Round flops as Buratino wins the Coventry Mark Johnston's Derby day winner Buratino followed up in some style in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The son of Exceed and Excel routed the opposition in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom just 10 days ago and was a 6-1 shot stepped up to Grade Two company in Berkshire. William Buick buried the youngster in the middle of the pack for much of the six-furlong journey, before switching him towards the stands side to launch his challenge. Buratino showed off his gears as he quickened up to the lead and only had to be pushed out hands and heels in the last 100 yards to beat Aidan O'Brien's Air Force Blue by two lengths. Eltezam was third ahead of two of the winner's stablemates, Beaverbrook and Ode To Evening, in fourth and fifth respectively. Round Two was the 9-4 favourite for Jim Bolger, but having raced close to the pace he weakened out of contention and was ultimately disappointing. The winner was given a 12-1 quote for next year's 2000 Guineas by Betfred Buick said: "He travelled so well. I had a lot of belief in him after the Woodcote, but fair play to Mark Johnston as he's come on for every run. "It's a huge thing to get a win on the board early, I'm very pleased to do it for my boss (Sheikh Mohammed). "He's very exciting, he's the best two-year-old around at the moment. I see no reason why he wouldn't stay seven furlongs, but there's no need to go that far yet." Sheikh Mohammed, in whose Godolphin silks the winner ran, said: "It's very good to start (the meeting) with a win, he's a very good horse, he's improving. "Mark Johnston has done very well with him. "He's my son's horse so we'll discuss with him where to go." Johnston said: "I kept my feet on the ground with him. You just had to look at the bare form. He got beat at Ascot and again at Sandown, but stepping him up in trip has obviously been the key. "William has now ridden him three times and the horse has got better in his estimation and given him a better feel. "William told Sheikh Mohammed he wouldn't be frightened to run him over seven furlongs later in the year. "We'll discuss where to go next. He's a different horse now. "When he won on the first day of the season Simon Crisford (former Godolphin racing manager) said put him away for Ascot, but I think they need experience and when Attraction won the Queen Mary she'd run a few times. "When you go to Ascot you need experience under your belt." O'Brien said of Air Force Blue: "We thought it might be coming up a bit quick for him, but he's run well. "He's one we've always liked and we hope he progresses. "We were a bit worried he would be babyish and green, I would have liked to have got one more run into him. "He's one to look forward to." Harry Herbert, racing manager to Eltezam's owners Al Shaqab Racing, said of the Richard Hannon-trained youngster: "He's run a hell of a race. We'll take a view whether he's a Newmarket (July meeting) horse or go to Goodwood."
