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Wokingham Stakes: Resurgent Rohaan on the up following Royal Ascot repeat

Rohaan pulled off a remarkable Wokingham double, winning the big-field Royal Ascot handicap in successive years; footballer James Tomkins owns a share of the talented sprinter, who looks set to take a step back up in grade

Ryan Moore and Rohaan win the Wokingham Stakes
Image: Ryan Moore and Rohaan win the Wokingham Stakes

David Evans' Rohaan saved himself from retirement with a second successive Royal Ascot victory in the Wokingham Stakes.

Winless since the 2021 Royal meeting, Rohaan had plied his trade in England, Ireland, France and Saudi Arabia and had been tried over trips ranging from five to seven furlongs all without success.

The deterioration of his was form so marked and enduring that his connections were poised to call it a day altogether, with co-owner Chris Kiely's wife even beginning to seek out a suitable home for him in his retirement.

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They were understandably stunned, therefore, when he challenged late under Ryan Moore and picked through the field of 25 rivals to repeat last year's victory in the Wokingham and become the first dual winner of the race since Selhurstpark Flyer in 1997 and 1998.

"I think it was probably the best training performance I've ever seen because I genuinely was planning his retirement, he'd regressed and had a few issues and I wasn't sure he was going to recover," Kiely said.

"Dave had been telling me for the last few weeks that he was better than ever and he was, he basically won on the bridle.

"I don't think I've ever seen a better training performance, his form had completely dropped off a cliff. My wife was planning his retirement and had found a few places nearby to keep him, Ascot felt like a bit of a farewell. A bit of a sign off and a thank you, we were going to make sure he had a good, happy home.

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Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins and Rohaan
Image: Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins and Rohaan

"Dave was always confident but I wasn't, I was pretty cynical about his chances. For him to go and do what he's done is just amazing, I'm over the moon with him."

Kiely owns the horse jointly with James Tomkins, a professional footballer who plays for Crystal Palace, the same club Kiely's father Dean works for as a goalkeeping coach and who, incidentally, play at Selhurst Park - the inspiration behind the name Selhurstpark Flyer.

"We got in touch through our passion for racing, he had bought a few horses in the past and hadn't had much success and said to me on the off chance one day that if anything good pops up, let him know," Kiely said of his connection to Tomkins.

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"The opportunity to buy this fella came round and he took a leg in him. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, he's really passionate about racing and as much as I was delighted for myself and my family, I was delighted for him because he's gone through a difficult season."

After last season's Ascot success Kiely and Tomkins were made several appealing offers for the horse, but the partnership were united in their desire to keep him and he remained with Evans rather than journeying overseas.

Kiely said: "We turned down some offers last season for significant amounts of money, there was an offer after Ascot last year to go to Australia and it was in the millions and we turned it down - he (Tomkins) stuck by me and he allows me to do as I see fit with where we run and when we run."

Retirement plans have now been shelved and the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury will be Rohaan's next port of call, after which a return to Group One level is planned further down the line.

Rohaan beats Dragon Symbol in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock
Image: Rohaan beats Dragon Symbol in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock

"We're planning to go to the Hackwood Stakes in Newbury in three weeks for the Group Three, then I think the plan is to start rocking and rolling in the Group Ones," said Kiely.

"I think we'd like to keep him on flat tracks, we'll probably go for the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Haydock Sprint Cup and then the Champions Day Sprint is where we'd be working back from.

"You'd have to work back from Ascot as that's where he's had most of his success, but he won a Group Two at Haydock last season too. The Maurice de Gheest I think would suit as he'd need a run or two before then, Dave likes the idea of running him in a Group Three with a penalty just to see where he's at and keep him ticking over."

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