ITV Racing's Rishi Persad had to put down his microphone to step onto the Royal Ascot podium on Wednesday, after his horse Rogue Diplomat won the prestigious Royal Hunt Cup at odds of 28-1.
Persad was on duty for the network, conducting interviews with winning connections on day two of the five-day royal meeting. However, he found himself in the winners' enclosure not only as a presenter but also as an owner, following the thrilling victory.
Rogue Diplomat, trained by James Owen and ridden by jockey Harry Davies, powered up the stands rail to claim the 1-mile handicap by a length. Persad is a member of the Rogues Gallery Racing Club, whose other celebrity owners include Vinnie Jones, MC Neat, TOWIE star Elliott Wright, and former footballer Dean Windass.
Unexpected Victory
Persad expressed his surprise at the win, stating: "We didn't quite expect that. We had a couple of runners lined up and we weren't sure whether he should run because of the ground, which had firm in it. Most of his good form has come on soft ground, but Harry Davies and James Owen wanted to run."
He added: "At halfway we thought we were on the wrong side of the track. The last two furlongs were a bit of a blur because I couldn't believe how easily he won."
Confidence in the Horse
Despite the doubts, Persad noted the strong partnership between jockey and horse: "There were 30 plus runners and we were being 'diplomatic' about whether or not he had a chance because there were enough doubts today. Harry has a great record on this horse. He won four races at the back end of last season and he's got back on him today."
This marks the second Royal Ascot success for Persad, who was part of the same group that owned Rogue Millennium, winner of the 2023 Duke of Cambridge Stakes. "It's number two for us," he said. "Rogue Millennium won the Duke of Cambridge on this day three years ago."
