King Of Cloughan Surprised Everyone and Gave Joseph O'Brien Another Victory

The son of St Mark's Basilica left behind two consecutive defeats and captured the Windsor Castle Stakes under an inspired ride by Billy Loughnane

BERKSHIRE, England (Special for Turf Diario).– If there is one thing Joseph O'Brien is proving during Royal Ascot 2026, it is that his horses arrive at the meeting in peak form. And this Wednesday he added another example of this when King Of Cloughan, sent off at odds of 33/1, became another of the week's biggest surprises by capturing the Windsor Castle Stakes (L) for 2-year-olds.

The success marked the third victory for the Irish trainer at the festival and confirmed the extraordinary form of a stable that continues to take center stage at the great event of European racing.

Ridden by Billy Loughnane, the son of St Mark's Basilica capitalized on a perfect trip down the stands' side, constantly finding the necessary room to accelerate strongly in the closing stages and score by half a length over Moonrise (Churchill), while Harlequin Sky (Dubawi Legend), another massive outsider, completed the frame.

The victory had a special flavor, as King Of Cloughan arrived at Ascot still a maiden after being defeated in his first two career starts. His most recent outing was a close runner-up finish at Leopardstown over 1400 meters behind Nola Soul (Justify), one of the contenders for the Chesham Stakes (L).

"We felt that dropping him back in trip was the right decision, though honestly, it was hard to imagine him as a favorite after losing two maidens," O'Brien acknowledged.

However, the trainer explained that he always held the colt in high regard: "We liked the horse a lot. We thought he was going to win last time at Leopardstown and we came home quite disappointed. I think that defeat had to do with the distance and also because the winner could be seriously good," he added.

That confidence was rewarded in the best possible way at Ascot, where Loughnane perfectly executed the plan mapped out by the team.

"He gave him a lovely ride. I am very happy for his owner, Michael Burke. Royal Ascot is a very special place and when you have a horse with a chance of running well, you have to be brave enough to come. Today that was proven," O'Brien noted.

The performance also opened up new expectations for the colt's future: "I think he will be a 1200-meter horse this year and I hope he can end up targeting a race like the Middle Park Stakes (G1) later in the season," he anticipated.

For Loughnane, one of the top young stars of the meeting, it was another unforgettable day: "I had no idea what was happening on the other side of the track, but everything worked out absolutely perfectly for me. I had a dream trip," the jockey commented.

"My only instruction was not to move on him too early. Fortunately, I was able to wait, find a rhythm, and deliver a run when it really mattered," he added.

The rider also praised the work of Joseph O'Brien, who is putting together an extraordinary week: "Joseph is a genius. He is having an incredible meeting and the way he prepares his horses makes our job in the saddle so much easier," he stated.

With just two days in the books, O'Brien already tallies three victories and continues to position himself among the leading protagonists of Royal Ascot 2026. Now, thanks to King Of Cloughan, he also counts on a new stakes project within a juvenile crop that appears to offer him multiple reasons to dream.

Because if this Windsor Castle Stakes taught us anything, it is that when Joseph O'Brien's horses arrive at Ascot, they should never be dismissed, no matter how big the price.