The Queen Anne Stakes opened up the highly anticipated Royal Ascot, but few would have predicted the outcome of the contest.
The general consensus was that if Notable Speech could back up his Lockinge performance, he would be tough to beat. If there was one to topple Notable Speech, it was More Thunder. Who many suggested could reverse the form on the different track. While he certainly did, with ease, the rank outsider Ten Bob Tony spoiled the party.
The Night Of Thunder gelding had plenty to prove stepping back up to this trip. He was a narrow winner at Epsom just two weeks ago, and the firmer surface was a concern. However, Kieran Shoemark bided his time in rear, and delivered him to perfection, collaring More Thunder in the dying strides.
Speaking to the Press Association after the race, via At The Races, winning trainer Ed Walker said: “I’ve lost my voice already, it’s day one! I can’t say that was expected. We had paid to enter the race and he came out of Epsom really well. Simon Sadler is such a sporting guy.
“Obviously he owns his club, he loves sport, he loves to have a go. He loves the David and Goliath story. We came here last year with Do Or Do Not, who I wanted to run at Carlisle. He insisted he came here and had a go at the Coventry and we finished second.
“We took on an odds-on shot in France in a Group Two last year and we beat her. He’s so up for having a go. When the horse was as well as he was after Epsom, we knew we had to.”
Kieran Shoemark delivers on the big stage
It was an important victory for Kieran Shoemark, who endured a tough term last season losing the role as Gosden’s stable jockey. Shoemark was jubilant after, as he said: “He just travelled into it so easy. I didn’t think we were going over quick either so it didn’t feel like there was a pace collapse. But he really did cruise into it; he’s a pretty smart horse.
“I thought his run at Epsom was pretty good. But he’s clearly taken a step forward again and he’s just in a good from of mind. He’s danced a lot of dances, but he’s turned up when it mattered.”
William Haggas was noble in defeat despite evident frustration, hinting at a possible step up in trip with More Thunder. Haggas said it was “frustrating, but there we go. We ran a very good race, and second I’d probably have taken this morning, but we like to win.
“Full credit to Ed, I don’t know where he’s sprung that one from, but there we go. The first thing I thought was, crikey, maybe he might get a mile and a quarter now!”