Naval Crown Provides Shock Win in Platinum Jubilee thriller

Naval Crown provided a shock on the final day of Royal Ascot to edge home the winner in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

Ridden by James Doyle, Naval Crown narrowly denied stablemate Creative Force to lead home a one-two for Godolphin.

The four-year-old was at 33-1 pre-race, running over six furlongs for only the second time and won the race by a neck following a thrilling finish.

Doyle has enjoyed a remarkable season so far with three Group 1 wins following a successful weekend at the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket.

The 34-year-old won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas with Coroebus before winning the QIPCO 1000 Guineas the next day with Cachet.

There was a dead-heat for third between the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle and Artorius, just half a length behind the runner-up.

The 5-2 favourite Home Affairs, whose stablemate Nature Strip won the King’s Stand Stakes earlier in the week, faded into 20th of 24 runners.

The third race in the QIPCO British Champions Series Sprint category, Ascot’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes is run on the last day of the Royal Meeting.

The victory is trainer Charlie Appleby’s second Platinum Jubilee Stakes after James Doyle won the race on Blue Point in 2019.