Royal Ascot: Khaadem scores back-to-back upsets in Queen Jubilee

Another year at Royal Ascot and another major upset by Khaadem.

Last year, Khaadem ($148.90) was the unexpected winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at six furlongs. On Saturday, Khaadem won the same race again, but this time paid just $34.60.

Between those victories, the 8-year-old gelding was winless in four Group 1 or Group 2 sprints in Britain.

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On Saturday, Khaadem rallied from eighth in a field of 13 to win by a half-length over 13-1 Swingalong. Given a cool ride by jockey Oisin Murphy, Khaadem tracked the pace for the first half of the race, run on a straightaway course, before gradually moving closer to the leaders.

With a strong rally between runners, Khaadem reached the front in the final sixteenth.

“I thought for the majority of the last two furlongs he would win, and I was able to enjoy it a little bit,” Murphy said. “There was a lot of speed, particularly after a furlong. When it began to slow down late, he came alive.

“The horse loves Ascot and he was well-prepared. It was a pretty easy ride.”

Trainer Charlie Hills said the good-to-firm condition of the turf at Royal Ascot worked in favor of Khaadem.

“He got a fantastic ride off the pace and he never looked like he was going to get beat,” Hills said. “He traveled beautifully through the race. I think fast ground is key to him.”

Swingalong finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Millstream, the 7-2 second choice. Believing, the 3-1 favorite, fourth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Khaadem, owned by Fitri Hay, became the first repeat winner of the Queen Jubilee Stakes since Right Boy in 1958-1959 and the first 8-year-old to win.

By Dark Angel, Khaadem has won 9 of 34 starts in a career that includes victories against 26 rivals in the Stewards’ Cup at six furlongs at Goodwood in 2019, and the Group 2 Qatar Stakes at five furlongs at Goodwood in 2022. In his only previous start this year, Khaadem finished 13th of 14 in the Group 2 Clipper Stakes at six furlongs at York in May.

Khaadem was not the first longshot winner at Royal Ascot on Saturday.

In the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at 1 1/2 miles, Isle of Jura ($29) won the most prestigious race of his career and for the eighth time in 11 starts.

Ridden by Callum Shepherd in his first Royal Ascot victory, Isle of Jura stalked the pace to early stretch before taking the lead with more than a furlong remaining. Isle of Jura pulled away to win by 3 3/4 lengths over the French shipper Goliath, a 20-1 outsider.

Middle Earth, the 9-5 second choice, closed from off the pace to finish third. Continuous, the 3-2 favorite, failed to pose a threat in the stretch and finished fifth by six lengths.

Continuous, trained by Aidan O’Brien, won the Group 1 English St. Leger at Doncaster last September. The Hardwicke Stakes was the first start for Continuous since he finished fifth in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris last October.

The California-based Missed the Cut finished last of nine, failing to mount a challenge. Trained by John Sadler, Missed the Cut won two Grade 3 races at Santa Anita earlier this year and was second in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April.

Isle of Jura, trained by George Scott for Victorious Racing of Bahrain, has won five consecutive starts, including three races in Bahrain in February and March. At Goodwood on May 24, Isle of Jura won his 2024 British debut in the Festival Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

The Queen Jubilee and Hardwicke Stakes were the two leading races on the final and final day of the Royal Ascot meeting.

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