A Scottish Dream at Royal Ascot: American Affair Strikes in the King Charles III Stakes
- Turf Diario
- hace 5 días
- 3 Min. de lectura
From Glasgow to Glory, Homebred Sprinter Defeats the Best and Delivers Jim Goldie an Unforgettable Win on Racing's Grandest Stage
BERKSHIRE, Ascot (Special for Turf Diario).- There was a fairy-tale moment at Royal Ascot on Tuesday when Scottish trainer Jim Goldie celebrated his first-ever win at the meeting, courtesy of American Affair (Washington DC), who pulled off a mild upset in the G1 King Charles III Stakes under a smart ride from Paul Mulrennan.
Sent off at 11-1, the 5-year-old gelding had been on a steady rise through the handicap ranks and most recently finished fifth in the G2 Temple S. at Haydock, a run compromised by a troubled trip. This time, with a clear passage, he dug deep late to repel the fast-closing Frost At Dawn (Frosted) by a neck. Last year’s runner-up Regional (Oasis Dream, 9-1) was third once more, completing a strong effort for the locals.
“I’ve trained this family for three generations, so this is very sweet,” said an emotional Goldie. “His granddam, Orientor, had her day here in the Shergar Cup, so we’re lucky to be breeding horses like this. American Affair keeps improving. We started him off going 1400 meters at Wetherby, but it became clear that sprinting was his thing. He hasn’t looked back since.”
“I was actually pretty confident today. I knew he was one of the quickest in here—the key was keeping a lid on it. We brought him down a day early to keep him settled, and everything went like clockwork. This means the world.”
Mulrennan added: “Everything just clicked. We made some small tweaks—he wore a hood today—and unlike Haydock, there were no issues. Jim’s always believed in this horse, and he’s clearly got serious talent. It’s crazy to think he made his debut going seven furlongs! But he’s just gotten sharper and faster with age, like many sprinters do.”
“I’m a northern jockey, riding from Monday to Friday. Just to be at Royal Ascot is special, but to win a Group 1 here is something else entirely. These are our Olympics—you’re up against the likes of Ryan Moore, Soumillon, Buick… the best in the world. I’m closer to the end than the start of my career, so I really cherish this. Last time I won here, my hair was jet black…”
Speaking further of Goldie, he said: “He’s a genius. He knows how to get into a horse’s head and isn’t afraid to experiment with trip or tactics. A lot of his horses are homebreds—not always the easiest sort—but he gets results year after year.”
John McGrandles, breeder and co-owner, joked: “American Affair might be the only horse here with a Glasgow postcode! I bought his dam from Jim when she retired. We bred two foals out of her, and sadly we lost her. We’ve got another filly by Orientor that’s been covered by Washington DC, so fingers crossed. We breed at home, my wife’s a vet—and tomorrow we’re off to the Highland Show with sheep! But this horse, ‘Charlie’ in the yard… winning the King Charles is unreal!”
William Knight, trainer of runner-up Frost At Dawn, said: “We knew five furlongs on fast ground would be ideal. It’s a shame not to win, but we’ve always believed in her and we’ll keep aiming high. She belongs at this level, and we’ll stick to the minimum trip.”
Ed Bethell, who saddled third-placed Regional, said: “He’s an amazing horse and has given so much to his owners. I’m grateful for him and for Callum [Rodriguez] too. Of course, I’d love to have won, but the top two were just a bit quicker. He’s entered in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, and I’d love to go. The straight six at Deauville on fast ground should suit. After that, we’ll look toward the Sprint Cup.”
Finally, Henry Dwyer commented on last year’s winner Asfoora (Flying Artie), who finished fifth: “Oisin [Murphy]felt we ended up on the wrong part of the track. She looked in with a chance about a furlong out, but the effort to get there told late. There’s not much for her back home at the moment, so we’re hoping to aim for Goodwood, York, and maybe beyond.”
