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The King Edward VII Stakes had an undefeated ruler: Amiloc, all the way on the lead

  • Writer: Turf Diario
    Turf Diario
  • Jun 21
  • 2 min read

With Rossa Ryan at his best, the son of Postponed lived up to his favoritism and held off Zahrann by three-quarters of a length, with the runner-up putting up a fierce fight


Amiloc and a Victory That Propels Him Toward G1 Company/ ROYAL ASCOT
Amiloc and a Victory That Propels Him Toward G1 Company/ ROYAL ASCOT

BERKSHIRE, Ascot (Special for Turf Diario).- He may be ineligible for the Derby due to being a gelding, but that hasn't stopped Amiloc from showcasing his considerable talent with every outing. On Friday at Royal Ascot, the unbeaten son of Postponed extended his perfect record to five-for-five with a gritty score in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes over 2400 meters for 3-year-olds.

Under a confident ride from Rossa Ryan, the Ralph Beckett trainee sat just off the pace set by Galveston (Frankel) and took command with about 400 meters to run, seemingly on his way to a comfortable win. But Zahrann (Night of Thunder), trained by Johnny Murtagh, loomed boldly down the outside and forced the 11-8 favorite to dig in late, with Amiloc holding on by a diminishing three-quarters of a length. Galveston, game in defeat, stayed on for third, just over two lengths back.

“The ground was very firm, and you could see it in his action,” said Beckett. “Rossa told me he was shortening stride in the final furlong, not because he didn’t want to go on, but because of the footing. We debated for a long time whether to run, but Patrick CooperMr. Aykroyd’s nephew and racing manager—made the final call, and he got it spot on.”

“I honestly can’t recall having a horse start a career five-for-five. Rossa knows him well and rode with great confidence. The future will depend on ground. On softer turf, I wouldn’t be afraid of anyone. If we get rain ahead of the King George, we’ll definitely give it thought.”

Ryan, who had to call on all his experience late, added: “He really struggled with the ground—he just wasn’t happy on it. I felt it as early as Swinley Bottom, but he stayed honest. He changed leads and gave me that last push when I needed it. He’s incredibly tough and I think you’ll see an even better horse with give in the ground.”

On the runner-up, Murtagh said: “He lost nothing in defeat. Ben [Coen] told me he had to move a touch earlier than ideal, and that probably cost him. A little moisture might have helped him travel stronger. Of course, we wanted to win, but this gives us all the hope. We’re thinking big with him—maybe even the Arc, if he keeps progressing.”


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