Almeraq (25-1) just prevailed in a thrilling four-way finish to provide a poignant victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot 2026 on Saturday afternoon.
The William Haggas-trained four-year-old Dark Angel colt's regular jockey Jim Crowley, number one pilot for owners Shadwell Estate, is out injured following Almeraq's terrible fall in the Sky Bet Starman Garrowby Stakes at York in September last year. That Listed contest on the Knavesmire was won by stable-mate Elmonjed. But at Ascot, Almeraq had his day in the sun, under deputy Tom Marquand, who paid tribute to the stricken Crowley after the race.
And in yet another exciting finish in the Group One sprint feature of the final day of the Royal meeting, Almeraq just got the better of three international raiders scoring by a nose from Satono Reve (5-2) – the Japanese seven-year-old who was runner-up for a second year running – under Ryan Moore. Australia sprint star Joliestar (15-8 favourite), was a short-head back in third with French raider Stolen Kiss (33-1) a head away in fourth.
Almeraq came latest on the scene as Chris Waller's Joliestar and the Noriyuki Hori-trained Satono Reve were battling for supremacy. But it was just Almeraq who put his head down on the line to triumph.
Jockey Marquand pays tribute to Crowley
Jockey Marquand paid tribute to Crowley. He said: "I'm not just saying this for effect, genuinely my first thought when I thought I'd won was for Jim. This horse and him both took horror falls at the back end of last year, Jim's fighting for his career, he should be aboard this horse, it's his (ride). For Jim, this is as hard as it gets, missing Group Ones. It's great to have him here and hopefully he can find a bit of pleasure seeing this lad get up off the ground and win a big one."
"He had a horrific fall at York at the backend of last year and your thoughts are obviously with Jim (Crowley) who's not managed to make it back in time for horses like this and that's tough. He did an exceptional job today of getting himself up from a crowded position that he wasn't enjoying all too much, his confidence is still probably building a bit. It probably made him look like he was in trouble a long way out, he wasn't really, he just didn't know how to wedge himself back in."
"We had Tiber Flow in a very similar situation a couple of years ago and he was the same, took him a couple of runs to just build confidence. He obviously had that run at Salisbury where he was down the inside and that would have done him a lot of good but I think, if anything today, he'll realise that it's not all as scary as it might have been at York that day. He's a wonderfully talented horse. Andrew Tinkler rides him every day, everyone knows him from his jumping days. Fantastic that they've got the horse back to this level."
"I think he's the epitome of Somerville Lodge, they give horses time and they're so patient with him. To have Sheikha Hissa here today is wonderful and I hadn't ridden Somerville Lodge a Group One Royal Ascot winner so that was important. Thrilled to do so on a horse like him that shows what they really do."
Trainer Haggas delighted with Almeraq
Trainer Haggas added: “As you know, he had a fall at York last year and poor Jim got injured. He took a long time to come back and it’s been gently, gently this spring. He won nicely at Salisbury, but this is a completely different jump in class and he’s managed to cope with it. He’s a beautiful horse, we’ve always loved him, a big, strong, powerful horse, and I think he’ll get better, because he’s pretty lightly raced. I am thrilled for Shadwell. I’ve been involved with them for quite some time now, and to have a Group One winner for them on the biggest stage is terrific. It’s very hard for all of us [to win here], everyone is trying to compete, and to win is great."
“He was pretty shook up after York. It’s quite hard to fall in a race like that at speed, and for a young horse, going at speed, it was difficult, but we gave him a lot of time. There was no need to get him ready for the autumn, and this has proved it and now it’s onwards and upwards. He’s fine now. I thought this ground might be a bit quick for him; he’s got big feet on him, but it clearly wasn’t. The straight track here, slow-ground horses can cope with fast ground. I’m not saying he’s a slow-ground horse, he was terribly impressive one day on slow ground at Ayr. But he’s taken his form to a new level and we’re absolutely delighted with him."
Crowley's mixed emotions
Crowley was delighted for the horse, despite being on the sidelines. He said: “Amazing. It’s one of those – he was in the Haydock Park Sprint on the Saturday, and the Listed race on the Sunday, and I wish he’d run on the Saturday, because I’d have been on him today. It’s one of those things. We always believed he was a Group One horse. It was amazing for William Haggas to get him back, because he took just as heavy fall as I did – I think I broke his fall, in fact – to get that horse back from that is amazing. Mixed emotions because I want to be on him, it was a tough watch, I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life, but I’m so pleased for everyone involved."
On the third-placed Joliestar, jockey James McDonald said: "She ran superbly. I’m so proud of her. I don’t really think anything could have gone better as it really unfolded well for us."
Thesecretadversary wins Jersey Stakes
Thesecretadversary (20-1) won the Group Three Jersey Stakes to give Irish trainer Fozzy Stack a second winner of the week. Under Seamie Heffernen, the St Mark's Basilica colt dropped back in trip to seven furlongs to triumph by a neck from another Irish raider, the Johnny Murtagh-trained Take Charge Star (50-1). The front pair were well clear of the rest with John and Thady Gosden's Morris Dancer (25-1) four-and-a-half lengths back in third with Green Sense (80-1) another length-and-three-quarters further adrift in fourth.
Thesecretadversary won the seven-furlong Group Three Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks Stakes at Leopardstown in April but finished fifth and sixth in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas and the Irish 1,000 Guineas respectively when stepped up to a mile. But back down in trip he made it two winners from two runners for his Tipperary trainer, whose father Tommy is most famous for partnering Red Rum to his historic third Grand National win at Aintree Racecourse in 1977.
Stack, who also won the Listed Chesham Stakes with Nola Soul on Thursday, said: "He put in a huge performance in two Classics when things didn't go his way and he had a 3lb penalty. It wasn't a surprise to me, it was a surprise how much he drifted actually. Ninety per cent of the horses in the fields here are good horses so they just need to turn up on the day and everything to go right. It's lovely to get one (winner), two is unbelievable and I'm so pleased for Mrs Rupert and the Magnier family, they've been great supporters, we go back a long way with the two of them; it's great you know."
Jockey Heffernan, landing an eighth Royal Ascot winner, said: "It's been my fault [that he hasn't settled better before today], he should have been placed in two Classics. He's probably a six furlong horse, he's got a lot of pace, good attitude and his owners are super because they understood, they seen what went wrong in the two Classics. Fozzie said we'll go Jersey, he's got the pace to win it. Funnily we thought he was a mile and a quarter horse but every run he gets quicker, there's a big chance he's more speed than stamina. I'm not riding any worse than I was 20 year ago, I love it."
On the runner-up, trainer Murtagh said: "He’s a very good horse – he’s the best horse I’d have in the stable. He’s always shown us plenty. We ran him in the Irish Guineas, he hasn’t quite stayed the mile the last twice, but I thought this race would really suit him. Good fast pace, likes fast ground – I thought he was coming. In fairness to the winner, he kept going. They went four lengths clear of the third, so you have to be very proud. Hugely sick inside, but the owners are over from America, they’ve had a great experience their first time in Royal Ascot. Proud of the horse, but no one remembers the second!"
