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27.
Choisir stuns Ascot
with royal double
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22/6/2003 |
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Newcastle colt Choisir took a unique Royal Ascot double with a storming win in
the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes.
Five days after winning the Group Two King's Stand Stakes, Choisir stunned the
Ascot crowd again when he won the 1200 metre Golden Jubilee in a course record
to confirm his status as one of the world's fastest sprinters.
The three-year-old also became the first horse to win two races at a Royal Ascot
carnival since Stanerra in 1983.
Jockey Johnny Murtagh took Choisir out early down the Ascot straight from
barrier 20 and led all the way as he did on Tuesday, holding off 11-8 favourite
Airwave by half a length in a time of one minute, 12.23 seconds, breaking the
11-year record by 0.2 of a second.
Baron's Pit was a further one and a quarter lengths back in third.
Choisir started as second favourite at 13-2 after his 25-1 barnstorming win on
Tuesday brought the Lightning Stakes winner to the attention of local bookies.
"I thought Tuesday was a thrill, this is something special," said
trainer Paul Perry.
"Everyone in racing knows Ascot and wants to come here and to do it and win
twice is just fantastic.
"I thought he might have a job to pull it off from that alley but he is a
serious sprinter now and we will have to think about staying on for the July Cup
at Newmarket.
"Johnny jumped off and told me to leave Choisir in Britain because he is
sure nothing in Europe will beat him."
Choisir became the first Australian trained horse to win in England on Tuesday
and went down in history again today as the first horse to take out the Royal
Ascot 1000m and 1200m double.
The Golden Jubilee was upgraded to Group One and renamed from the Cork and
Orrery Stakes last year in honour of the Queen's 50 years on the throne.
Fellow Australian sprinter Belle du Jour, currently trained in Ireland by dual
Melbourne Cup winner Dermot Weld, finished 15th.
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