Reckless Abandon takes Norfolk honours Reckless Abandon won the opener at Royal Ascot this afternoon, the Norfolk Stakes, despite steering an erratic path. The son of American stallion Exchange Rate, who had beaten the reopposing Annunciation on debut, hit the front in the five furlong contest travelling strongly only to veer markedly to the left. Adam Kirby, however, managed to keep his colt's momentum going with the stand's side rail to help to claim a first Royal Ascot success. Annunciation had taken the field through their early paces but Richard Hannon's runner was in trouble approaching halfway with challengers spread across the width of the track. Favourite Cay Verde moved up ominously only to falter but Gale Force Ten, a rare runner in the race for Aidan O'Brien, came home strongly as did Ian's Dream and Morawij with the latter just missing out on the places. The winner margin was three quarters of a length and the same and was a third Royal Ascot success for trainer Clive Cox. Cox said: "He did it on his first start and in a perfect world, in a normal spring, he would have had a couple of runs (before running here). "It's a great team effort to have the horse here in this kind of order and I'm delighted for the owners, who have been good supporters. "He's very talented. Adam has done a grand job on him and I'm very proud. "It's just greenness (that saw him hang to the rail) and I think most of my horses improve with racing. He knew his job to win first time, but he's just got that tendency." Cox will now aim the winner at the Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, saying: "He's got bags of speed." Kirby said: "I had my stick in my left because I thought I'd bring him over to the right, away from the crowd on the left because when he won last time he just ran around. he's just a big baby. "As soon as I went for him, he ran left straight away . He's very special." Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Gale Force Ten, said: "I'm delighted with the run. We've often run a horse back in the Railway Stakes after this, so he would be a possible for that." Jeremy Noseda said of Ian's Dream: "I think he would prefer faster ground, but considering that was the second start of his life you'd have to be delighted with him. "I think we will go for a maiden now, and then something like the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood."
