'You couldn’t make it up' - Jimi Hendrix leads home Royal Hunt Cup 1-2 for Chelsea Thoroughbreds and Ralph Beckett

Same owners and same trainer, yet stablemates Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Liston could not have been more antisocial with each other in the race itself as they stayed wide apart, yet somehow managed to complete an astonishing 1-2 for Ralph Beckett and Chelsea Thoroughbreds in one of most competitive handicaps of the season, never mind the week. 

Jimi Hendrix stayed on the little wing on the far side. Well, 14 of them went that way and 16 came down the near side. He won his side by nine lengths with Dual Identity doing second-best of the low numbers in 12th – yes, 12th. 

Sonny Liston knocked out everything on his side, but could get to within only two lengths of his neighbour at Kimpton Down stables in Hampshire. It was a terrific training feat by Beckett and a glorious triumph for syndicates. 

It turned out Ryan Moore had the choice of the two and picked the wrong one. Rossa Ryan gobbled up the scraps and proved the most able deputy, kicking for home more than two furlongs out and never looking in danger from that point on. 

Beckett, who was celebrating his fourth Royal Ascot success, said: "I gave Ryan Moore the choice. He could have ridden him. It’s great to get Sonny Liston back and he has to be ridden patiently like that – we think. He’ll probably go for the John Smith’s now. I’m thrilled to bits with him.

"I always felt Jimi had a day like this in him. He won the Spring Cup well, but he didn’t go so well back on the Rowley Mile. I thought I’d win a Cambridgeshire with him last year, but that doesn’t matter now, he’s won today and it’s wonderful. 

"You couldn’t make it up, really. I thought we might win the Lincoln with him, as well. He has always threatened to do something like this."

Rossa Ryan rides Jimi Hendrix to victory in the Royal Hunt Cup on day two of Royal AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

This was the day Jimi Hendrix rocked the place and anybody lucky enough to do the forecast for even a quid got £500 back, while the exacta on the Tote paid £423.36 to a £1 stake. 

Winning jockey Ryan deflected all the praise on to the trainer. "Ralph is a genius," he said. "We figured out a lot last time at Newmarket when he didn’t run up to scratch. Ralph has freshened him up lovely and credit to him and everyone at Kimpton. I get the easy job of riding him, but the lads behind the scenes do all the work. This one is for them."

It's one for you too, Rossa. Your second Royal Ascot winner and there are surely many more to come.

Read more:

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