Tom Queally returns to the Parade Ring after victory in Saturday’s feature race, The Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the James Fanshawe trained The Tin Man

Tom Queally returns to the Parade Ring after victory in Saturday’s feature race, The Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the James Fanshawe trained The Tin Man

Royal Ascot naturally enough occupied centre stage on the racing front last week and Waterford jockey Tom Queally ended the Royal meeting with a brilliant win in Saturday’s feature race, the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes aboard the James Fanshawe trained The Tin Man.
Queally was always travelling well on The Tin Man in the six furlong contest and while looking for room to mount his challenge he switched The Tin Man to the far rail over a furlong out and quickened to lead just 100 yards out, holding on to win by just a neck from Tasleet with favourite Limato in third.
Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien scooped the QIPCO Royal Ascot Top Trainer Award for the eighth time in all and a third in succession after a final day double provided him with his sixth victory of the 2017 Royal Meeting and 60th Royal Ascot winner overall.
The victories of 11/8 favourite September in the Listed Chesham Stakes and 9/2 shot Idaho in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes on Saturday added to the earlier successes of speedster Caravaggio in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, Sioux Nation in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, globetrotting superstar Highland Reel in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes and three-time Group 1 winner Winter in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes. The six successes are just one off the record total of seven that O’Brien amassed in 2016. Willie Mullins was responsible for a seventh Irish-trained winner as Thomas Hobson had won the Ascot Stakes on the opening Tuesday.
At home there was mid-week racing at Naas and Wexford. Rathgormack-based handler Pat Flynn kept his many supporters happy at the all-flat card at Naas on Tuesday evening by saddling Highly Toxic to win the opening www.naasracecourse.com Claiming Race.
The blinkered Highly Toxic made most of the running, although his supporters certainly had cause for concern when Adimelo loomed up menacingly from a furlong out. Highly Toxic however dug deep and he got on top inside the final 100 yards to beat Adimelo by one and a half lengths in the colours of Flynn’s wife Catherine.
Highly Toxic’s rider Killian Leonard went on to complete a two-timer courtesy of You Gotta Move in the Racing Again June 28th Handicap. The Mick Quinn-trained You Gotta Move made his way to the front approaching the final furlong and he stayed on tenaciously to edge out Rose Anjou by a half-length.
At Wexford on Wednesday evening, Mooncoin-based handler Eoin Doyle continued his present purple patch by sending out Roevin Star to win the Boolavogue Handicap Chase.
Roevin Star, who was fitted with cheekpieces, moved through with Brian O’Connell to dispute the running from two out and he asserted on the run-in to defeat William Du Berlais by three lengths in the colours of David Phelan from Carrick-On-Suir. Roevin Star won this race of a mark of 92 and the likelihood is that the son of Vinnie Roe will attain further success over the coming months.
Garrett Power, who trains a small string near Windgap, was on the mark when Pass Hymn sprung a 16/1 surprise on his initial career outing in the Loch Garman Flat Race.
Pass Hymn, a five-year-old son of Passing Glance that race in the colours of his British-based breeder John Giggens, made most of the running in the hands of Declan Queally. Although drifting somewhat right-handed in the closing stages, Pass Hymn still fought off Allardyce by two and three quarter lengths. The likelihood is that Pass Hymn, a horse that appears to hold a very bright track future, will now be aimed at a winners bumper.
Henry de Bromhead sent out a one-two in the Flood Ironworks Handicap Chase with Archive beating his better fancied stable-companion Mullinavat. The 14/1 shot Archive made progress from the rear with Bryan Cooper to go second before two out and he then kept Mullinavat at bay on the run-in to oblige by a half-length in the familiar Gigginstown House Stud silks.
Rachael Blackmore, last season’s champion conditional jockey, had an evening to savour by partnering a two-timer which means that she has now forfeited her three lb claiming allowance. The Killenaule native opened her account aboard Sweet Home Chicago in the Oulart Maiden Hurdle.
Sweet Home Chicago, who was rated 101 coming into this race, took up the running before two out and the Colin Bowe-trained eight-year-old duly bounded clear to beat Chesnut Brave by an unchallenged 16 lengths.
The ‘Shark’ Hanlon-trained Camlann brought up Ms Blackmore’s two-timer in the Vinegar Hill Handicap Hurdle.
The 122-rated Camlann went to the head of affairs before the final flight and he mastered runner-up Runyon Rattler on the run-in to score by one and a quarter lengths. Camlann is equally at home on the flat and over fences and Mrs Annette Mee’s six-year-old is likely to been in action again very shortly.