Palace Pier won the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes to hand Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, his first success at the Royal Ascot meeting on Saturday’s fifth and final day.
The John Gosden-trained Kingman colt, given an enterprising ride from Frankie Dettori, swept to the front with a late run to deny Godolphin’s Pinatubo by a length. Aidan O’Brien’s Wichita was a short head further behind in third.
Dettori completed a hat-trick with that victory and Palace Pier stretched his undefeated run to four.
The veteran Italian jockey earlier won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes on American trainer Wesley Ward’s Campanelle and the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on board Alpine Star.
“What a day,” Dettori said after completing his hat-trick.
“It was hard to really get Palace Pier fit but John [Gosden, trainer] thought 'let's start him in a handicap [at Newcastle on June 6] which should wake him up', and it did.
“We weren't sure how much of a good horse he was, and today was no fluke. He went wide and I'm pleased he showed me today what I thought he could be.”
For a moment, it looked like Pinatubo, under William Buick, had the race in the bag when he moved from last to first, but had no answer to the terrific finish of Palace Pier at the end.
“Obviously it's disappointing to be beaten again but we saw the Pinatubo we saw last year, for sure,” trainer Charlie Appleby said of the Shamardal colt who was undefeated in six starts last year.
“From the three to the two [furlong], I thought it was just a matter of pressing the button again but Will said on that ground the tank was emptying over the last 100 yards. He is so courageous that he held on for second.
“We've seen what he can do on the easy track at Goodwood so the Sussex is an option. He is still a class animal. We're not going to write him off yet.”
Kevin Ryan’s Hello Youmzain with Kevin Stott edged Dream Of Dream’s in the silks of Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail by a head to clinch the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, the third Group 1 prize on offer on the final day of the royal meeting.
