Song makes it 50 for O'Brien at Royal Ascot Even Song justified heavy market support in the Ribblesdale Stakes to give Aidan O'Brien his 50th Royal Ascot success. Sent off the 15-8 favourite, Even Song was not too far behind a steady gallop set by Ted Durcan on Shall We. Oaks runner-up Architecture ran keen from a wide draw under Frankie Dettori and gave herself little chance of going one better. Roger Varian's maiden Ajman Princess had the perfect trip through on the rail and showed a determined attitude, keeping on gamely but she had no answer to Even Song's turn of foot. Everything opened up in front of Ryan Moore and she soon put the race to bed when asked a question. Even Song powered a length and a half clear of Ajman Princess, with The Black Princess holding off the fast-finishing Queen's Trust for third. Moore said: "She had a good turn of foot. We did go slow, but she relaxed well and was in tight quarters before we got a gap. "She's a very good filly. Architecture had a rough trip backing up from the Oaks. " This filly, we thought it was a good spot for her and Aidan has trained her with this mind. "Let's hope he gets to 100 - that would be more special." O'Brien was delighted the decision to bypass the Investec Oaks and come straight to Ascot had paid off. He said: "It's unbelievable. She's a lovely filly. Ryan rode her at Newmarket in the Pretty Polly and thought she was the second best filly so we decided to leave her and come here instead of going to Epsom. "It worked great and he gave her a lovely ride. "When it works, it's great and we were looking forward to seeing her run. Ryan thought after Newmarket she would get a mile and a half well and handle ease in the ground well, and it all worked lovely for her. I thought she won snugly enough on the line. "We were thinking we might go back to the Irish Oaks if all went well here, so that's what we might do." John and Sue Magnier were not at the track, but their daughter Katie Wachman paid tribute to O'Brien's achievement. She said: "It's incredibly difficult, but he's an incredible trainer. It's fantastic."
