Gleneagles stars on Royal Ascot opening day with St. James's win
Gleneagles surged to victory by 2-1/2 lengths in the St. James's Palace Stakes, the feature race of the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, one of three wins for jockey Ryan Moore.
Race outsider Latharnach was second and Consort, ridden by Frankie Dettori, finished third in the showcase event.
Dettori was seeking his 50th Ascot victory and started strongly but Gleneagles, a Dual Guineas winner, found his stride with a furlong and a half remaining and took the win.
"This horse has a very good turn of foot," Moore said. "The horse is just a pleasure to ride and I think he is getting better. It was a bit messy early and Frankie got in front but he (Gleneagles) made up for it and came on strong. He is just about one of the best there is of his generation."
The triumph handed Aidan O'Brien, Gleneagles' trainer, his record seventh victory in the race.
Solow took the opening race of the day, the Queen Anne Stakes. Buratino won the Coventry Stakes and Goldream narrowly edged Medicean Man by a short head to win the King's Stand Stakes.
Moore was back in the saddle of another winner in the fifth race of the day when favorite Clondaw Warrior took the Ascot Handicap.
And he made it a treble in the final race with Washington DC in the Windsor Castle Stakes. It was also the second victory for trainer O'Brien.
In between the opening two races, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a statue commemorating five-time Ascot winner Frankel.
Frankel retired unbeaten after 14 races in October 2012 and is widely considered the greatest horse of the modern era.
The statue overlooks the parade ring and winners' enclosure.
