ROYAL ASCOT 2024: FAIRY GODMOTHER WINS THE ALBANY STAKES

Fairy Godmother (9-4 favourite) worked her magic to land a superb victory in the Albany Stakes, the opener on the fourth day of Royal Ascot 2024.

While Aidan O'Brien's well-touted juveniles had failed to fire on the first three days of the Royal meeting this week, the daughter of Night Of Thunder certainly did to provide the Ballydoyle handler with another juvenile victory in the Group Two contest. Having been second to Sparkling Sea on her debut over six furlongs at Naas in April, Fairy Godmother reversed that form in the Group Three Coolmore Stud Irish EBF FIllies Sprint Stakes at the same track to break her duck in good style. And she enhanced on the promise of that success with an even better win stepped up to Group Two company.

Under Ryan Moore, the two-year-old filly didn't have the best of passages having been in the rear of the main group who raced up the middle as stable-mate Heavens Gate made the running. And despite being behind a wall of horses and being blocked in her run a couple of times at least, Moore brought her right around the pack closer to the stands' side rail. But when she saw daylight, she showed a stunning turn of foot and flew through to win by three-quarters-of-a-length from the Ollie Sangster-trained Simmering (9-1) with the front-running Heavens Gate, under Wayne Lordan (8-1), a further neck adrift in third. Godolphin's Mountain Breeze (9-4), who had been Fairy Godmother's main market rival, could only finish fourth, two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length back under Liverpool FC fan William Buick.

O'Brien was having his fifth winner of the week and a third success in the six-furlong contest. It was also an incredible 90th career Royal Ascot victory and following on from his 400th worldwide Group One success with Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday, the Ballydoyle maestro just keeps clocking up incredible milestones.

Moore, who was also landing a fifth winner of the week and a 82nd Royal Ascot victory overall, said: "I gave her an impossible task and she got me out of a hole. It's incredible she was able to win from that position so it's all credit to her. She's a very good filly. Down at the start she looked different class, she suggested that before she ran, and when she won last time. Today, that was a big performance."

Coral now make Fairy Godmother the 6-1 favourite for next year's QIPCO 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, while Paddy Power cut her odds to 5-1 from 12-1.

2024-06-21T13:53:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd