Royal Ascot 2024 Day One Review: Rosallion Wins St. James’s Palace Stakes
The opening day of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in 2024 witnessed an exhilarating display as Rosallion emerged victorious in the highly anticipated St. James’s Palace Stakes.
Trained by the legendary Richard Hannon, Rosallion proved his mettle against a field packed with 2000 Guineas winners. The colt, who had been hailed by Hannon as the best horse he has ever trained, lived up to the billing with a stunning performance.
“He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in our place.”
- Richard Hannon, Trainer
After a narrow defeat in the Newmarket Guineas, Rosallion bounced back with a commanding win in the Irish equivalent. At Royal Ascot, he showcased his versatility, utilizing a brilliant turn of foot to chase down pacesetter Henry Longfellow and secure a neck victory.
The big disappointment of the race was the 6-4 favorite Notable Speech, who failed to mount a serious challenge, leaving French Guineas winner Metropolitan to finish third, three lengths behind the winner.
Aidan O’Brien’s Henry Longfellow ran a gallant race to finish second, with the trainer expressing confidence in the colt’s potential to improve further.
The Queen Anne Stakes
The opening Queen Anne Stakes saw Charyn land his first Group 1 victory for trainer Roger Varian and jockey Silvestre De Sousa. The four-year-old grey has progressed steadily this season, confirming his status as a top-level performer with a convincing two-and-a-quarter length win over Docklands.
The King Charles III Stakes
The day’s action was capped by a thrilling triumph for Australian sprinting star Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes. Trained by Henry Dwyer, the mare powered to victory under Oisin Murphy, becoming the sixth Australian-trained winner of the race.
It was a memorable start to the 2024 Royal Ascot meeting, setting the stage for more enthralling equine drama in the days to come.
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