Belardo Gallant Second In Queen Anne Stakes

Belardo ran another superb race to take second behind top US mare Tepin in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 14.

The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old quickened strongly from the rear to take the G1 Lockinge Stakes on his previous start and was again held up towards the rear of the 13 runners by James Doyle as Barchan (Roger Varian/Jack Mitchell) went into a clear lead.

Belardo stayed on powerfully to take second over a furlong out and pressed for the lead but could not quite get on terms with Tepin, who held on by a half a length in 1m 43.98s on soft ground to register a fifth G1 victory.

Lightning Spear was a length and a quarter back in third, with the other Godolphin Toormore (Richard Hannon/William Buick) staying on to come home fourth, a further three-quarters of a length in arrears.

Roger Varian was delighted with Belardo's effort and said: "We are pleased - he ran a hell of a good race. We are obviously disappointed not to win because we are competitors. I thought a furlong from home we might just catch Tepin, but she just kept finding more and more.

"Belardo showed up, ran a great race and we had no excuses on the day. We had conditions to suit and I thought James (Doyle) gave him an excellent ride - Belardo had every chance of winning. When everything goes right and there are no excuses and there is one better, you have to tip your hat to the winner and say fair play to the American mare. I thought it was commendable to come over here and win under such different conditions.

"I am very proud of Belardo. He ran a really great race and I am sure that we have big days ahead with him for the remainder of the year. If you look at his last five runs, he has become ultra-consistent, which is perhaps part of the game which he lacked last year. He will be labelled a soft-ground horse because he has run in these great races on soft ground but I would love him to get the chance to run on good ground and show people that he can perform as well on good ground.

"It's the very firm ground that we will probably avoid, but he obviously handles these conditions and that's a comfort coming into these races on the soft ground. He has run four times this year, so he can probably afford a little break now and come back for a campaign in the second half of the season. There's the G1 Jacques le Marois and he will be in all of the big mile races, including the G1 Sussex Stakes.

"We will regroup with connections and all be on the same page. I think the obvious race is back here for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in October, in which he ran so well last year. I am sure he will run a couple of times before that but that will be his big target at the end of the year."

James Doyle added: "I'm really pleased with him, he ran a solid race. Hats off to the winner, she's got to be pretty special to do that. I thought for a minute I was grinding her down but she found a bit more."

Godolphin also had the fourth, the Richard Hannon-trained Toormore, who was partnered by William Buick and stayed on well in the closing stages after being held up.

Richard Hannon commented: "I was delighted. William has held him up and he seemed to enjoy the ground. We will have a look at the Lennox Stakes (Glorious Goodwood 7f G2 which he won in 2015) and races like that."

William Buick said: "Toormore has run very well. We just changed the tactics a little bit today. Richard was keen to get a lead as long as possible and it has worked out. I thought he ran his race and he goes on that ground very well."