Royal Ascot: The Queen denied winner as Claymore wins Hampton Court Stakes on frustrating day for Frankie Dettori | Racing News

Claymore fended off Reach For The Moon in the Hampton Court Stakes to deny the Queen a Royal Ascot winner on day three.

All week, the hope had been that, while the royal silks held various each-way chances, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Reach For The Moon was the one that would provide Her Majesty with a 25th winner at the meeting in her Platinum Jubilee year.

Frankie Dettori tracked Adam Kirby on Claymore into the straight and while on entering the final furlong 2/5 favourite Reach For The Moon drew level, as the contest wore on Jane Chapple-Hyam’s well-regarded colt, who had no joy in the French Guineas last time out, pulled out more to win by a length and three-quarters.

The 7/1 chance was providing Chapple-Hyam with a second winner of the week after Saffron Beach on Wednesday.

Kirby told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s always been a horse that has filled us with a good amount of promise.

“We went to France and it was an absolute disaster. We were drawn in the car park and everything just went wrong. To bounce back today is great.

“We had a good battle [with Reach For The Moon] from the two furlong pole to the one but my lad out-stayed him.”

Moore beats Dettori again in Britannia battle

Her Majesty The Queen’s colours also filled the runner-up spot in the Britannia Stakes as the Gosden-trained Saga chased home Britannia Stakes winner Thesis (14/1).

Despite going winless to date, Roger and Harry Charlton’s Thesis did have some good form in the book and Ryan Moore kicked clear on entering the final furlong.

He needed to be tough close home as Dettori came from the back of the pack on Saga, going down by just a head.

It proved to be a disappointing day for Dettori as his three-time Gold Cup hero Stradivarius once again hit traffic issues on the way to finishing third behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Kyprios, ridden by Moore, in Thursday’s feature contest.

Harry Charlton said: “Thesis is unbelievably talented. He was second to My Prospero at Newbury and we then got beat in a slowly-run race at Lingfield. He tried to make all at Doncaster and got caught late. Nothing has really gone as we would have liked.

“It was quite a bold call coming here from Juddmonte (owners) with a five-race maiden, who we always thought was our best horse. They said ‘give it a go’ and Ryan said ‘enter the horse, I want to ride him.'”

John Gosden said of Saga: “Unlucky, just ran out of racing room.”

Buick back among winners with Secret State

Secret State grimly held off the late thrust of Deauville Legend to win the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Always fairly handy behind the pace set by Dettori on Franz Strauss, William Buick got a dream run up the rail on Charlie Appleby’s lightly-raced three-year-old.

Sent off the 4/1 joint-favourite, the colt by Dubawi out of Jacqueline Quest, who lost the 2010 running of the 1000 Guineas in the stewards’ room, had won at Chester and Nottingham already this season.

In truth, he looked a sitting duck inside the last half a furlong as both Israr and then close home Deauville Legend threw down stern challenges. However, Secret State held off the latter by a head and was introduced by Betfair into the St Leger market at 14/1.

“Charlie had this as the plan for some time. The step up in trip suited him and battled on well to the end.

“Frankie was in front so we didn’t go too fast and I was always happy where I was. He got lonely in front but went again when the horse came to him.

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”

The Queen’s final runner of the day came in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, with Ryan Moore only able to steer Andrew Balding’s Tactical into sixth behind Inver Park.

The victory gives young trainer George Boughey his first Royal Ascot success, with Ben Curtis on board the 12/1 winner.