Almaqam delivers the goods in Tattersalls Gold Cup A son of Lope De Vega, Almaqam registered a top-level success with an utterly brilliant display in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. The five-year-old ended last season by finishing third behind Calandagan and Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes and headed into the lion’s den of the Curragh for his first outing of the campaign. Sent off 13-2 in the hands of Kieran Shoemark, the bay’s rider was bullish from the off as he rolled forward and got his mount in the prime position to accelerate for home in the straight. He then advertised every ounce of his class to lead home an all-British one-two-three, with George Scott’s Bay City Roller two lengths behind in second and Roger Varian’s Saddadd, Almaqam’s half-brother, in third. As a result of the victory Almaqam is now 6-1 for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot with Coral. Winning trainer Ed Walker said: “Kieran was absolutely brilliant on him and has really got to know him. He is a horse who needs waking up and engaging, as he is so laid-back. I thought he gave him a peach of a ride. “Fair play to the horse, as he hadn’t run for a long time and he dug deep. It is a sigh of relief too, as I have banged on about this horse for long enough now so it is great to finally do it. People were probably bored with me talking about him and not producing, so hopefully this is his year and we could aim high now. “This is a seriously tough division and it won’t be easy wherever we go but he has bagged a big one now. This is my first winner in Ireland so at least I can come back with some confidence.” As well as it being Almaqam’s first strike in Group One company, it was Shoemark’s first since Friendly Soul’s Prix de l’Opera triumph on Arc day in 2024 and a first for Walker since Makarova’s Abbaye triumph on the same Parisian afternoon. Sent off 4-6 favourite, Minnie Hauk could manage only fifth and her trainer Aidan O'Brien reflected "They jumped, went for three furlongs and Ryan gave her a chance but then the pace went out of the race completely. Ryan ended up at the back on a 1m4f-filly so had no chance. "We'll see what the lads want to do but Royal Ascot is very possible (Prince Of Wales's Stakes). She wants an even end-to-end 1m4f to be competitive, so we are putting a line through today."
