DOUBLE DELIGHT By Permian and Oriental Fox took the Royal Ascot honours for JOHN SCANLON MJR, pushing Mark’s tally to 41 winners at the meeting T IS neither a secret nor a surprise and Mark is fiercely proud of his record at Fox belied his years to repeat his 2015 win the rail. Frankuus was that, for Mark Johnston, Royal the royal meeting. in Britain’s longest Flat race, the Queen prominent too, tracking the Ascot is the most important When this year’s meeting began on June Alexandra Stakes. That was the final race leader Glencadam Glory as the meeting in the annual racing 20, Mark’s total of Royal Ascot winners to of the five-day meeting, and for MJR there field approached the home Icalendar. date stood on 39, and twice in the past he could not have been a better way to bring turn. Featuring five days of what is arguably has won the Top Trainer Award at the the curtain down. By that point, Permian was racing in a exertions. Among the best quality racing in the world, it is a meeting. But, despite his best efforts, he Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s clear second place, and as the field turned targets likely to be under unique showpiece of all that is best in had, most unusually, drawn a blank at the Permian had already proved to be a star for home, he was sent into the lead, consideration are the King British racing, played out before the eyes meeting last year. It’s fair to say that he this year for his owner and the yard. After crossing to the rail once ahead of the George VI and Queen of the watching world. To aspire to be was determined to ensure that Kingsley just being denied by Cracksman in the former leader. A variety of challengers Elizabeth Stakes over the the best, one has to achieve Park secured a winner at this year’s Epsom Derby Trial, he landed the Listed came to the fore, including Frankuus, in same course and distance, success in the white heat of event to add to an already Newmarket Stakes at the beginning of the closing stages, but eventually it was and the Juddmonte such competition, impressive record. May, before running out a terrific winner Khalidi and Olivier Peslier who ran on best International at York over a Well, that winner arrived in of the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York. of all in the last half-furlong. stiff mile and a quarter. the shape of Dante hero Supplemented for the Derby, he Permian had his measure, however, and Given Mark’s high Permian, who took the King disappointed, for whatever reason, in the at the post he had won by half a length expectations of his own team, Edward VII Stakes in fine ‘blue riband’ of the turf, finishing just over from Khalidi, with Crystal Ocean a length and his own high style. And to put the icing eight lengths behind Wings of Eagles. and a quarter away in third. Frankuus tired standards, the on the cake, that wonderful in the closing stages, finishing a creditable trainer’s main servant of the yard Oriental Memory eighth, beaten five lengths by the winner. emotion after “I’m enormously pleased with Permian’s win was one of relief. Connections thought long and hard Permian,” a delighted and relieved Mark William Buick wins on Permian But that emotion about sending him to Ascot for the King told the Klarion. was supplanted by Edward VII Stakes. The ‘Ascot Derby’ was “The Dante is a great race and when you elation the established in 1834, changing its name in take a Dante winner to the Derby, you go following memory of King Edward VII in 1926. The there with high hopes. We were fairly sure afternoon when race holds Group 2 status and Mark has he didn’t give his running in the Derby, so nine-year-old previously won it twice, with Boscobel in we took a gamble in coming here and it has Oriental Fox 2007 and Monterosso in 2010. Eventually paid off.” produced a it was decided to let Permian take his Winning jockey William, for whom this fabulous chance, and Mark also entered was also a third success in the race, said: performance previous win in the race came when Frankuus for the race. “He’s won that race really well. He’s to double Oriental Fox beat Taws by seven lengths in The race attracted 12 colts, with stayed very well. Mark and the team have Kingsley 2015. the Dante third, and Epsom brought him here in tremendous shape. Park’s score, Oriental Fox, who also finished fourth in absentee, Crystal Ocean “Mark gave me a lot of confidence reprising his last year’s renewal of the race, was ridden installed as favourite. William before the race, in the sense that he just 2015 success when racing to