Bayside Boy sprung a 33/1 surprise in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot as Frankie Dettori’s bid for a Champions Day treble on Inspiral fell apart at the start.
Sent off a well-fancied 11/10 favourite, Inspiral stepped slowly out of the stalls and was soon tailing the Group One field as Jadoomi took them along under James Doyle.
Simon and Ed Crisford’s runner (9/1) was still in front at the final furlong pole, with El Drama and Modern Games giving chase.
Dettori tried in vain to get Inspiral going but could do no better than make some late gains in midfield.
All the while, Tom Marquand on Roger Varian’s Bayside Boy gained ground on the far side and showed a strong turn of foot to pick off Jadoomi, with Modern Games also coming past the longtime leader at the line for second place under champion jockey Buick.
Varian – who was also responsible for fifth-placed at El Drama – said: “It’s a funny old game, a funny old game. I need to watch it again, because I was shouting El Drama home, who I thought had a huge chance with two to run. Then I
saw Bayside coming and I thought, ‘Oh, hang on’, and then he went ‘phwoof’, he was very good wasn’t he?
“It looked a slowly-run race and it looked nearly impossible to come from the back, so I will need to watch it again.
“Tom has given him a peach, because I didn’t think it was being run to suit him at halfway because they went steady and I really got excited for El Drama who had a lovely spot with two to run.
“He was 33/1, so I’m not going to say he was going to win, but we thought he was a lively horse – he had very good juvenile form, but lost his way on the firm ground.
“In the French Guineas he was drawn wide in the car park, Goodwood he didn’t really enjoy the Thoroughbred Stakes coming down the hill on very firm ground.
“I am delighted for the owners, they have been very patient. With horses, usually if it is in there, if you wait, it will come.
“He has had to step up massively on the form of winning the Fortune Stakes at Sandown, but that was a confidence-boosting run and that showed he really enjoyed that soft ground.”
