Australian racing fans didn’t have to wait long at Royal Ascot to find something to cheer about with the first race of this year’s carnival, the Group I Queen Anne stakes (1m) won by the OTI Racing runner Docklands ridden by Mark Zahra.
It was the third year in a row that the Harry Eustace trained five year-old Massaat stallion has run at Royal Ascot and he certainly enjoys the experience.
As a three year-old colt Docklands was sent to the post a 6-1 favourite in the Grand Britannia Handicap Stakes facing a field of 29 starters and won by half a length beating New Endeavour, who was purchased from the Goffs London Sale earlier that week for £260,00 by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.He subsequently came to Australia and won a G3 race at Eagle Farm last month.
Last year, Docklands tackled the Queen Anne Stakes and finished second to Charyn, who would go on the be the Champion Miler on 2024 and then travelled to Australia for the Cox Plate and Hong Kong for International Day, but failed to flatter in either of those elite races.
Returning to the UK, Docklands had two lead up runs before Royal Ascot placing in both, although with bookmakers sending him out at 14-1 he was not expected to trouble the favourite Rosallion.
Docklands thought otherwise and he prevailed to win by a nose, which was actually his first win since scoring at Royal Ascot two years ago.
Interesting runners in the race from an Aussie perspective were Lake Forest, who won last year’s Golden Eagle and ran well for fifth and the Yulong acquisition Carl Spackler, who is now trained by Ciaron Maher and finished sixth with James McDonald on board.
“I wasn't happy with the pace early on Docklands did his usual thing, was a step slow, and I kept cursing him, if I'm honest. But he's an absolute star, he loves this racetrack and because they went slow, they probably got racing a bit further out. It's very special,” said Harry Eustace.
“When he was second here, we knew we were coming back for another go. In a curious way, he got trapped in a pocket at Epsom and didn't have a hard race, and came here spot on. I'm glad he got beat at Epsom and won at Ascot!”
Mark Zahra was at his brilliant best aboard Docklands.
Docklands has the overall record of four wins and eight placings from 17 starts.
Docklands was purchased for just 16,000 pounds by Blandford Bloodstock from the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and is from the first crop of young Teofilo stallion Massaat.
Bred by Mickely Stud, He is a half-brother to US Group III winner Ickymasho and Flemington stakes-winner Harbour Views and is now the best of five winners from unraced Mark of Esteem mare Icky Woo, a daughter of Group III winner Bunty Boo.
Docklands is the third stakes-winner and first Group I winner for Massaat, who stands at Mickley stud at a fee of £3,500.
