Excelebration has his day in the sun

Excelebration and Joseph O’Brien. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Excelebration put up the performance of his career to crush his rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO, Europe’s richest mile race.

In so doing, he made it four-out-of-four for Ireland on QIPCO British Champions Day and with no Irish runner in the QIPCO Champion Stakes that follows, the Irish will leave Ascot with a 100% record for the day.

Excelebration was always travelling easily behind the leaders, but for a short while his jockey, Joseph O’Brien, could not find a gap to make his challenge.

When the gap came over a furlong from home, the result was never in doubt.

Excelebration sluiced past Cityscape inside the final furlong and powered three lengths clear in effortless style.

What a compliment that paid to Frankel, who had beaten Excelebration by 11 lengths over the same course and distance at the Royal Meeting!

Cityscape finished second and Elusive Kate third, with the Queen’s runner, Carlton House, in fourth.

The winning trainer, Aidan O’Brien, said: "We are delighted. He’s been working brilliant. He’s got an awful lot of speed and class, and Joseph was confident.

"The lads did a great job with him at home.

"We rode him different that day (behind Frankel in the Queen Anne). We probably learnt a lot and he’s progressing.

"If he’s OK and everybody is happy we’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup."

The victory secured the Jockey of the Series title for Joseph O’Brien and Trainer of the Series for Aidan O’Brien, for whom this was a seventh Series victory in 2012.