a length and a by Joe Fanning. Settled in around sixth Buick took the mount on wanted this horse to go forward and get quarter success in the Queen Alexandra place by Joe as Arthur McBride made the Permian while Silvestre de across. He wanted me to go forward Stakes over two miles, five and a half early running, Oriental Fox travelled well Sousa was legged up on without asking the horse too much and furlongs. throughout. Turning for home, he remained Frankuus, and the pair were Permian did exactly that.” Oriental Fox in the thick of things, and with two drawn well apart – Frankuus on While appreciating a second Group 2 wins under PPROPRIATELY enough given furlongs to run Joe asked for his effort. the inside rail, while Permian started just win and a pot of prize-money exceeding Joe Fanning Permian’s win, Queen Alexandra The Ascot Stakes winner Thomas one place from the outside of the field. £127k, the thoughts of the connections of was the consort of King Edward Hobson loomed up on Oriental Fox’s outer, William gave Permian a peach of a ride. Permian now obviously turn to a tilt at a A VII, and this race, which had originally and seemed to take the lead from Qewy The colt broke well and was always Group 1 prize. The Irish Derby and the been established as the Alexandra Plate in prominent without being asked to do too Eclipse were ruled out fairly quickly as the 1864, was renamed in 1931. Mark’s only Continued on p.21 much as he gradually made his way over to horse may need more time after his Ascot 18 19 Continued from p.19 “I said to him, what else is the horse owner’s Bear Valley ran a huge race in going to do? What’s he going to do but finishing third in the King George V GRÄFF CAPITAL MANAGEMENT race?” Stakes, especially as it was the Manduro just inside the final furlong. Oriental Fox “Markus doesn’t like his horses to run gelding’s first effort at the mile and a half was determined however, and dug deep to too often, but he’s a nine-year-old who trip. repel the Irish raider by a length and a could run every week. As he’s shown quarter, with US Army Ranger a length and today, he’s far from finished yet and he ASTLY, the recent Salisbury two- NEW: three-quarters back in third. doesn’t have many miles on the clock for year-old winner Nyaleti thrilled “I had plenty of horse turning in,” a his age.” L her owners, 3 Batterhams and a delighted Joe told the Klarion, “and I was The successes of Permian and Oriental Reay, with a bold front-running attempt in Triple A-rated partner bank with state guarantee just worried when Willie Mullins’s horse Fox took Mark’s Royal Ascot tally to 41, the Chesham Stakes, which saw her hold came upsides me. But this fella got his and confirmed this year’s Ascot campaign on for second behind the Coolmore hotpot, head down and battled well. It’s great for a roaring success. Some other horses, September. Markus (Graff) his owner that he has though beaten, deserve a mention in Running just six days after her debut won.” dispatches. win over six furlongs, the juvenile filly had Described by Racing UK analyst James Cardsharp ran a fantastic race to finish no Ascot option other than to race over a Willoughby as ‘fresh as paint’, Oriental third of the 17 runners in the Group 2 further furlong, and connections are now Fox defied his nine years to win well here. Norfolk Stakes on the Thursday, and eying the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes “The owner talked about retiring him Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Lonhro (formerly the Cherry Hinton) over six towards the end of last season,” revealed two-year-old colt remains progressive. furlongs at Newmarket’s July Festival as Mark after the race. On the same afternoon, the same her next target. ORIENTAL FOX Queen Alexandra Stakes winner in 2015 & 2017 We understand the racehorse community’s investment needs Specialists in asset management for private individuals Gräff Capital Management AG Tel: +41 (0)44 215 30 00 Fraumünsterstrasse 13 Fax: +41 (0)44 215 30 01 Clockwise from top left: TV presenters Phil Schofield (left) and Holly Willoughby present Mr Abdulla Al Mansoori (who 8001 Zurich E: [email protected] accepted Permian’s prize on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed) and Mark with the King Edward VII trophy; Ratan Switzerland www.graffcapital.ch Singh leads Permian and William Buick back to the winner’s enclosure as Mark looks on; Joe Fanning, Deirdre and Mark are presented with Oriental Fox’s prize by Mr and Mrs Mark Davies; Joe gives Oriental Fox a big pat after the line.