Cause for a Hills celebration

Published on Saturday 18 June 2005 00:36

DAY four of Royal Ascot at York belonged to the Hills family, as trainer Barry and his twin sons Michael and Richard enjoyed an afternoon to remember, with Maids Causeway's thrilling win in the Coronation Stakes the undoubted highlight.

The filly, ridden by Michael Hills, pulled up slightly lame after losing a shoe in the race, which she won by a short head from Karen's Caper, but seemed to be none the worse for her win. She was sent off a 9-2 shot and was always in the front rank, taking it up three furlongs from home. Karen's Caper came to challenge a furlong-and-a-half out and although she got her head in front, Maids Causeway showed immense courage to get back up on the line.

At one point Karen's Caper was just shading it, but Maids Causeway showed the kind of guts her sire, 'Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway, was famous for to get back on top in the shadow of the post. Mona Lisa plugged on for third under Jamie Spencer.

Not to be denied, Richard Hills bagged both of the big handicaps of the day, the Wolferton Handicap on 25-1 shot Imperial Stride for Sir Michael Stoute and the King George V Stakes on Munsef (14-1) for John Dunlop.

Imperial Stride was regarded as Stoute's lesser light in the race, with the same stable's Promotion - owned by the Queen - sent off the 7-2 favourite, but came home a determined winner, one-and-three-quarter lengths clear of Aidan O'Brien's Mullins Bay. Bookmakers heaved a sigh of relief as Dermot Weld's Simple Exchange, who had been heavily backed all through the day from 9-1 down to 4-1, could not land a blow and finished in mid-division.

Hills then came with a telling run on Munsef to take the closing King George V Stakes and complete a double.

Earlier, Mark Johnson broke his duck for the meeting when Kevin Darley rode Melrose Avenue to victory in the Group 3 Queen's Vase, while the opening Albany Stakes was won by Jeremy Noseda's La Chunga (10-1), ridden by Jamie Spencer. The John Gosden-trained Plea Garden (9-2) landed a rough renewal of the Group 2 King Edward II Stakes for Jimmy Fortune.