Ascot winners: 5 stars who lit up the summer spectacular

Saffron Beach (Duke of Cambridge Stakes)

This week was possibly a coming of age for Jane Chapple-Hyam as while she was a Group One winner last season, with Saffron Beach in the Falmouth, she celebrated a Royal Ascot double as Claymore also denied the Queen a winner in the Hampton Court Stakes and Intellogent went close in the Royal Hunt Cup.

Saffron Beach looked the best filly on paper before the Duke of Cambridge but she was carrying a 5lb penalty for her Falmouth win.

It mattered little as she bolted up by three and a half lengths and she will take some beating against her own sex.

Inspiral (Coronation Stakes)

When Friday arrived Frankie Dettori and John Gosden looked ashen faced.

Yet to celebrate any Ascot winners, Gosden publicly questioned the Italian’s ride on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup and felt he should have won on Saga in the Britannia.

There was plenty of pressure heading into the Coronation Stakes with Inspiral, last year’s champion juvenile filly who had to miss all the European Guineas having failed to come to hand in time.

In one fell swoop she eased all those fears, powering clear to suggest she will win whatever she goes for this season.

Holloway Boy (Chesham Stakes)

If any horse falls into the ‘could be anything’ bracket from the meeting it has to be Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy.

While it is not unique to win one of the juvenile races on debut, it is very difficult and it had not been achieved since Dazzle won the Windsor Castle in 1996.

The Chesham was supposed to see Aidan O’Brien’s Alfred Munnings justify his position as early ante-post favourite in the 2023 Derby odds, but he was bitterly disappointing and instead the Derby quotes floating around after were for the son of Ulysses.

The way he picked up close to home was exciting and the world is his oyster at this stage.

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