Royal Ascot 2011 - Prohibit wins King's Stand Stakes in late surge, Robert Cowell celebrates
King's Stand Stakes the five furlong (1000 meters) long track with an uphill finish was landed by Oasis Dream colt, Prohibit, to win the huge purse of $488, 313.
Trainer, Robert Cowel, was ecstatic at the same time extremely emotional stating “I’m overwhelmed. I’ve got sunglasses on, so you won’t notice I’m crying. It’s the best day of my racing life-it’s awesome”.
It was the first Grade One win for six-year old, Prohibit’s, connections and probably the sweetest because it was a star studded line-up and uniquely an international gate, which the Royal Ascot is not used to. It included the likes of Hong Kong’s Sweet Sanette and the 4-year old chestnut sprinter, Star Witness.
Prohibit, who was coming out of a win in the Prix du Gros-Chene, narrowly defeating Wizz Kid at Chantilly on 5th June, 2011, was up against a very competitive lot of 13.
The first two furlongs belonged to Hungarian Overdose, who galloped in front of the race, and, was shortly joined by Sweet Sanette, who pushed Overdose, for the first two furlongs.
The six year old mare showed her mettle and her pace peaked at the right time to edge past Overdose with a little over two furlongs remaining. But her tail was crowded with runners at the back asking serious questions, and pushed the mare to obtain top speed.
Prohibit, one of the pursuers of Sweet Sanette was neck-to-neck with Star Witness both trying to slip past one another and take on the leader. Guided by Jim Crowley, who knew, Prohibit had enough in the tank to take on both Sweet Sanette, and, Star Witness, that was still by his side matching stride-to-stride.
Prohibit pushed harder and managed longer strides than Star Witness to catch Sweet Sanette and powered past her to gain the lead and still had enough left in him to keep Star Witness at bay.
The King's Stand victor was placed at 16-1 winning odds, with Todd Pletcher’s Bridgetown, also starting the race at good winning odds, was accompanied by another US raider, Holiday For Kitten.
It is difficult to maintain pace at the King's Stand race course because it finishes at a steeper side and the horses find it a little hard to keep the pace high at the end of the race. Though it is five furlongs, the uphill finish at the end asks for wise tactics.
In this particular race the horses in the beginning broke in to two groups, one on the outside and the other nearing the rail and the ones, who kept a steady pace, and right before the end took advantage of the race course.
Prohibit was successful in shrugging off Star Witness and over-taking Sweet Sanette because he had enough in the tank to tackle the steep end easily.
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