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American Affair provided trainer Jim Goldie with his first victory at the highest level when battling on bravely to land the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
A five-year-old son of Washington DC - who was enjoying his first success as a stallion at the top-level – American Affair has gone from strength to strength this season, winning valuable handicaps at Musselburgh and York before finishing fifth in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at York.
Upped to Group 1 level for the first time, the Jim Goldie-trained gelding was sent off an 11/1 chance in the hands of Paul Mulrennan, who was happy to bid his time off the pace as Regional and Night Raider blazed a trail down the centre of the track.
Last year’s heroine Asfoora moved into contention travelling sweetly passing the two-furlong marker, but as her challenge petered out, both American Affair and Frost At Dawn set down for a protracted dual to the finish in the final furlong.
To her credit, William Knight’s Frost At Dawn (28/1) continued to battle on bravely under Mickael Barzalona but once headed, American Affair always looked to be doing enough out in front and clung on to score by a neck.
Regional finished back in third, with Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust a further position behind in fourth for Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan.
The field of twenty went without Mgheera, who pulled a shoe off and was withdrawn as per her trainer’s instructions.
Goldie, who has had horses hit the frame at Royal Ascot before, including Sir Chauvelin in the 2018 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes, said: “I have trained the family for three generations, so it's very sweet. This horse's grandfather [Orientor] had his day here [at the Shergar Cup], so we're pretty lucky that we can breed horses like that.
"American Affair is just getting faster. We went seven furlongs at Wetherby in his maiden, but we've learnt to run him over the right trip. We took him back to five and he is just getting better and better.
"I was quite confident he could do it today. He has the talent. I knew he was probably one of the fastest horses in the race, but it's how you control that. We've come down a day early, got him relaxed and it all fell into place. It means a lot.”
On how the race panned out, winning rider Mulrennan added: “It all went pretty smooth; I got a lovely tow along there. We just tweaked a couple of things today – we put a hood on him. The last day nothing went right at Haydock. Jim has always had a lot of faith in American Affair. He is a good horse.
“I am a northern jockey. I am riding Monday-to-Friday horses. To get here, just to come here and have a ride here is special. This is our Olympics. You’re riding with Ryan Moore, Christoph Soumillon and William Buick, the best jockeys in the world. The best horses, trainers, owners are all here – it’s a big stage.
“At this stage of my career, I probably have more years behind me than I have in front of me. It is hard enough to get rides here, so it's nice to come down here and have a ride, but to win a Group 1 here is very special. The last time I had a Royal Ascot winner [Dandino], I had jet black hair!”