Lazzat seals 1st victory for France in QEII Jubilee

ASCOT Lazzat gave France their first winner in the £1 million (S$1.73 million) Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) on the final day of the five-day Royal Ascot event on June 21, denying Japan their maiden win at Royal Ascot as the gallant Satono Reve finished second.

Lazzat's victory rounded off a superb week for the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing, after Humidity ($29) - who emulated his full brother Holloway Boy in 2022 - also landed the Listed Chesham Stakes (1,400m) in the opener.

Haatem, French Master and Crimson Advocate saluted earlier in the week, taking Wathnan Racing's win tally to five at the royal meeting.

Lazzat ($28), a four-year-old son of Territories, was France's last hope of salvaging something from the week. Two other French raiders fared badly: Sajir was withdrawn while Topgear lost two of his racing plates and ran last.

The winner was still in feisty form post winning as he shied away from someone coming to him with a blanket like a matador and dumped jockey James Doyle on the turf.

Doyle dusted himself down as his 26th Royal Ascot winner disappeared into the distance.

"I cannot take any credit at all," he said modestly.

"(Trainer) Jerome (Reynier) was very confident. I could tell Satono Reve was coming all right but you won't get a more genuine horse than this."

The Wathnan Racing's stable jockey also won on Humidity, as well as Haatem and French Master on the first day.

A Group 1 winner in Japan, Satono Reve lost little in defeat under Joao Moreira and did better than the previous 10 Japanese runners at the meeting, all of whom had finished outside the first three.

"We came in with a lot of confidence but unfortunately bumped into a very good horse. I thought I had him (Lazzat) but he had another gear. My horse ran really well," said Moreira.

Owned by the almighty Godolphin, two-time Grade 1 Breeder's Cup Turf (2,400m) winner Rebel's Romance ($10) endeared himself further when he won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2,400m) on June 21.

Trainer Charlie Appleby's last runner of the week delivered his first win at Royal Ascot since Naval Crown landed the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) in 2022.

"It is a huge honour to have a horse like this," said the UK handler.

"This was the horse we needed with the last roll of the dice, he is a battler.

"He is more than our iron horse; he has kept the yard afloat this week. He is our stable's favourite and always will be."

Appleby, who began the season with a bang by winning both the English 1000 and 2000 Guineas, shrugged off the ending of the losing run.

"Of course it is not a matter of life and death," said Appleby, who has taken his tally to 16 Royal Ascot winners.

"If you look at the bigger picture and beyond racing, you have got to take the losses and take positives out of it. It is the equine Olympics."

Jockey William Buick has had a far better week than Appleby after landing three wins, including the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup (4,000m) with Trawlerman for Godolphin.

"He is a dream horse. Any jockey fortunate to have in his career a horse like this is blessed," said the 36-year-old Norway-born jockey.

Following the conclusion of the five-day royal meeting, the Irish-based Coolmore parnerships took the leading owner award for a third consecutive year - their sixth title overall - with five wins, three seconds and four thirds, edging out Wathnan Racing, who secured five wins and had six thirds.

The father-and-son training partnership John and Thady Gosden enjoyed five wins overall, but they took the leading trainer award only on the final day after Spy Chief ran second in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes (1,400m), giving the British co-trainers their fourth runner-up finish.

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien had to settle for second with five wins and three seconds.

Top jockey Ryan Moore ruled the roost in the jockeys' arena after he won the leading jockey award for a 12th time with seven wins. AFP