Archie Watson's Bradsell (14/1) was made to battle on bravely to get the better of John Quinn's superstar mare Highfield Princess (7/4 F) in a brilliant renewal of the King's Stand Stakes at Ascot this afternoon.
The Archie Watson-trained 2022 Coventry Stakes winner arrived following a fair third-place finish in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last month but looked to have something to find with the principals on his first outing over the minimum trip.
As always was going to be the case, the pace was frantic throughout with Bradsell and Highfield Princess both towards the fore on the far side of the track. Wesley Ward's Twilight Gleaming showed bundles of early speed on the same side before failing to sustain the gallop while Australian-raider Cannonball showed his customary early dash to lead the near-side group.
It soon became clear that the far side had the advantage, with Bradsell and Highfield Princess setting down to do battle entering the final furlong. The supplemented son of Tasleet struck the front entering the final fifty yards and although the mare Highfield Princess launched one final challenge, she was never quite able to get on terms.
Connections of Bradsell were made to sweat following a steward's enquiry after Hollie Doyle's mount hung left-handed in the closing stages, but the result never looked like being overturned with the colt comfortably a length clear at the line.
It was something of a redemption Group 1 prize for trainer Archie Watson, whose Dragon Symbol lost the 2021 Commonwealth Cup in the stewards' room.
Annaf ran on strongly to finish third at a whopping 50/1 while last year's runner-up Twilight Calls, who looked unlucky not to finish closer having encountered traffic problems, kept on nicely once in the clear to finish fourth (25/1).
Watson said: "I am delighted. When Dragon Symbol had the race taken away, it was terrible, and I didn't want to do too much celebrating, but I am just delighted for everyone. I know we're seen as a big yard, but for a yard like us to be winning a Group One here is the best thing on the planet. There was dread when that bing-bong [of the stewards' enquiry] happened, especially having just been chinned in the Coventry, but it's amazing and I'm so pleased for everyone involved.
"This horse was like a bull in a china shop over the winter and Michael Murphy [work rider] had to put up with a lot. He had to trot for months, and Michael does a fantastic job with him, day in, day out. Between him and Hollie, they ride the gallops together, and Mike rides him every day and has done an amazing job. My whole team have done a great job with him. We just felt this year he was showing a lot more speed in his races and not getting home over six. I thought we'd get a proper tow into the race today, and I didn't want to sound arrogant, but nothing could take us off the bridle until deep into the race, and it was kind of what we really felt with him. I'm just so glad he's justified the belief today.
"He's a Coventry winner over a stiff six here so he was always going to come back here over six; he wasn't ever going to be a miler or anything, so the plan all winter was to come to the Commonwealth Trial here and on to the Commonwealth Cup. I thought he showed up best of the horses in the Commonwealth Trial; I thought he got a bit tired late, so we ran in the Sandy Lane and he ran a similar sort of race, and I knew it couldn't have been tiredness that day. Even in the Coventry last year, they could only really take him to the four-and-a-half furlong pole and then Hollie had to say 'right, I'm getting on with this now'. He's got so much speed and it was an easy decision to pull back to five. It wasn't easy in terms of we had to pay £35,000 to supplement him – I was feeling slightly iffy yesterday when he was 40/1 in the betting, thinking, God, we've spent quite a lot of money for a 40/1 shot, but when he was 12/1 before the off I thought that's all right.
"I think Hollie and I have had 200-odd winners together now; she's been massive for my career and I hope vice versa. What I've always said about Hollie is that she is very consistent, she doesn't make many mistakes. She knows the team she's in, she loves the horses and she knows exactly how I want them ridden. For a yard like mine, to have one of the top five jockeys in the country, which she is, to ride our horses is just fantastic for us.
When questioned about future targets, Watson added: "Bradsell is in the July Cup, but he'll probably be taken out on Tuesday because he's not a six-furlong horse, is he, now?! I imagine the Nunthorpe will be the plan."
Doyle added: "Well done to Archie for supplementing him and stepping him back in trip, which he's really relished today. He loves this track.
"All credit to Mick Murphy who rides him every day because he's really turned a corner in the last few weeks. You can tell.
"It's always a gut-wrenching feeling when you hear the claxon go off. I pulled my stick through to my left hand to straighten him up. He was looking for a bit of company with Highfield Princess who was at his quarters.
"The way he travelled into it was unbelievable and he quickened up nicely. It was great to be on top of him."
John Quinn said of Highfield Princess, who could line up in Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes: "I was absolutely delighted with her. Jason [Hart] thought she was getting going again – when you're going straight and you get nudged that way – and he's certainly got a case.
"She is a six-year-old mare and she's run two fantastic races this season. The only thing that's holding us back is – and I don't make excuses, whatever the result is, well done to whoever – when you can run her and run her, she's better. I am not making excuses. If she ran well today, Saturday was always right in mind. We are leaving her down tonight and I'll go and have a look at her – if she's OK, she will run."
Bradsell was cut from 7/1 from 25/1 for July Cup success at Newmarket next month although the colts participation by no means looks certain.
