Royal Ascot began with a one-two for Frankel (GB), but it was the 33-1 shot Triple Time (Ire) and not the higher-profile Inspiral (GB) who came out on top after a thrilling finale to Tuesday's opening G1 Queen Anne S. Remarkably, both were having their seasonal debuts but were able to shake off any rustiness to ensure that Juddmonte's giant dominated proceedings in this qualifier for the $2-million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. Denied a run in the G1 Lockinge S. due to a bout of colic, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred son of his sensational broodmare Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) was understandably fresh and keen on the front end alongside Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) initially.
Committed by Neil Callan approaching the two-furlong marker, Triple Time looked a sitting duck as Frankie loomed on the Cheveley Park filly but kept finding late to deny the Italian his ideal start by a neck. Habitual Group 1 place-getter Light Infantry stuck to his guns to be 2 1/2 lengths away in third, with the 7-4 favourite Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) another 3/4 of a length away in fourth.
“Kevin [Ryan] gave me so much confidence, as he said he was the best horse he's ever trained,” Callan said. “That's quite a big call to make, because he's had a lot of good horses and Umar, who rides him every day, said to me going out of the chute, just ride him like his dad.”
Successful in Haydock's Listed Ascendant S. in September 2021 and G3 Superior Mile 12 months on, Triple Time owed his odds to his latest public viewing when seventh sinking into ParisLongchamp's sapping ground in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein. On this showing, he would have been a major player in the Lockinge given how the winner of that Newbury feature fared here, but connections had no complaints as the fates played the cards at the right time.
“He wasn't really keen today, he's just a bit sensitive in his mouth and was throwing his head up a bit,” added his rider, who was enjoying a landmark moment on his own personal journey. “The more rein I was giving him, the more he was racing on his own and I just let him relax. When I came back from riding in Hong Kong, I didn't really know what to expect. You are not guaranteed anything in this game and you have to work for what you get. I was lucky that when I came back Kevin Ryan gave me some support.”
Ryan was keen to stress that the odds failed to reflect their view of the winner. “It's not a surprise to us, as we've always had a lot of faith in him,” he said. “Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has been very patient and he's only had one ordinary run in France in October on deep ground. Now hopefully we will have a full season with him. He's got a massive stride and he's not the type that you can break the stride of. He's very tough. We had a plan in our head and Neil carried it out to a tee.”
John Gosden said of Inspiral, “She switched off and did everything right. She just hit the front and the other one came back, but they are two very nice ones and there are a lot of nice horses behind them. She will come on for the race, it's not often you come to a Group 1 and say they'll come on for the race. We would look at races like the Sussex or the Jacques le Marois that she won in Deauville last year, but she's back on song–that's the main thing.”
Pedigree Notes
Remarkably, this was a third Royal Ascot winner for Triple Time's aforementioned listed-placed dam Reem Three, following the 2018 Britannia H. success of winner Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and 2019 Wokingham H. win of Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal). Ostilio went on to annexe the Prix Daniel Wildenstein that this winner floundered in last year, while Cape Byron was back here later for his career-best success in the G3 Bengough S. and they are just two of a total of six who scored at black-type level for her. Other than this colt, the others are the G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial scorer Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and recent Listed Heron S. winner Captain Winters (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Another of her progeny is Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who didn't score in black-type company but was third in the G1 Prix Saint Alary.
Reem Three is a half to the owner-breeder's smart Afsare (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who took the G2 Celebration Mile and G3 Sovereign S. and was runner-up in the GI Arlington Million and G1 Premio Presidente della Repubblica. She has the 2-year-old filly Bolsena (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and yearling filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire).
Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN ANNE S.-G1, £750,000, Ascot, 6-20, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:40.70, gd.
1–TRIPLE TIME (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Reem Three (GB) (SP-Eng), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
3rd Dam: Donya (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan; J-Neil Callan. £425,325. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-1, $640,637. *1/2 Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), G1SW-Fr, SW & MGSP-Eng, $306,567; Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), GSW-Fr, SW & GSP-Eng, $365,103; Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal), GSW-Eng & SP-Fr, $401,954; Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), SW & GSP-Eng, $193,727; Captain Winters (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), SW-Eng; and Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $136,125. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Inspiral (GB), 125, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Starscope (GB), by Selkirk. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £161,250.
3–Light Infantry (Fr), 128, c, 4, Fast Company (Ire)–Lights On Me (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (€25,000 Ylg '20 ARQDOY; £82,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O-NeverSayDie & Light Infantry Partnership; B-Barbara Moser (FR); T-David Simcock. £80,700.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 33.00, 2.75, 14.00.
Also Ran: Modern Games (Ire), Berkshire Shadow (GB), Chindit (Ire), Angel Bleu (Fr), Native Trail (GB), Cash (Ire), Pogo (Ire), Mutasaabeq (GB), Lusail (Ire).
Big upset! Triple Time wins the Queen Anne at 33/1 with Inspiral and Frankie in second! #RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/yDIhPMGrrj
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2023
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The Prince reigns at Meydan