A stunned silence greeted the conclusion of the 2025 Sussex Stakes as Qirat, who had been supplemented for £70,000 on Monday by owners Juddmonte, held on for a sensational triumph under Richard Kingscote for Ralph Beckett at odds of 150/1. He became the longest-priced winner of the Sussex Stakes in the doing, as well as the second biggest priced winner of a British Group 1 in history after Theodore (200/1) in the 1822 St Leger.
Rated just 102 after finishing 27th of 30 in the Royal Hunt Cup handicap at Royal Ascot, Qirat was not entered in the Sussex Stakes until his owners paid the aforementioned sum seemingly for him to set the race up for heavy odds-on favourite Field Of Gold. However, having broken away from the majority of the field, with the exception of fellow pacemaker Serengeti for Ballydoyle, Qirat got first run and simply did not wilt, prevailing by a neck.
This was not just a first Group 1 start for the son of Showcasing but a first Group race in all. The four-year-old is a half-brother to trainer Ralph Beckett’s 2024 Arc heroine Bluestocking.
Field Of Gold, who went off a prohibitive 1/3 favourite after stunning successes in the Irish 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes, ran well below his best, his flat performance setting up the upset. Always towards the rear, he never picked up when the race got going, settling for fourth under William Buick.
Rosallion finished fastest for second place, ultimately filling the same position as he did in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at the royal meeting. Connections will be cursing their luck this season as he was also placed in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury earlier in the campaign. Henri Matisse, who was second to Field Of Gold at Ascot, finished third here for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.