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| Sumita Pawar |
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On Tuesday, Aidan O'Brien became the most accomplished trainer in the celebrated Royal Ascot event by securing a remarkable double on the opening day.
Both winners on the opening day of Royal Ascot were ridden by Ryan Moore, who narrowly guided River Tiber to victory in the Gr. 2 Coventry Stakes and then confidently steered Paddington to a win in the Gr.1 St James's Palace Stakes, bringing his total number of Royal Ascot wins to 83.
Frankie Dettori said, “For sure I will cry after my final race at Royal Ascot O’Brien levelled Sir Michael Stoute’s record of 82 winners at the royal meeting when Moore guided River Tiber to take the second race from Holly Doyle on Army Athos by a neck.”
O'Brien Matches Record At Ascot
Despite the English 2000 Guineas winner Chaldeon's efforts, Paddington stayed strong and defeated him, preventing Frankie Dettori from securing a win for the second time that day.
“He’s an incredible horse,” O’Brien told ITV racing. “He came here as a maiden as a two-year-old and he was very green. We gave him time and he went back to the Curragh and won very well and we didn’t run him any more.
“The lads have given him time through the winter and he won a handicap very impressively in Naas. Then he went and won the Tetrarch on the way to the Irish Guineas. He’s just improving and improving. He’s a smart horse, is really quick and handles all types of ground.”
The opening race of the meeting, the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes, was won by Triple Time in the silks of Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who surprised a high-quality field.
The Frankel colt, trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Neil Callan, raced near the front and held on strongly to beat Inspiral and Dettori by a neck, with Light Infantry coming in third, two and a quarter lengths behind, and Godolphin's Modern Games finishing fourth.