Royal Ascot Day 5 Recap: The Tin Man Wins Thrilling G1 Diamond Jubilee

ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND – The James Fanshawe-trained The Tin Man (9/2) gained his second success at the Group 1 level with a thrilling victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ridden by Tom Queally, the 5-year-old son of Equiano was held up early on during the 6-furlong event, but having thread a passage towards the far-side rail at the 2-furlong pole, the imposing gelding stayed on tenaciously despite drifting left to score by a neck from the fast-finishing Tasleet (7/1), trained by William Haggas in second, with Henry Candy’s well-supported 2/1 favorite Limato a further 3/4 of a length behind in third.

A stewards’ inquiry was called concerning interference between the first three horses, but the placings remained unaltered.

The Tin Man is owned by the Fred Archer Racing Syndicate, which was set up by Fanshawe’s wife, Jacko. The Newmarket-based handler trains at a yard built by the famous jockey.

The gelding also won the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot on QIPCO Champions Day in October, giving him a total of three career victories at the track. The Tin Man and his groom, Oleg Sheyets, also won the Best Turned Out award.

“I am a very relieved man,” said Fanshawe, registering his 10th victory at the Royal Meeting and second success in this race (along with Society Rock in 2011).”I am extremely grateful for The Tin Man for giving a fantastic performance. This horse doesn’t tell you a thing back home. He just has a buck and a kick and does none of his homework. He is obviously a very good horse. He is the best older sprinter around now, as he has proved in this race and here in the QIPCO Champions Sprint in October. I’m really proud of the horse.

“Tom gave him the most beautiful ride today. The Tin Man is a star horse, and we are lucky to have him. Tom has proved that there is no man better in the big races than him, and he rode the horse beautifully today – it’s great for the yard as well.

“There is no place like Royal Ascot to train Group 1 winners. To have a horse of that caliber, with the Fred Archer Partnership, is really exciting. The horse is so laidback, but when he produces that sort of performance, it is absolutely thrilling. He is the best older horse – I am not sure about the 3-year-olds – but he has done it twice now. He won the Champion Sprint last year and the Diamond Jubilee this year. He is a very, very good horse.

“He loves Ascot. I think it’s the third time he has won here and it suits his style, as he likes to come from off the pace. His acceleration really comes to the fore here. I was concerned about the ground today, but Tom said when he won at Newbury (on July 16) last year, it was like the road, so he put me at ease about that.

“The Tin Man was the first horse we beat for the Fred Archer Syndicate and he is the top-rated sprinter, so he is a great advert for the syndicate and Fred Archer also built my yard! We have been a bit thin on the ground with runners this year, but it doesn’t matter when you have a horse like The Tin Man to get you out of jail.”

THE TIN MAN wins the Diamond Jubilee Stakes #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/uhK80RajoJ

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

The Tin Man has potentially set up a mouth-watering clash with Aidan O’Brien’s Group 1 Commonwealth Cup winner Caravaggio in the July Cup on July 15 at Newmarket, for which he is a 6/1 shot with Coral and Paddy Power. However, Fanshawe is keen to see how the horse comes out of today’s contest before moving forward.

“He is entered in the July Cup, it’s the obvious target, but we will play it by ear,” Fanshawe said.” Things have come right for him at Ascot this year and he is in good form at the moment. There looks to be a good 3-year-old around the place (Aidan O’Brien’s Caravaggio), so we’ll see what happens later in the year.

“He is great for the yard and a great horse to have. I’m sure we will meet with Caravaggio at some point this year, and let’s just hope The Tin Man is in one piece when they do meet up.”

As for the American challenger Long On Value, trainer Bill Mott was still positive even though his charge came home in 12th.

“Our trip has been absolutely fantastic,” Mott said. “Everyone has treated us with the utmost helpfulness and respect. We haven’t had a bad experience since we came here. Next year – or sometime in the future, we will come back.”

