Royal Ascot Results 2015: Winners, Payouts, Orders of Finish for Friday's Races
Muhaarar and Ervedya were the big winners on the penultimate day of the 2015 Royal Ascot meeting, taking victory in the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes, respectively.
The 10-1 shot Muhaarar was an unfancied winner in the first of the Grade 1 races, especially with in-form jockey Ryan Moore aboard American favourite Hootenanny. Moore was also unable to steer the favourite home first in the Coronation Stakes, as he was second on board Found to 3-1 shot Ervedya.
But in the final race of the day, Moore picked up a remarkable ninth winner of the meeting, riding Aloft to victory in the Queen's Vase. The meet's official Twitter account paid tribute to the jockey:
TOP NEWS
Sports Stars at Kentucky Derby 🤩
Order of Finish at Kentucky Derby 🐎
🚨 Golden Tempo Wins Derby
Here’s the full results from another engrossing day of horse racing at Ascot and a recap of best moments from Day 4 of the festival.
| Albany Stakes | Illuminate (4-1f) | Ashadihan (12-1) | Elegant Supermodel (20-1) | £50.00 |
| King Edward VII Stakes | Balios (3-1) | Mr Singh (8-1) | Father Christmas (16-1) | £40.00 |
| Commonwealth Cup | Muhaarar (10-1) | Limato (9-2) | Anthem Alexander (8-1) | £110.00 |
| Coronation Stakes | Ervedya (3-1) | Found (13-8f) | Lucida (3-1) | £40.00 |
| Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes | Arab Dawn (6-1jf) | Ajman Bridge (8-1) | Astronereus (8-1) | £70.00 |
| Queen's Vase | Aloft (5-2f) | Tommy Docc (33-1) | Future Empire (12-1) | £35.00 |
All details courtesy of SportingLife.com. Payouts based on £10.00 bet on victorious horse to win.
Muhaarar Wins Inaugural Commonwealth Cup
It’s not often we see a performance quite as dominant as this in such a big field, but Muhaarar was far too good for the chasing pack in the first-ever Commonwealth Cup. The 10-1 shot finished four lengths clear of second place Limato; Anthem Alexander was in third.
As we can see here courtesy of Channel 4 Racing, it was an emphatic win for the Charles Hills-trained colt:
In the early stages of this one it didn’t look too likely that Muhaarar would be in the mix. The well-backed Tiggy Wiggy got away quickest, and although he faded, both Limato and Anthem Alexander got a very smooth run around the turn and into the final furlong.
But with Moore and Hootenanny nowhere to be seen, Muhaarar surged to the head of the pack and none of the chasers were able to cling on. In the end, jockey Dane O’Neill was able to take in the adulation of the Ascot crowd, as his ride crossed the line with a swagger.
When asked if Muhaarar was the most accomplished horse he had trained, Hills had some very high praise, per SportingLife.com:
"I think so. Chriselliam was very good but this guy is very good. He's very versatile as well. He showed a lot of speed today and he gets better and better with racing.
He's still improving so there's a lot to look forward to. Obviously he ran over a mile last time and was in the Jersey but Sheikh Hamdan made the decision to come here and for all the right reasons.
"
Those aware of this horse would have gotten brilliant value for money with a starting price of 10-1. While he’s never been quite as impressive as this, Muhaarar has been building a steady reputation among the racing cognoscenti, and after this scintillating showing, you can bet he’ll be priced considerably shorter next time he takes to the stalls.
As noted by Chris Cook of the Guardian, that's likely to be the July Cup, for which Australian horse Brazen Beau, the favourite for Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, is set to top the betting. Expect Hills to have a close eye on how he fares in that one.
Ervedya Edges Out Found in Coronation Stakes
Moore was made to wait to secure his ninth winner at the Ascot meeting in the blue ribband race of Day 4, as French filly Ervedya held on to take the Coronation Stakes.
Found, the 7-4 favourite, looked well-placed to take victory in this one. But a late surge from Jean-Claude Rouget’s crown jewel seemed to catch Moore napping and Christophe Soumillon eased Ervedya to a narrow, half-a-length win. Lucida was a further half-length back from Found in third.
As we can see here, it was a thrilling finale to a hotly anticipated chase:
Soumillon deserves great credit for the style in which he managed this race. He timed the finishing burst to absolute perfection, reeling in Aidan O’Brien’s pre-race favourite under the shadow of the post, but also holding off the fast-finishing Lucida, who was roaring toward the line at a pulsating pace.
The Frenchman, somewhat modestly, claimed afterward that luck had a lot to with this triumph, per Cook:
"I was lucky I got a gap in the middle. I knew Aidan O’Brien’s filly would be at the top of her game today and she beat us last year in Longchamp.
When I saw her in that position, I thought it was better to stay behind her and maybe that’s why I won, as if I had come on the outside I’m not sure she would have quickened like she did and stay on to the line.
"
Again, those punters who delved into the minutiae of racing forms may have found some value in Ervedya at 3-1. The filly was very impressive in winning the French Guineas in her last outing, and although Found boasted undisputed pedigree, not to mention having Moore in the saddle, she’d failed to win either of her two races in 2015.
For Rouget, the finish may have been a heart-stopping one. But there can be no better feeling for a trainer than to see their horse winning such an illustrious race in this kind of thrilling fashion. For the Frenchman, the Ascot champagne will taste especially sweet this evening.
.jpg?w=600 "Pickens Gauged Trade Market")