Royal Ascot: Naval Crown wins Platinum Jubilee Stakes in Charlie Appleby one-two

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James Doyle on board Naval CrownImage source, Getty Images
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Naval Crown had never won over six furlongs prior to Saturday's Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot

Naval Crown and jockey James Doyle clinched an impressive victory in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The 33-1 shot narrowly denied the William Buick-ridden Creative Force to earn trainer Charlie Appleby a one-two finish on the final day.

The pair were followed across the line by America's Campanelle and Australia's Artorius in a dead-heat.

"It was a lovely surprise. I would be lying if I said I expected him to win today," Doyle told ITV Racing.

"He's not short on speed, he ran nicely behind Home Affairs and he saw it out well."

The result was a reversal of last season's Jersey Stakes at Ascot for the Godolphin pair.

"They are both tough horses. They have got a habit of finishing first and second," Appleby said.

Australia's Home Affairs, the 5-2 favourite trained by Chris Waller who won the King's Stand Stakes with Nature Strip on Tuesday, was out of contention with a furlong to go.

The Queen, who has been experiencing mobility issues and was not at Royal Ascot, ended the meeting without a winner as King's Lynn finished 14th.

Rohaan, ridden by Ryan Moore, became the first horse this century to claim back-to-back victories in the Wokingham Stakes - coming in at 18-1 to beat Popmaster by three-quarters of a length.

Chris Kiely, joint-owner of the David Evans-trained four-year-old with Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins, said it was "the best day" of his life as he had thought of retiring the horse following a fall on the gallops in May.

It was a seventh victory of the meeting for leading jockey Moore who partnered top trainer Aidan O'Brien's Broome (6-1) to victory in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Earlier, the Danny Tudhope-ridden Holloway Boy (40-1) powered home on his debut to take the Chesham Stakes.

In continuing trainer Karl Burke's fine form with juvenile runners, he became the first winning newcomer at Royal Ascot in 26 years.

Burke admitted he had only run the horse so the owner Nick White could get tickets for Ascot.

Appleby earned back-to-back wins in the Jersey Stakes following Creative Force's victory last season, thanks to 4-1 favourite Noble Truth, partnered by Buick.

Missed The Cut (5-2), ridden by James McDonald, claimed his third Ascot win of the week in the Golden Gates Stakes, riding clear by three lengths.

The 10-1 chance Stratum, trained by Willie Mullins, took the concluding Alexandra Stakes as Buick sealed a double.

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