Team OSL is still flying high after what can only be described as a dreamlike week at Royal Ascot in which three winners and two seconds were purchased by Oliver St Lawrence from only 7 runners. We monopolised almost 10% of all race winners at the most prestigious of meetings, leaving a very happy team of owners and a staggering Runners to Form rating of 85%!
The only runner on Tuesday, BRADSELL owned by Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing, kicked off the week in style in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, running out a comfortable winner by a length and a half under an excellent ride from Hollie Doyle for trainer Archie Watson. Purchased privately, he was drawn on the wrong side in the top 2yo colt’s race of the meeting but didn’t let that stop him, coming with a blazing run up the centre of the track leaving a strong field spread out behind him. This was a stunning performance and his future is extremely exciting with the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes in Ireland or Prix Morny in France as likely next targets.
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ELDAR ELDAROV, owned by Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa’s KHK Racing, didn’t give anyone a moment to relax when following up in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase on Wednesday, winning the race by the barest of margins. Time seemed to stand still as it took a full five minutes for the result to be announced but jockey David Egan had judged it perfectly and Eldar showed huge grit and determination over a trip he had never previously tackled. Leaving trainer Roger Varian and connections dreaming of a possible Classic success in the St Leger Stakes in September – a dream that remains very much alive. He was purchased for £480,000 at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale in 2021. To add to the euphoric atmosphere ROCKET RODNEY, trained by George Scott and purchased privately by OSL, then ran an absolute stormer to finish a neck second in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.
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In the first race on Saturday, PEARLING PATH ran in the Listed Chesham Stakes for owner Fawzi Nass, going off at a whopping 80-1! Pearling Path, purchased by OSL at the 2021 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £80,000, was a first Royal Ascot runner for trainer John O’Donoghue and oh so nearly pulled it off, wandering in front and just getting nabbed on the line. Clearly both horse and trainer have bright futures.
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Then to finish off an almost unbelievable week, ROHAAN (who has previously won the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes) followed up his Royal Ascot heroics from 2021 to win his second Wokingham Stakes putting himself in a very elite club. Rohaan was purchased by OSL at the 2019 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for just £36,000.
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Ascot week had actually started early for Team OSL as MITBAAHY had stormed to success in the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown on the Saturday before Royal Ascot. Beautifully ridden by David Egan, he defeated Group 2 Flying Childers winner Caturra with an electrifying burst of acceleration for owners Fawzi Nass and Hasan Al Ajmi. Purchased for £50,000 at the 2020 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, this Roger Varian trained 3yo looks to have a bright future in sprinting races.
Finally, Arthur Dobell must get a mention for having his first Royal Ascot runner as an agent from his first purchase, with Bolt Action running a fantastic race finishing 6th of 22 in the Windsor Castle Stakes. An excellent start to his career and we hope that both Arthur and Bolt Action go on to greater success.