Victorious Racing's Bradsell (GB) outbattled multiple Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (FR) June 20 to claim the £627,500 King's Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, securing an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic qualifying positions, with fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Featuring runners from Australia and the United States, as well as Britain and Ireland, the 5-furlong King's Stand was to provide a test of the strength of domestic sprinting. Yet in the end it concluded as a home match between 3-year-old Bradsell and the 6-year-old mare Highfield Princess, who drew away from the rest of the field on the way to the finish.
Bradsell, added to the race by trainer Archie Watson for a supplementary fee of £35,000, defeated champion Highfield Princess by 1 length. Annaf (IRE) was third, with Twilight Calls (GB) fourth. The winning time was 1:00.91 on ground rated good.
Sent off at odds of 14-1, Bradsell strayed to his left into the path of 7-4 favorite Highfield Princess in the closing stages but a stewards' inquiry concluded that the interference had not improved the winner's placing and confirmed the result, allowing jockey Hollie Doyle to celebrate a historic first Royal Ascot Group 1 victory by a female jockey. She also became the most successful female jockey in Royal Ascot history with her fourth win at the meet.
Doyle, 26, is one of only four female jockeys to ride a winner at Royal Ascot. Her best win before Tuesday had been achieved on Bradsell in last year's Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
“Coming to Royal Ascot and again having a winner on the first day is unbelievable,” said Doyle. “I have a big book of rides but you play it down every year, thinking 'If I got one, I'd be doing well.'
“It's a great achievement and hopefully there will be plenty more ahead. You live for group one races. It's a great day and to win the King's Stand for Archie and Victorious Racing is brilliant.”
Watson had a nervous wait before the result was confirmed, having experienced a cruel loss when Dragon Symbol (GB) was demoted to second after finishing first past the post in the 2021 Commonwealth Cup (G1) with the race awarded to Campenelle (IRE).
“When Dragon Symbol had the race taken away, it was terrible, and I didn't want to do too much celebrating, but I am just delighted for everyone,” Watson said.
“I know we're seen as a big yard, but for a yard like us to be winning a group one here is the best thing on the planet. There was dread when that bing-bong [of the stewards' inquiry] happened, especially having just been chinned in the Coventry, but it's amazing and I'm so pleased for everyone involved.
“I think Hollie and I have had 200-odd winners together now; she's been massive for my career and I hope vice versa.”
Bradsell could next line up in another Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race, the Aug. 25 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York, where a rematch with Highfield Princess is likely. She could also run again in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1).
“When you can run her and run her, she's better,” said trainer John Quinn. “I am not making excuses. If she ran well today, Saturday was always right in mind. We are leaving her down tonight and I'll go and have a look at her – if she's OK, she will run.”
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Bradsell to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5-furlongs at Santa Anita. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
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