• Royal Ascot

Kingman takes St James's Palace Stakes

ESPN staff
June 17, 2014
Kingman trailed turning into the home straight but made up the ground © Getty Images
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Kingman took victory in the St James's Palace Stakes after surging past Night of Thunder to triumph by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

The 8-11 favourite denied Richard Hughes, riding Night of Thunder, a third Group One win on the opening day of the Royal meeting.

Hughes had earlier won the Queen Anne Stakes on 4-6 favourite Toronado before Sole Power (5-1) took the King's Stand Stakes.

With Kingman beaten by Night of Thunder in the 2,000 Guineas, Doyle turned round to face his rivals and raised his finger to his lips as he crossed the line. "I probably shouldn't have done that," he admitted. "I let my emotions go a bit but I got a lot of satisfaction from that.

"A lot of things were said after the Guineas and he's proved he's the best of the three-year-olds. We've put that behind us - it was annoying, he didn't get beaten very far and everyone kind of thought he wasn't a champion.

"He's got so much pace, he's almost climbing over the back of them wanting them to go quicker. I'm just very lucky to be sat on his back, I can't thank [owner] Prince Khalid Abdullah enough for giving me this opportunity."

Frankie Dettori secured a first Royal Ascot victory in two years, and 48th in his career, as The Wow Signal (5-1) won the Coventry Stakes for trainer John Quinn.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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