Royal Ascot 2024: Illinois wins the Queens Vase under Ryan Moore

Illinois (7-4 favourite) gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a record-equalling eighth victory in the Group Two Queen’s Vase and jockey Ryan Moore and 80th Royal Ascot success on the second day of 2024 meeting.

Under Moore, the son of Galileo landed the 1m6f contest by a length-and-a-quarter from stable-mate Highbury (3-1) to see the Ballydoyle maestro draw level with the late Sir Henry Cecil on eight successes in the Group Two contest. Illinois, who has been second to subsequent Betfred Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby Trial last month, enjoyed the step up in trip to 1m6f and is now likely to be aimed at the final Classic of the season, the St Leger over the same trip at Doncaster in September. Illinois had sat in second just off front-running Mr Hampstead for most of the way with Highbury just in behind. But Moore moved into the lead two furlongs from home after the turn and stayed on really well to score well and Highbury brought home a one-two for his Irish trainer. Another Irish raider Jessica Harrington's Birdman (13-2) made it a 1-2-3 for Ireland.

O'Brien, who was bringing up his record-extending 86th winner at Royal Ascot, also saddled fifth home The Equator. The Irish trainer said: "We felt any three of them could win, but Ryan made the decision on this one. When Diego (Velazquez) got rerouted to the King Edward VII Stakes, this horse got rerouted to here. Ryan felt he would stay. He felt when he got beat at Leopardstown it was the ground and he felt he was very green when he went to Lingfield. Obviously, all those types of horses had a much easier time than they would normally have because they would be steered into the Derby, but when City (Of Troy) was there, it gave all these horse a chance to develop slowly. He's obviously a Leger-type horse and is going to improve from three to four."

He added: "He's a middle-distance, mile-and-six type horse and he's going to get better from three to four. He's a big, sound honest horse and a bit of a baby mentally still. He might have a bit of a rest now and go to York on the way to the St Leger, something like that. I think he might have a little more class than just a Cup horse and I think his sister (Danedream) won the Arc. Ryan said he was kind of caught in a position he didn't want to and wasn't getting an easy lead, he had to do it tough. When he went to the front he flattened out and he thought the race was over and then he asked him to come again and he did. He probably learned a lot today. I will be sure he is going to be a very good mile-and-a-half horse who will also get further."

On equalling the late Sir Henry Cecil's record of eight Queen's Vase wins, O'Brien said: "Obviously we're over the moon and we're so pleased for everybody. It's obviously massive teamwork all the way along and I'm always mentioning lots of names, but there are so many people I don't mention. There are a lot of people doing work that influences the careers of horses even before they are born and I never mention their names and I would love to. It's all about teamwork and we're just grateful to have the small part we have and it's unbelievable. They are homebred horses and there are so many people involved. It's incredible to be working with the people we are."

On Moore’s latest landmark, O’Brien said: “What can I say about Ryan that hasn’t already been said? He is an unbelievable man.”

On the runner-up, the Irish trainer added: "He's only a baby and we didn't know what to expect, but he's obviously a good horse. Wayne (Lordan) said he was babyish through the race but will come on as well. He is probably a Leger-type horse as well. He could go to Goodwood and then back to York. These are both Leger-type horses who could quicken up."

Moore was riding his 80th winner at the meeting just one behind the record holder Frankie Dettori, who retired from riding in Britain last year with 81 Royal Ascot winners.

Moore said: "Illinois has plenty of talent. He is doing a few things wrong still. At Lingfield, he hung right so we thought it would suit him coming here today, but he hung left with me. He has a good engine, he'll keep improving and is a real nice staying horse."

On Illinois potential as a future stayer and a crack at the Ascot Gold Cup, Moore added: “I wouldn't say he has to go that far. I think he'll get a bit more professional and you'll see a better horse. He doesn't need to go that far yet."

Birdman’s trainer Harrington said: “I am delighted with him as he is still very green. I thought he was going to pick up, but maybe the ground was a little bit quick for him. It was a big step forward. He is entered in the Curragh Cup but we could look at a three-year-old-only race, something like the Gordon Stakes.”

Saeed bin Suroor's Wild Tiger (11-2 joint favourite) made it four wins from four starts in Britain after coming through late on for victory in the Royal Hunt Cup and give jockey Oisin Murphy a double on day two of Royal Ascot after earlier success in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Running Lion.

The Godolphin-owned five-year-old scored by a head from Sonny Liston (17-2) – who was also second last year – as the 11-2 joint-favourite and give Bin Suroor a 39th Royal Ascot winner, and another in the Hunt Cup winner after Real World in 2021. 2021 Britannia Stakes winner Perotto (25-1) stayed on for third, a further three-quarters-of-a-length adrift.

Bin Suroor said: "I always liked him. Last year he had some tiny problems and I stopped running him. I don't think he is going to be a handicap horse, we will be looking for Group races, Group Three, but I think we will still be at a mile as he has plenty of speed. The numbers are down from 250 horses to 40 horses, but luckily we still have luck with some of them. Last year we had Mawj who was the 1,000 Guineas winner but also she won in America, a Grade One. Always we are searching for something, it's not easy. We have to keep a small number, but we have to think they could do something, it is not easy for the stable, luckily this horse has done good for us today. It's a big thing for the stable. It is not easy, but we do it because we have to do it, we have no options."