By Sean Cronin
Two-race maiden King Of Cloughan (St Mark's Basilica) was, at odds of 33-1, the outsider of Joseph O'Brien's three runners and he paid a handsome compliment to his Leopardstown conqueror and TDN Rising Star Nola Soul (Justify), a Listed Chesham Stakes contender, with a taking performance in Wednesday's new-look Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“We thought bringing King Of Cloughan back in trip was the right move, but it was hard to fancy him because he'd been beaten in two maidens,” the winning trainer said. “We liked the horse, we thought he had a good chance to win at Leopardstown the last day and came home a bit disappointed. I think it was the trip, plus the horse who beat him [Nola Soul] could be smart. He got a lovely ride from Billy [Loughnane] and I am so delighted for his owner, Michael Burke. Royal Ascot is such a special place that if you've got a horse that can line up here and has a reasonable expectation of running well, you've got to take your shot, and today was the proof of that. We thought we had a good squad coming here and that they were in good shape. Our horses have been running well and to see that translate into some winners this week is really special.”
Looking ahead, the trainer continued, “I think King Of Cloughan will turn up in a nice two-year-old sprint in the next month or so. I think he is a six-furlong horse this season and you'd hope he might end up in something like the [G1] Middle Park later in the year.”
Loughnane added, “I wasn't sure at all what was happening on the right-hand side, but I had a dream passage through. King Of Cloughan relaxed and found a beautiful rhythm. My one instruction was not to use him too soon, so I was delighted to have to wait and then run down PJ McDonald [aboard Moonrise]. He ran over seven furlongs last time, so there were no issues with him over the stiff six here. Joseph O'Brien is a genius and his prepping of the horses is so good he makes my job very easy. A winner both days, it doesn't get any better, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to be picking up spare rides like this. I am very grateful.”
Positioned deep under cover in midfield for most of the six-furlong contest, the eventual winner was halted in his run when cruising into contention approaching the final furlong and, once switched into the open, thundered home to usurp 66-1 chance Moonrise (Churchill) by a half-length. Guaranteeing a monster trifecta dividend, Jane Chapple-Hyam trainee and 125-1 outsider Harlequin Sky (Dubawi Legend) fared best of the remainder and was the same margin back in third. The trifecta paid £104,688 to a £1 stake.
King of Cloughan, full to a yearling colt, is the first of two foals produced by GIII Matron Stakes third Mystic Eyes (Maclean's Music), herself out of a stakes-winning half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning US champion Boston Harbor (Capote).
Mystic Eyes is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Tempers Flair (Smart Strike) and to the dam of the stakes-winning GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Cowan (Kantharos).
The winner's stakes-winning third dam Harbor Springs (Vice Regent) is a half-sister to GI Vosburgh Stakes-winning US champion Groovy (Norcliffe).
That boy Billy Loughnane again! King Of Cloughan wins the Windsor Castle Stakes! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/j5KLDiDGqx
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2026
Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES-Listed, £125,000, Ascot, 6-17, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.34, g/f.
1–KING OF CLOUGHAN (IRE), 128, c, 2, by St Mark's Basilica (Fr)
1st Dam: Mystic Eyes (SW & GSP-US), by Maclean's Music
2nd Dam: Cloudburst, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Harbor Springs, by Vice Regent
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€110,000 Ylg '25 GOFORY). O-Michael Hilary Burke; B-Hiroyuki Nagata; T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Billy Loughnane. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $101,035.
2–Moonrise (Ire), 123, f, 2, Churchill (Ire)–Queen of Silca (GB), by Kingman (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Ahmad Alkhallafi; T-Andrew Balding. £26,875.
3–Harlequin Sky (Ire), 123, f, 2, Dubawi Legend (Ire)–Its In The Air (Ire), by Whipper. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (£10,000 RNA Ylg '25 GOFFUK; £21,000 2yo '26 TATGBU). O-Jane Chapple-Hyam & Harlequin Direct; B-Philip & Orla Hore; T-Jane Chapple-Hyam. £13,450.
Margins: HF, HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 33.00, 66.00, 125.00.
Also Ran: Ruler's Control (Ire), Sale Shark (Ire), A Bear Affair (Ire), Dorigo (Ire), Green Sovereign (GB), Sergei Diaghilev (Ire), Charted Course (GB), Our Boy Bailey (Ire), Freedom Flame (Ire), Troublesome Guest (Ire), Controlla (Ire), Celeron (GB), Victory Gold (Ire), Ischgl (Ire), One Number, Boleto (Ire), Alfred Wallace (GB), Wild Terrain (GB), On The Queue Tee (GB), Dance A Jig (GB), Agitator (GB), Alpe D'Huez (Ire).
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