More Irish eyes smiling at Royal Ascot Well Sharp, whose connections are more used to celebrating winners at the Cheltenham Festival than Royal Ascot, was a convincing winner of the Ascot Stakes under Fran Berry. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained, JP McManus-owned gelding powered home at the end of two-and-a-half miles to win by two-and-a-half lengths from 4/1 favourite Tiger Cliff, who was running on at the finish. Mysterious Man took them along under Jimmy Fortune but he proved to be a sitting duck in the straight, eventually finishing fifth as Liuetenant Miller and Mubaraza filled the remaining places. O'Neill said: "Everything went according to plan. Fran had him in a lovely position all the way. "It looked like he was travelling nicely all the way. Turning in it looked like he would pick up. "We thought he'd stay but you never know. It looked like he stayed at York, but you never know. It was brilliant, my second Royal Ascot winner, so I'm very pleased." Berry said: "I had a lovely tow through the race and it couldn't have worked out better. "That last two furlongs I didn't know if he was going to stay, but he did stay. He'd gone up 10lb for the last day but we fancied him. "It's my first Royal Ascot winner and it means a lot." Lady Cecil, whose late husband trained 75 Royal meeting winners and had earmarked this race for Tiger Cliff, said: "We can't be anything but absolutely delighted. "He stayed the trip very well and Tom said it was a stop-start gallop. I'm very proud."
