Golden Horde is now 7/2* for the July Cup after winning the Commonwealth Cup, the only Group 1 race on the fourth day of Royal Ascot. The Newmarket race over six furlongs identifies the leading sprinter in Europe and Golden Horde is now right in the mix. The horse provided the eighth Royal Ascot win for the trainer Clive Cox, who once rode the favourite for the Grand National but fell at the first fence. It was also jockey Adam Kirby’s eighth winner at the Royal meeting and six of these horses have been trained by Cox so this is a proven combination at the highest level.
For more information about the other horses of the race, check our page dedicated to the Royal Ascot runners.
Royal Ascot Day Four – Friday 19th June 2020
Cox knows how to handle top-class sprinters because he had Harry Angel in his care. However, Golden Horde could be the best horse he has handled and the horse was trained with the Commonwealth Cup in mind. The winner showed top-class form as a juvenile and was placed in Group company. Kirby rode the horse’s sire and has now won a race on an offspring in a Group 1 contest at Ascot. At the other end of the race the ante post favourite, Pierre Lapin, finished stone last and there must have been something amiss. All roads now lead to Newmarket for Golden Horde.
Commonwealth Cup Results:
| Result | Runner | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Golden Horde | 5/1 |
| 2nd | Kimari | 5/1 |
| 3rd | Ventura Rebel | 50/1 |
The only filly in the field won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes for horses aged four and older over one mile and four furlongs. Fanny Logan received a sex allowance of three pounds and that was the difference at the end of the race. Fanny Logan is Frankie Dettori’s 70th winner at Royal Ascot and gave trainer, John Gosden, a 54th success at the Flat meeting that matters most.
Dettori won the race 16 years ago and it was Gosden’s fifth winner at Royal Ascot 2020. Fanny Logan is now 12/1* for the King George back at Ascot over the same trip. The horse showed a change of gear at a crucial stage in the race and put the outcome to bed in a few strides. Elarqam was easy to back before the race and the ante post favourite faded inside the final furlong to finish sixth.
Hardwicke Stakes Results:
| Result | Runner | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Fanny Logan | 17/2 |
| 2nd | Alounak | 40/1 |
| 3rd | Defoe | 6/1 |
Santiago is now 20/1*for the Derby and 10/1* for the St Leger after winning the Queen’s Vase over one mile and six furlongs. The horse gave Aidan O’Brien his 74th winner at Royal Ascot and only Henry Cecil (75) and Sir Michael Stoute (81) have trained more winners in the history of the meeting. Santiago is Ryan Moore’s 4th winner at Ascot this week and 62nd in total. The pecking order for O’Brien’s Derby horses is falling into shape. Russian Emperor is at the top of the tree but Santiago is a good backup if something goes wrong with his stablemate over the next two weeks.
Queen’s Vase Results:
| Result | Runner | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Santiago | 10/3 |
| 2nd | Berkshire Rocco | 3/1 |
| 3rd | Al Dabaran | 6/1 |
Golden Pal was trading at 1/14 in running over the closing stages of the Norfolk Stakes. However, The Lir Jet collared the US-trained horse inside the final furlong to prevail at the line. The winner was a cheap purchase who has now won a Group 2 race at Royal Ascot. The horse is trained by Michael Bell who has now won eight races at the Royal meeting. The Lir Jet is versatile in terms of ground and should get six furlongs. The favourite, Eye Of Heaven, was unplaced and well beaten but the ground went against the horse in the hours before the race.
Norfolk Stakes Results:
| Result | Runner | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | The Lir Jet | 9/2 |
| 2nd | Golden Pal | 12/1 |
| 3rd | Imperial Force | 15/2 |
Dandalla won the Albany Stakes which was the other Group race on Friday’s card. The horse handled the big rise in class and was suited to the ground and going. The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes produced jockey Hollie Doyle’s first Royal Ascot winner aboard Scarlet Dragon who was returned at 33/1. The handicap gave jumps trainer, Alan King, his second winner of the meeting. Art Power looked like another Group horse running in a handicap when winning the opening Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap as a well-backed 6/4 favourite. However, Golden Horde was possibly the best horse to run on the fourth day of this year’s Royal Ascot festival.
After the fourth of five days of Royal Ascot 2020 the standings and number of winners are as follows:
Leading Jockey
| Jockey | Points |
|---|---|
| Jim Crowley | 6 |
| Ryan Moore | 4 |
| James Doyle | 3 |
| Frankie Dettori | 3 |
| Oisin Murphy | 2 |
| Hollie Doyle | 1 |
| Adam Kirby | 1 |
| Ben Curtis | 1 |
| Silvestre de Sousa | 1 |
| Hayley Turner | 1 |
| Rossa Ryan | 1 |
| Andrea Atzeni | 1 |
| William Buick | 1 |
| Thore Hammer Hansen | 1 |
| Martin Dwyer | 1 |
Leading Trainer
| Trainer | Points |
|---|---|
| John Gosden | 5 |
| Roger Varian | 4 |
| Aidan O’Brien | 4 |
| Alan King | 2 |
| Clive Cox | 1 |
| Michael Bell | 1 |
| Karl Burke | 1 |
| Tim Easterby | 1 |
| Charlie Fellowes | 1 |
| Paul & Oliver Cole | 1 |
| Andrew Balding | 1 |
| Mark Johnston | 1 |
| Owen Burrows | 1 |
| William Knight | 1 |
| Charlie Hills | 1 |
| William Muir | 1 |
| Richard Hannon | 1 |
There are three Group 1 races on the fifth and final day of Royal Ascot, over probably the best two hours of Flat racing in the UK. Quadrilateral, Pinatubo and Sceptical are the favourites for these races and the treble produces a healthy return. Jim Crowley is in good shape to be the leading jockey at Royal Ascot for the first time and there are three contenders for the trainer’s title. The meeting has taken place behind closed doors but that has not detracted from the superb quality of the sport.
*You should have in mind that the odds can change before the event. Make sure to check them regularly in order to make an informed decision when you want to place your bet.
