Danny Tudhope comfortable with Ascot at last after sensational week

Danny Tudhope has described Ascot as a difficult place to ride and said it has taken him a long time to get to grips with the track – but having partnered four winners at the royal meeting for the second time in four years, he has shown he rides it better than most.

Only Ryan Moore and William Buick rode more winners at the five-day meeting than Tudhope, who won three races in a row, including the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes on Dramatised, and then notched a fourth success with 40-1 stunner Holloway Boy in Saturday's Chesham Stakes.

Tudhope, 36, also had four winners at Royal Ascot in 2019, headed by Lord Glitters in the Queen Anne Stakes, and believes the experience he has gained at the course has proved vital.

"It was a very good week," Tudhope said. "You're hoping they run well, but to come away with four winners made it a great meeting.

"I get on well with the track, it's a hard one to ride and it has taken me a good few years to get used to it. It's difficult, I'm a northern jockey and I don't go down there very often, and it takes a long time to adapt to tracks like that. You're going into the big races against the best jockeys and it takes time."

Tudhope took great satisfaction from riding winners for his biggest supporter David O'Meara on Get Shirty and for Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor with Dubai Future, but the manner of Dramatised's victory for owner Steve Parkin, who he is retained by, was a real high point.

Danny Tudhope heads back in on Queen Mary winner DramatisedCredit: Mark Cranham

"Dramatised was the one that went in with high standards and was a weight off my shoulders," he said. "It was great for Steve, he loves his breeding and had Dramatised in his paddock as a foal.

"She's a filly with a lot of speed but we're going to have to try her over six and if she gets that it opens more doors. We will probably look at the Morny, she'll be stepping up to six furlongs but I think she'll get it."

There was hardly any expectation on Dramatised's stablemate Holloway Boy on his debut in the Chesham, but that has all changed after his remarkable success.

"I sat on Holloway Boy about ten days before at Ripon, the same day I galloped Dramatised, and I couldn't believe he was a two-year-old as he's absolutely huge," Tudhope said.

Holloway Boy: impressive winner on debut in the CheshamCredit: Ryan Pierse (Getty Images)

"He's a big backward horse who was always going to take a run, but I've learned at Ascot you can drop a horse in, ride them to run well and they can overachieve. I'm not saying he's overachieved, but the penny dropped throughout the race.

"He's a lovely horse and if they're good enough, they'll win if you ride them like that, and he could turn out to be decent."

Tudhope, who had his first ride in the Cazoo Derby earlier this month, finished second in the Flat jockeys' championship in 2019 and is in the chasing pack again, this time behind clear leader Buick.

However, he has played down his chances of mounting a serious challenge.

"I'm not really thinking about the title, I'd prefer to have quality over quantity," he said. "I'm probably one of the heavier lads in the weighing room and it's hard for me to do lighter weights.

"We've had a good year so far and I don't think there's any catching William Buick, and I'm happy doing what I'm doing."

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