Slew lands spoils in Ribblesdale

Stamina won the day as Sahara Slew ground down the front-running Nafisah to land the the spoils in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot today.

John Oxx`s filly, a 14-1 shot, was ridden to challenge inside the final furlong and just got the better of Nafisah inside the last 100 yards by a head.

'We have always liked her and she was ready to run earlier in the season but met with a setback.' said Oxx about filly, who was making only her third start.

'We thought she was improving and it`s always worth running a filly on the upgrade especially at this time of year as you can never be sure how much they will improve. She has done us proud today.'

The Irish Oaks at the Curragh next month now looks to be the target for the winner.

'If she comes out of this alright and we think she is still on the upgrade we would like to run in the Irish Oaks.' added Oxx.

The race was some consolation for Johnny Murtagh who misses the Irish Derby after picking up a ban in the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday.

'When she got there she put her head in the air and I had to push her out to the line,' said Murtagh, who also won the St James`s Palace Stakes on Black Minnaloushe.

Steven Drowne claimed another big scalp in his role as 'super-sub'.

Just a day after getting the better of Mick Kinane when deputising for the suspended Craig Williams to land the Queen Mary Stakes on Queen`s Logic, he demoted Frankie Dettori to second place as he lifted the Cork And Orrery Stakes on Harmonic Way.

Drowne, only on board the 10-1 shot as Richard Hughes was claimed to ride the unplaced Tillerman, looked to have his work cut out in the Group Two sprint as Dettori hit the front just over a furlong out on 6-1 favourite Three Points.

But Drowne flew up the stands` side rail to lead inside the final furlong and held on score by a length.

'I have never finished so fast on any horse,' the rider said.

'Two furlongs out I was eight lengths down on Frankie and I thought I have got to start creeping.

'But the minute I even thought it he picked up and then I am almost going to get there too soon.

'I got to his quarters and gave him a breather and he has done everything right for me.

'These have definitely been the best two days of my career. When I broke my left leg last year I thought it would take a couple of years to get back in the swing but I have got back on some great horses.'

'The more he races the more relaxed he becomes,' said winning trainer Roger Charlton.

'We could go anywhere but one would assume one would go to the July Cup with this horse. The more competitive the race the better it is for him.'

Harmonic Way`s odds for the July Cup were slashed from 16-1 into 8-1 second-favourite after the race by the Tote.

Aidan O`Brien recorded his fourth winner of the week when Johannesburg ran out an impressive winner of the Group Three Norfolk Stakes.

The 11/8 favourite was settled in rear by Mick Kinane as Kulachi set a blistering pace. Kinane made his move on the outside with two furlongs to go and soon put the race beyond doubt - scoring by a length-and-a-quarter from Waterside.

'He showed today that he is a good horse and I thought he won with authority.' commented part owner Michael Tabor afterwards.

Murtagh dominated the day, rattling off a 2,024-1 treble.

He produced top weight Beekeeper, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, with a well-timed run to beat Tomasino - representing the Royal Rebel team of Mark Johnston and Peter Savill - by half a length in the King George V Handicap.

Beekeeper is owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Ltd, who had won the same race four years ago with Heritage and their spokesman Harry Herbert said: 'This has cheered up all the team after Petrushka`s injury. We thought that was the end of the world.'

Herbert added that Beekeeper was likely to be trained for the St Leger, with the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August as the stepping stone.