After a fantastic five days of action-packed racing, Coolmore partnerships claimed the leading owner award at Royal Ascot for a third consecutive year, and sixth in total, as they edged out Wathnan Racing by virtue of a countback of placed horses.
Both owners saw their colours carried to victory five times, with Coolmore taking the prize thanks to three second-place finishes.
Horses owned by partnerships of Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Westerberg dominated the juvenile contests earlier in the week, with Gstaad taking the Coventry Stakes, True Love winning the Queen Mary Stakes and Charles Darwin striking in the Norfolk Stakes.
Coolmore horses also captured two of the leading middle-distance prizes for three-year-olds on Thursday. Garden Of Eden provided her owners with a third consecutive Ribblesdale Stakes win, while Trinity College made all to take the Hampton Court Stakes in the colours of Paul Smith.
MV Magnier of Coolmore said: “It means a lot to everyone. The guys and everyone put everything into this week, and for Aidan and Ryan to do such a good job, it is incredible. We are very grateful.
“We are very lucky to have The King and Queen present every day this week. It is a big deal for our business. It has been a great week. It is why we get up in the morning.”
MV Magnier presented with the trophy by Michael Halford (Pic – Megan Coggin
Aidan O’Brien saddled all five Coolmore winners, although he was pipped to the leading trainer award by John and Thady Gosden, who collected the prize as a partnership for a second time following 2021.
The Gosdens also enjoyed five victories over the meeting but clinched the award on the final day after Spy Chief finished second in the Jersey Stakes, a fourth runner-up finish for the co-trainers during the week compared to O’Brien’s three seconds.
Highlights for the Clarehaven Stables team included a stunning display from Field Of Gold in the battle of the Guineas winners in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes. Ombudsman unleashed an exhilarating turn of foot to triumph in Wednesday’s highlight, the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, while 2024 Gold Cup runner-up Trawlerman went one place better with a dominant win in Thursday’s staying showpiece.
The 2023 Queen Mary Stakes scorer Crimson Advocate registered a second Royal Ascot victory in Wednesday’s Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, with French Master also getting on the scoresheet in the final race on Tuesday, the Copper Horse Stakes.
John Gosden said: “Our week started very strongly with the right races. Everyone working at home had the horses spot-on, and they have run very well since, finishing second and third and second and third, and that of course counts towards winning this when you are at five winners with Aidan O’Brien.
“Thady has been with me about eight years already – and the rest – so, poor chap, it must be getting a bit annoying! But there is nothing like this meeting, it is our Olympics, and it is great to win this. Without him, I wouldn’t be as on the ball at all. It has been a great combination.”
Thady Gosden added: “It has been a terrific week. I think the highlight must be Trawlerman. He has been in the yard five years, he is by Golden Horn and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He is the most genuine horse and, in his races, will do everything, but when you are with him in person, he is a kind, sweet, gentle soul. For him to run the race he did having come second last year – what a fantastic result for the horse and for the sport.
“Field Of Gold is a horse who has just improved and improved and improved. His sire Kingman was a peerless miler, but he has shown the electric turn of foot his sire had. It was a great race with all three Guineas winners in the same race. He is very exciting for Juddmonte and for all of us.”
John and Thandy Gosden (Pic – Megan Coggin)
Ryan Moore collected the top jockey award for a 12th time, having registered seven successes over the five days.
In addition to partnering all five of Coolmore’s winners, Moore teamed up with Willie Mullins to take the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes on Ethical Diamond and the Queen Alexandra Stakes on Sober.
Moore said: “It is great to ride seven winners. Aidan’s horses were in great form all week and, when you are riding for Aidan and Willie, you are going to ride winners.”
Ryan Moore – again! (Pic – Megan Coggin)
FINAL STANDINGS
Trainer – Trainer Standings – Royal Ascot 2025
Jockey – Jockey Standings – Royal Ascot 2025
Owner – Owner Standings – Royal Ascot 2025
