the way the race panned out.

"The plan was to give her a chance by tracking them early on and then stay on late and that's what she did," said the jockey.

"Aidan can get them ready can't he?

"Brave Anna is a lovely filly and came here on the back of a good win at the Curragh.

"Aidan told me to give her a little chance and hopefully she would run and finish out well. And that's what she has done.

"It is nice to ride a winner for this lady (Mrs Evie Stockwell - owner) - she's an important lady in the team. Mrs Stockwell paid me a huge compliment the last day I won on Brave Anna so it's nice to pitch up on the big day and win again.

"She's always shown that she's a nice filly. We'd left a little bit there for her to show on the track and today was the day.

"She's stepped up in class and taken on the best six furlong fillies around. We weren't sure of a lot of things. She was the best horse today. She has been prepared very well and I had to ride her with confidence.

"If I'd have been given the choice of Aidan's horses, I'd have actually chosen Ryan's (Moore's horse Cuff - the 2/1 favourite) but it's worked out nicely for me."

Bletchley was held up in the mid-division by Oisin Murphy after a slow start from the stalls, but the daughter of Makfi stayed on well on the far side to pose a real threat inside the final furlong.

The two-year-old was closing all the way to the line but just failed in her bid to peg back the 16/1 winner Brave Anna.

Beckett said: "She was slow from the gate and that is probably what got her beat but that is life. She's run a cracker."

David Redvers, Racing and Bloodstock Manager to Qatar Racing and Pearl Bloodstock, who also handed over the trophy to the winner, remarked: "It was a big step up on what she did before. It looks like she needs seven furlongs as she would have won the race a stride after the line. We had a great run for our money."

Richard Fahey, trainer of third-placed Queen Kindly was pleased with the daughter of Frankel, who stayed on well inside the final two furlongs. The trainer said: "Jamie [Spencer, jockey] just felt the ground was a bit sticky and she didn't travel as well as he would have liked early on.

"I thought she stayed well today but she is a speedy filly. Better ground on an easy six furlongs is something we will look for.

"It's not a bad run but when you come here and expect to win, you are disappointed. It's a good run but you don't come here to run well, you come here to win. On better ground, you'll see a better filly as she is quite quick.

"I'll get her home before making any decisions. She was ready to come to Ascot today and she was entitled to be here. She will have better days in her now, it was only her second race and we are pleased.

"She was never comfortable on the ground early on for a filly with speed. She is all speed and she didn't look it today, she looked as if she stayed. Maybe that is down to the tacky ground out there now. On a quicker surface, we will see a better filly."

Jamie Spencer, rider of Queen Kindly, said: "She ran a beautiful race. I am delighted with her. She is all speed and better ground would have suited her.