“He certainly would have preferred to have worked into the right side (far side) of the course,” Mott said about Long On Value’s run. “Joel (Rosario) thought the horse would have worked better there, but we have no big excuse – it just wasn’t his day.”

“He was just kind of even all the way,” Mott said. “He didn’t have a sharp break away at the start, but he was kind of OK. He always likes to come from off the pace. It looked like he didn’t like one area (side of the course), and he just stayed even all the way.”

Listed Chesham Stakes

The 11/8 favorite September provided Aidan O’Brien with his fifth victory of the week at Royal Ascot, and 60th winner of the Royal Meeting, with a smooth success in the Listed Chesham Stakes.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, registering his sixth win this week, the 2-year-old daughter of Deep Impact was settled towards the rear of the field early on as Mark Johnston’s Nyaleti set a stern gallop in front in the 7-furlong event.

However, O’Brien’s charge kept on powerfully in the closing stages and displayed a potent turn of foot to score by 2 1/4-lengths, with the long-time leader Nyaleti (10/1) battling on resolutely to finish second.

September – a star of the future…#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/t8fnLDViVW

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

Wolferton Handicap

Owner Martyn MacLeod celebrated success with his first-ever runner at Royal Ascot as Snoano sprang a 25/1 shock in the Wolferton Handicap.

Trainer Tim Easterby’s 5-year-old burst out of the midfield in the closing 1 1/2 furlongs of the Listed race, asserting in between Elbereth and eventual third Kidmenever.

Majeed came late and with purpose, but Snoano, ridden by David Allan, held on for a neck triumph.

A memorable day for the connections of Snoano…#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/rWUiha8LBn

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

G2 Hardwicke Stakes

Aidan O’Brien won his sixth race of the Royal Meeting, the 1 1/2 mile Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, with Idaho 9/2. The success sealed victory in the 2017 QIPCO Royal Ascot trainers’ title for the Ballydoyle trainer.

“He is a full-brother to Highland Reel, he has a fabulous pedigree, and we’ve always loved him,” O’Brien said. “Epsom was his first run of the year, and he arrived at the track only an hour before the race (after travel problems), and he was very upset and he never got time to cool down. We were very happy coming into the race – Ben who rides him at home was over the moon with him, he felt he’d really come forward, while Matt’s done a great job with him today too.”

Her Majesty The Queen’s runner, Dartmouth (9/4), finished fourth behind Idaho after leading for a long way down the home straight.

#RoyalAscot winner no.6️⃣0️⃣ for Aidan O'Brien – Idaho… 👏 pic.twitter.com/C5Eow7VXPy

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

Wokingham Handicap

Out Do had not won a race for two years, but the 8-year-old son of Exceed And Excel put that behind him when scorching to a 1/2-length success in the Wokingham Handicap under jockey Daniel Tudhope and for trainer David O’Meara.

The horse, a 25/1 chance, overcame serious injury to get to Royal Ascot, and even this week, he very nearly found himself running at Chelmsford rather than at the Royal Meeting.

Nothing was out-doing Out Do in the Wokingham Stakes… 💪#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/E6gthOrb9z

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

Queen Alexandra Stakes

The curtain came down on Royal Ascot with a thrilling finish to decide the Queen Alexandra Stakes.

The Mark Johnston-trained Oriental Fox (10/1), winner of this race in 2015 and fourth in 2016, returned to the Berkshire track to take the spoils with Joe Fanning in the saddle once again.

The 9-year-old gelding, owned by Markus Graff, ground it out in the final furlong of this extended 2 5/8-mile contest to beat the Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson (2/1) by 1 1/4 lengths in second, with Aidan O’Brien’s US Army Ranger a further 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

This was Johnston’s second winner of the Royal Meeting after Permian‘s victory in the King Edward VII Stakes on Friday.

Oriental Fox – the final winner of #RoyalAscot 2017…

🦊🦊🦊 pic.twitter.com/8uLeMu9wCK

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 24, 2017

Source: Ascot Racecourse