Meditate (5/2 second favourite) beat favourite Mawj and Ivory Madonna to win Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday; Ryan Moore rides 70th Royal Ascot winner; watch every race from Royal Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing
Friday 17 June 2022 15:10, UK
The Gold Cup-winning combination of trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore continued their fine Royal Ascot week as Meditate made all to win the Albany Stakes on Friday.
O'Brien's unbeaten filly, who arrived as a Group Three winner already after victory at Naas last month, went to the front early under Moore and looked happy throughout.
Well-backed favourite Mawj (2/1), under Ray Dawson, always appeared the main danger and stalked the winner down the middle but, in truth, was never able to get near enough as Meditate stretched away from her rivals inside the final furlong.
She picked up quickly once asked to go about her business and was ultimately well on top as she passed the post a length and three-quarters clear of Mawj, with Hollie Doyle and Ivory Madonna in third ahead of Queen Olly and Rossa Ryan.
That moved Moore onto four winners for the week, clear of Danny Tudhope and William Buick, and was his 70th career winner at the meeting. O'Brien meanwhile moves to within three of Sir Michael Stoute's record of training 82 Royal Ascot winners.
O'Brien said: "She'd put in a lovely run first time and again second time, and everything went really lovely for her today.
"She looks to have all the attributes, she's a big physical specimen, mature and with a lovely mind.
"She looks like a miler and will head for the Fillies' Mile with one run in between.
"We didn't want to run Statuette against her and she will head for a fillies' race at the Curragh next week."
Moore added: "Meditate is professional. Aidan could not have had her any better today. She did everything beautifully. She was out ahead of everything else and we didn't expect to be in front as she was waiting for something every time she was there.
"She kept finding a bit more. She has a lovely relaxed way of going. She is a lovely filly who has a bit of class. You need class when you are making the running here over six furlongs.
"Meditate can carry on improving. She did that professionally and comfortably. She has a nice attitude."
Reigning champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who has joined Sky Sports Racing's coverage of Royal Ascot this week, said: "I thought Ryan Moore gave her a fantastic ride. It's very hard to make all here. That's why he's got big-race winners all over the world."
Latin Lover (5/1) provided a first Royal Ascot winner for young trainer Harry Eustace in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
Since taking over from his father, James, Eustace has made great strides and he emerged victorious with his first runner at the meeting.
Hayley Turner brought him through with a late run to pip Nymphadora in the dying strides.
Eustace told Sky Sports Racing: "You come hoping you'll be competitive but I didn't let myself dream that we'd end up in the winner's enclosure!
"Full credit to the horse, he really gutsed it out."
Turner added: "Its great for Harry, his horses have been absolutely flying this year.
"The winners he's had this year, when you compare it to the amount of horses he's got, it's unbelievable.
"It's only his second season training and he's just had a Royal Ascot winner!"
Heredia became the second horse in as many days to survive a stewards' enquiry to give jockey Sean Levey his first ever Royal Ascot win in the Sandringham Stakes.
Richard Hannon's 7/2 favourite had won each of her three previous starts, completing her hat-trick on her first appearance of 2022 at York last month.
A smart change of gear carried her to the front and while she drifted left late on, impeding eventual runner-up Zanbaq, she passed the post a length to the good and was confirmed the winner after a brief investigation.
Levey told Sky Sports Racing: "Races like this are harder to win because a lot can go wrong with so many runners. She was relatively green because she's only run three times.
"I had to hold onto her and take the brave man's route. When you're on a good one and it all works out, it's a great feeling."
Hannon added: "I'm delighted because it's been a long week and we deserve it. We've hit the crossbar a few times but this is the one we really fancied.
"She's a lovely filly with a few fancy entries. I was a little bit worried because I didn't want to look a plonker!
"Horses like this have a habit of making you look way cleverer than you are if they are good enough."
Tom Marquand opened his account for Royal Ascot 2022 as the long-absent Candleford, owned by former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter's Barnane Stud, ran away with the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.
Trained by William Haggas, the four-year-old had not been seen in competitive action since winning at Kempton in November, but was nevertheless prominent in the market at 11/2.
For a moment early in the straight it looked as though Kim Bailey's Ajero had slipped the field, but Candleford joined him approaching the final furlong before rocketing clear.
The Queen's 4/1 joint-favourite Just Fine never threatened to land a telling blow and was well beaten.
Haggas said: "He loves going right handed and won a nice race in the autumn. I thought going a mile and a half on fast ground would prove right up his street.
"I actually thought all through the winter I would win the Duke Of Edinburgh, but not with him. I didn't think he would get in, but I was wrong.
"One person I'm thinking of right now is Alison Samuel, who rides him every day. She will be in tears for a week."
