'You can't buy this feeling' - ageless Serena Brotherton lands big amateur prize once again on Terries Royale
Serena Brotherton landed another major amateur prize when Terries Royale rallied to win the LK Bennett Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap.
The 53-year-old won the equivalent race three times when it was part of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes card, dating back to 2002.
After being headed, Terries Royale was switched right inside the final furlong when short of room behind the favourite Shaladar before finishing powerfully to score by a neck following a photo-finish.
"He's taken me into the race, but when he's got there he's been a bit green and wondered what to do," said Brotherton. "When Becky Smith came on Shaladar he then had something to concentrate on. He was really gutsy. I had to switch but he saw it out well on ground he clearly loves."
Brotherton made her debut on the Flat in 1994 and is approaching 150 winners, which include victory in the Queen Mother's Cup at York in June aboard Lord Melbourne, after which she was awarded her weight in champagne.
"You can't buy this feeling," she said. "Any winner is special but it's probably even more so at Ascot, especially after York this year. You never win the two good ones in the same season so I can't believe it – it's magic."
Classic contender
Ballet Slippers was introduced at 20-1 for the 1,000 Guineas after winning the 7f fillies' novice under Ryan Moore.
The daughter of Dubawi, out of six-time Group 1 winner Magical, justified odds-on favouritism and got off the mark at the third time of asking when toughing it out to beat Music Piece by a length.
"She has a great pedigree," said Moore. "She was entitled to win and will step forward. She has a great attitude and will be a nice filly next year."
Ballet Slippers was cut to 8-1 (from 10) by Paddy Power for next month's bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket as well as being introduced at 20-1 for both the Guineas and Oaks.
Doyle double
James Doyle secured the other two juvenile contests with victories aboard Juddmonte's Calla Lagoon and Wathnan Racing's Diego Ventura.
Calla Lagoon chased down Seaplane and kept on well to win the 7f maiden by a neck, with the favourite Isambard Brunel back in fifth.
"He would have been an unlucky loser," said trainer Ralph Beckett. "He didn't have much room at the furlong pole, but I liked the way he finished and we'll step up to a mile now.
"He'll definitely run again, but we've got to decide whether to aim him at a novice or to throw him in a bit deeper."
Doyle followed up when Diego Ventura overcame a slow start to win the 6f novice by a head from Spirit Of Farhh.
"He shouldn't really have won given the way things unfolded," he said. "He had to make up a lot of ground and I had to switch him out to the middle of the track to get a clear run. We then got a bit of a bump from the second, but the fact he has won giving weight away has to be positive."
Read more:
Isabella Oliver achieves first winner under rules at fifth attempt before big move to Australia
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