Illinois justified favouritism to give Ryan Moore an 80th Royal Ascot winner in the Queen's Vase and emerge as a real candidate for the St Leger.
Second to subsequent Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby Trial, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Galileo colt sat in second behind long-time leader Mr Hampstead before Moore pushed him to the front two furlongs out.
Stablemate Highbury was the first to give chase, but Moore had enough in the tank to bring his mount home by a length and a quarter at 7-4F.
Highbury stayed on to give Ballydoyle a one-two, with Jessica Harrington’s Birdman completing a clean sweep of the places for Ireland.
A remarkable 80th #RoyalAscot win for @RyanMoore1997, who has just broken the distance record for the course, winning The Queen's Vase in 3:00:57. Heartfelt congratulations to Mr D Smith as well. pic.twitter.com/It3Z9SVm6O
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 19, 2024
O’Brien, also responsible for fifth-placed The Equator, said: "We felt any three of them could win, but Ryan made the decision on this one. When Diego Velazquez got rerouted to the King Edward VII Stakes, this horse got rerouted to here.
"Ryan felt he would stay. He felt when he got beat at Leopardstown it was the ground and he felt he was very green when he went to Lingfield.
"Obviously, all those types of horses had a much easier time than they would normally have because they would be steered into the Derby, but when City Of Troy was there, it gave all these horse a chance to develop slowly.
"He’s obviously a Leger-type horse and is going to improve from three to four."
He added: "He’s a middle-distance, mile-and-six type horse and he’s going to get better from three to four. He’s a big, sound honest horse and a bit of a baby mentally still. He might have a bit of a rest now and go to York on the way to the St Leger, something like that.
"I think he might have a little more class than just a Cup horse and I think his sister (Danedream) won the Arc. Ryan said he was kind of caught in a position he didn’t want to and wasn’t getting an easy lead, he had to do it tough. When he went to the front he flattened out and he thought the race was over and then he asked him to come again and he did. He probably learned a lot today.
"I will be sure he is going to be a very good mile-and-a-half horse who will also get further."
Running Lion saw off the late surge of stablemate Laurel to secure top honours in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.
So impressive when winning Newmarket's Pretty Polly Stakes in the early part of last season, Running Lion had failed to get her head in front since and finished a disappointing last of eight on her most recent outing in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Derby day at Epsom.
Oisin Murphy’s mount was a 6-1 shot to get her campaign back on track over Ascot’s round mile and did so in some style, controlling affairs from the front under a well-judged ride and finding plenty for pressure in the straight to score readily by two lengths.
Laurel came from further back to make it a one-two for the father-son training partnership of John and Thady Gosden. Connections will rightly take plenty of heart from her performance, given she had been off the track since failing to fire in the Lockinge at Newbury over a year ago.
Behold! The fearless RUNNING LION was guided to triumph by the skilled hand of Oisin Murphy in The Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Kudos to John & Thady Gosden for their victory! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/vfKqoQLWBE
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 19, 2024
Leovanni stormed clear in the final furlong to land the Queen Mary Stakes.
The Karl Burke-trained filly raced prominently in the group on the far side before James Doyle got to work and sent her to the front.
Winner of her only previous start, the Wathnan Racing-owned youngster had far too much speed for the rest and pulled clear down the centre of the track to land the honours by a ready length and three-quarters at 22-1.
Mighty Eriu stayed on to take second for Gavin Cromwell, with the Adrian Nicholls-trained Maw Lam taking third.
Burke said: "It looked very, very smooth, James said she travelled beautifully. She’s got a fantastic mind, not just for a two-year-old but a breeze up two-year-old, she’s unbelievable. Going forward I’m sure she’ll stay six.
"Richard Brown and the team have done fantastically well, I know they’ve paid a lot of money and that adds more pressure. To get one winner is great, hopefully it’s not the last."
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