'This is the best moment of my life' - Rohaan owner wins Wokingham again

Saturday: Wokingham Stakes, Royal Ascot

What a glorious sight it was to see Rohaan rushing home again, leaving it later than Manchester United did at the Nou Camp in the Champions League final of 1999. Just as he did 12 months ago.

This was the real Rohaan, the one we know and love. When he won the Wokingham last year it was after winning three of his previous four races, including the Group 2 Sandy Lane at Haydock. This time he returned to defend his crown with form figures of 0950878.

Owner Chris Kiely thought we would never see the real Rohaan again and admitted connections were contemplating retirement. It's lucky they didn't because that would have deprived us of this stunning last-gasp victory under a remarkably cool Ryan Moore.

"David [Evans] is a magician," said Kiely. "It wasn't looking good a few months ago. We were going to retire him, but I said to James Tomkins [joint-owner], the biggest supporter I've got and an absolute gentleman, that we'll carry on with this horse and we'll take him to the Wokingham again.

“The horse went to York and bombed out, then David rings me two weeks ago and tells me that he's going up the gallops like an absolute lion. He told me he was back."

He certainly did get him back and Rohaan looked better than ever, weaving between Popmaster and Mr Wagyu inside the final furlong to win by a cosy three-quarters of a length.

Kiely added: "I'm so emotional, I cannot believe this has just happened! This is the best moment of my life. I have two kids and I'm married but this is the best moment of my life."

Evans was much calmer than his owner, but said this victory felt better than his win in the race last year.

"He's a top-class horse and it was nice to see him come back to form," said Evans. "Ryan knew what to do and that's the only way you can ride him. He instilled confidence in him.

"From two out, there was never any doubt that he was going to get near them, but to go and win it is fantastic. It's a better feeling for me than it was when he won the race last year. It was just a fantastic performance."

When asked when he thought he would win, Moore replied: "Two and a half [furlongs] out. He'd been out of form and I wasn't sure what he was going to do, but then he started coming and I knew he'd win then.

"David has done a very good job with the horse. The horse tested him in the last couple of months, but he's got him back and he obviously enjoys Ascot. The race worked out very well for him."

It was a masterclass from Moore. That's not the first time we have said that this week.

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