Bow Echo edges Royal Ascot win to remain unbeaten

ByBen Collins

BBC Sport journalist

Bow Echo remains unbeaten after holding off Gstaad to win a grandstand finish in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The 5-6 favourite beat Gstaad in the 2,000 Guineas last month and 20-year-old jockey Billy Loughnane ensured he repeated the feat by a short head.

The three-year-old colt regrouped after a rough start to the one-mile race before Loughnane stayed out of trouble on the outside.

Ryan Moore took Gstaad up the inner and was rewarded when his Aidan O'Brien stablemate Puerto Rico drifted off the rail.

And although Gstaad closed with every stride over the final 100 yards, Bow Echo did just enough to clinch victory in a photo finish.

"It's fine margins in this game and luckily he was on the right side of it today," said trainer George Boughey.

"I was feeling pretty good a furlong out, but then Ryan started coming back. I did sort of think that Aidan had always said that his horse would get further so huge credit to the runner-up as he was gallant today."

Boughey said it was now "all systems go for Goodwood" while Loughnane added: "This horse is such a superstar.

"It's a great day and a Group One winner at Royal Ascot, it really doesn't get much better. We just showed how much of a true warrior this horse is."

Earlier on Tuesday, Mission Central won the King Charles III Stakes while Ten Bob Tony pulled off a shock victory in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Mission Central triumphed to complete the set of Group Ones at Ascot for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

Approaching the final stages of an international battle in the King Charles III Stakes, Overpass and 2024 winner Asfoora were leading the charge for Australia.

But 14-1 shot Mission Central, a three-year-old Ballydoyle gelding, swooped late on the stands-side rail to deny Rayevka of France by a head.

Overpass was third as Irish trainer O'Brien enjoyed his 98th winner at this meeting.

"That five [furlongs] is very quick and they went hard today, which suited him," said O'Brien. "He's got an awful lot of speed.

"He's a horse that could suit The Everest at the end of the year.

"I do think he will get further in time. We know he gets six [furlongs] and I think he might stay further than that too."

Moore, who himself reached 93 Ascot winners, added: "Aidan can do anything. His record is incredible and everything he runs here this week will have a chance."

Ten Bob Tony caused a surprise in the Queen Anne Stakes as the 50-1 outsider snatched victory in the meeting's opening race.

Ed Walker's five-year-old was having just his third run over a mile - and first since May 2024 - but stayed on strongly under Kieran Shoemark.

Opera Ballo was in front entering the final furlong until More Thunder moved into contention, before Ten Bob Tony came over the top from the back of the pack to win by half a length.

Notable Speech, who claimed an impressive win in the Lockinge Stakes last month, never really threatened as the 9-4 favourite.

Ten Bob Tony was previously seen as a seven-furlong specialist, winning over that trip at Epsom on Derby day, and is named as a tribute to owner Simon Sadler's father.

"I've lost my voice already, it's day one!" said Walker. "I can't say that was expected.

"Simon Sadler is such a sporting guy. He loves the David and Goliath story. He's so up for having a go and when the horse was as well as he was after Epsom, we knew we had to.

"We agreed we'd sit last and pass as many as we could in the final furlong," Walker added. "This horse is just a legend.

"Like it can do here at Ascot, it just fell apart in the last furlong. Kieran didn't commit him too early and saved him for a finish."