Choisir's Rajasinghe Gains Narrow Coventry Verdict

   Rajasinghe (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) graduated by four lengths, from subsequent winner Indomeneo (GB) (Piccolo {GB}), in a May 19 six-furlong heat atop Newcastle's Tapeta surface in his only prior start, and provided trainer Richard Spencer with a career high in Tuesday's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. Bounced along to race in mid division after breaking in company with the back markers, the 11-1 chance made headway throughout to move into contention approaching the quarter-mile marker and kept on resolutely under Stevie Donohoe's power drive inside the final furlong to deny Headway (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) and Murillo (Scat Daddy), by a head and a neck, in a thrilling conclusion to Britain's first juvenile Group race of the season. “He was a bit reluctant to start and didn't really get into it,” admitted Donohoe, who claimed a first Royal winner in another track-record time. “He came good about 1 1/2 furlongs out, he stayed well and I think he was more impressive than it looked. He's a big horse, he's a kind goer and is full of life at home. We love him to bits, he'll progress again and will be a fantastic horse going forward.” The rider had a minor injury problem overnight and added, “I dislocated my fingers last night and they have been giving me trouble. I took the strapping off at the start and the adrenaline got me through the race.”

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
COVENTRY S.-G2, £150,000, ASC, 6-20, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.39 (NTR), g/f.
1–#@RAJASINGHE (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Choisir (Aus)
1st Dam: Bunditten (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Soviet Star
2nd Dam: Felicita (Ire), by Catrail
3rd Dam: Abergwrle (GB), by Absalom (GB)
(€65,000 Wlg '15 GOFNOV; £85,000 Ylg '16 GOUKPR). O-Rebel Racing; B-James & Geoff Mulcahy (IRE); T-Richard Spencer; J-Stevie Donohoe. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $117,566. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Headway (GB), 127, c, 2, Havana Gold (Ire)–On Her Way (GB), by Medicean (GB). (38,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA; 60,000gns Ylg '16 TAOCT). O-The Royal Ascot Racing Club; B-Whatton Manor-Global Equine-L Stratton (GB); T-William Haggas. £32,250.
3–Murillo, 127, c, 2, Scat Daddy–Mostaqeleh, by Rahy. ($500,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Lynch Bages LTD (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £16,140.[bullet ad=”lanni-hillndale-purchased”][bullet ad=”eaton-sold”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]
Margins: HD, NK, NK. Odds: 11.00, 33.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Brother Bear (Ire), Aqabah, Prince of the Dark (GB), Romanised (Ire), De Bruyne Horse (GB), Nebo (Ire), Chookie Dunedin (GB), Denaar (Ire), Arawak, Zaman (GB), U S Navy Flag, Connery (Ire), Red Roman (GB), Haddaf (Ire), Ivy Leaguer (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
   Winning owner Phil Cunningham, whose previous racetrack highs were provided by Cockney Rebel (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}) in the 2007 G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, commented, “It was always the dream to have a Royal Ascot winner, it's happened at last and I'm so delighted for the team. It's hard to win here, he was slowly away and got left a little bit, but he's a super horse and we've liked him for a long time.”

   For trainer Richard Spencer, in just his second season with a licence, it was a first Royal Ascot winner with his first runner at the meet and he was understanably delighted. “Words can't describe how I feel, but he's a top horse and we've liked him from day one,” he said. “We sent him to Newcastle and thought he would take a lot of beating, and he wasn't cooked for that run. He's going to stay further and is great natured and tough. We have 23 horses at home, and a lovely bunch of owners at a great location [in Newmarket] and I cannot thank Phil Cunningham enough for giving me the opportunity. I broke my back two years ago in a fall at Warwick, so from that to be standing here is just amazing and I'd like to thank people who have helped me along the way. I was a stable lad with Peter Bowen at 16 and learned a lot there, and then worked for Barry Hills, becoming his assistant. I stayed there for seven years, eventually working for Barry's son Charlie, and then I went to Michael Bell's to complete my training.”
   Never one to be content with second, trainer William Haggas was still satisfied to come so close to breaking through at this year's meet with runner-up Headway. “He ran very well, we expected him to run a good race and he did,” the Newmarket conditioner said. “It was nearly fantastic and I don't know where we will go next as he has had a hard race today.” The Royal Ascot Racing Club's Harry Herbert added, “He has run a fantastic race and you just can't crab him. The signals William [Haggas] was giving out was that he was really pleased with him at home. He was very impressive at Chester and this was a terrific run. We are just thrilled that the horse has run so well, though to be beaten a head in a race at Royal Ascot and of this calibre was agony as well. It took a course record to beat him and it is a fantastic result for the Royal Ascot Racing Club as they only have five horses in training. We will be happy to take on the winner again, but Headway has had a hard race today and it is a very hot day. We will have to see how he comes out of the race and William won't rush him back. He is a horse with a future and has enough scope.”
   Aidan O'Brien was pleased with the performance Murillo, who closed late to finish third. “I'm delighted with him and he has run a great race,” said the Ballydoyle conditioner. Jessica Harrington also expressed staisfaction with the run of 4-1 favourite Brother Bear (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who finished fourth after holding every chance inside the final quarter mile. “I'm very happy with him,” she said. “The race sort of broke up around him and he had to race on his own. However, it's only the third run of his career and he has run really well.”
   Rajasinghe, half-brother to Listed Roses S. placegetter Kurland (Ire) (Kheleyf), is the first black-type winner produced by Listed National S. third Bunditten (Ire) (Soviet Star) and is also kin to a yearling filly by Born To Sea (Ire). His second dam is the dual stakes-winning G3 Prix Eclipse third Felicita (Ire) (Catrail), whose own granddam is 1000 Guineas heroine Caergwrle (GB) (Crepello {GB}).