Adrian Murray’s Valiant Force produced a power-packed punch to stun his rivals and defy a mammoth 150/1 starting price in the opening Norfolk Stakes on day three at Royal Ascot.
The son of Malibu Moon was scoring for the first time having been beaten on both previous outings and seemingly had it all to do following a fifth-place finish behind some reopposing rivals in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes.
It was a second success of the week for Rossa Ryan following his victory on Jimi Hendrix yesterday afternoon and a first Royal Ascot victory for Irish trainer Adrian Murray as Valiant Force became the joint longest-priced winner ever at Royal Ascot.
The race looked to develop towards the far side with Valiant Force always towards the fore. Rossa Ryan kicked his mount into the lead entering the final half furlong and although he hung right-handed in the closing stages, the result never looked in danger with the colt nicely clear to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Richard Fahey's 66/1 chance Malc. The well-fancied 7/4 market leader Elite Status stayed on well to finish third but never looked like reeling in the pair in front.
Murray said: "I can't believe it. I fell into racing by accident. A friend of mine got me involved in the Flat. It's magic. We were third here on Tuesday [in the Coventry Stakes] and I wondered if that would ever happen again.
"We knew Valiant Force was a nice horse and I couldn't believe the price – he was only beaten less than a length by His Majesty first time out and was 150/1 today. It didn't make sense – I knew he was much better than that. It's the stuff of dreams. It's great for the small man. I'm based in Mullingar and have had some right nice jumpers in the past. I love it, love racing."
Ryan, who was retained by Amo Racing until last autumn, said: "To be fair to the lads, they were confident he would run a big race. If you take away his last run at the Curragh when he was [left] on his own, he's run a stormer first time out in a Listed race and that's the most important form.
"He's bred well, he's bred to be a sprinter by Malibu Moon and if you look at him, he's something else to look at – he was almost the stand-out in the paddock beside Karl Burke's horse.
"He jumped well and did everything right – he was just in a rhythm and when I took a lead off Kevin [Stott on Thunder Blue] outside the two, I was always in a rhythm. I could have probably won further if something had come at me.
"He's got the job done and to be still associated with Amo Racing is a big part for me. To get Kia [Joorabchian, head of Amo Racing] his first Royal Ascot winner is redemption for defeat last year."
Fahey said of Malc: "I am delighted, absolutely over the moon. We thought we had a nice bunch, but it's so tough here and you need everything to go right. I just felt with a couple of the others it didn't go right, but today everything went right, he stuck his head down and had a go."
Asked whether he feels this is a pure five-furlong horse, he added: "To be honest, we feel he is a six-furlong horse but at Ascot you've nearly got to get six. Mid-part of the race there, I'm not saying that's where we lost it, but we just got a little bit outpaced and the winner got through strong. But I would have taken that well before the race."
Oisin Orr added: "Malc has run a lovely race. His inexperience maybe just told today. He got a bit outpaced mid-race and he stayed on well. I think he's going to come on when he goes up in trip."
Elite Status' trainer Karl Burke said: "He's a lovely horse with a great future in front of him. The Prix Morny was always the target before today, so whether that's changed – I'm just going to see Sheikh Obaid now – but I would imagine we will step him up into that type of race. He's a proper Group horse. He is not the finished article yet.
