Lazzat blasts to Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee win for France

Lazzat gave France its first success of the week at Royal Ascot this afternoon after several near-misses. The Jerome Reynier-trained four-year-old took the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes to complete a double on the day for jockey James Doyle and hand Wathnan Racing its fifth victory at the meeting. He was France's first winner of this Group 1 sprint since before the Second World War.

As with Chesham Stakes winner Humidity, Lazzat had been bought privately by his new owners ahead of the meeting.

And he gave them an instant return, showing good speed to lead from the off. The 9-2 shot was pressed strongly in the final furlong by heavily backed 2-1 favourite Satono Reve in the final furlong but held on by half a length.

The runner-up emulated compatriot Agnes World's second place in the King's Stand Stakes in 2000 but their country remains without a winner at the meeting in 13 attempts.

The first two pulled three lengths clear of the rest, who were headed by Wathnan's second-string Flora Of Bermuda in third place.

The only false step was when Lazzat jinking at the sight of the winner's horse blanket after the race and unseated Doyle, who was unhurt.

Wathnan racing adviser Richard Brown: "It's been an amazing week and that has capped it off. What an amazing horse race, he's locked up with the Japanese horse there and they've gone a long way clear in a six furlong sprint. That was an absolutely phenomenal race to watch and to be on the lucky side is just amazing; what a horse. Huge credit to Nurlan Bizakov who bred the horse and has a lot of the family, we're just very lucky they sold him to us."

Jockey, James Doyle: "I can't take any credit for this at all. Jerome and his team told me all about him. His young jockey in France did a great job bringing through the ranks. I have to say Jerome was very confident. He said all week don't worry about the ground. We mapped the pace out and we thought if I end up leading I end up leading - he said don't worry, he won't stop. It worked out perfectly. You won't get a more genuine horse than this."

TDN 23/06/25