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Refuse to Bend, Azamour Victorious in Ascot Opener
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 6/17/2004 12:42:15 PM
Godolphin Racingês Refuse to Bend, sent off at 12-1 odds due to his recent lack of success, returned to the winnerês enclosure Tuesday when he posted a narrow victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) on the opening day card of the Royal Ascot meet at Ascot, England.A 4-year-old son of Sadlerês Wells--Market Slide (by Gulch) covered the straight mile over a turf course rated –good to firm” in 1:39.14, defeating 4-year-old filly Soviet Song by a neck. Six Perfections, the 5-2 favorite in the 16-horse field, finished sixth.Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Refuse to Bend became the sixth Queen Anne victor for Godolphin in the last nine runnings of the classic.In the co-featured St. Jamesês Palace Stakes (Eng-I), Azamour stormed to the front late under Mick Kinane and posted a neck triumph over Diamond Green.Trained by John Oxx for breeder His Highness The Aga Khanês Stables, the 3-year-old son of Night Shift--Asmara (Lear Fan) raced the mile over the round course in 1:39.02, just off the course record set by Russian Rhythm.Haafhd, the English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) winner sent off as the 3-2 favorite, gave up the late lead and finished fourth. Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) winner Bachelor Duke, was seventh.Also on the Royal Ascot card, Iceman won the Coventry Stakes (Eng-II) and The Tattling took top honors in the Kingês Stand Stakes (Eng-II).A 2-year-old son of Polar Falcon--Virtuous (Exit to Nowhere) trained by John Gosden for owner-breeder Cheveley park Stud, Iceman got the six furlongs in 1:14.83 as the 5-1 co-favorite, with Godolphinês Council Member, also at 5-1 odds, second.The Tattling, a 7-year-old gelded son of Perugino trained by Milton Bradley for Dab Hand Racing, raced five furlongs in 1:00.16 as less than five lengths separated the top 10 finishers in the 19-horse Kingês Stand field.
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