Platinum Jubilee Stakes: Naval Crown in 33/1 shock as Charlie Appleby trains first two home for Godolphin | Racing News

The stands rail proved the place to be on the final day of Royal Ascot as Naval Crown flew home to take the Platinum Jubilee Stakes and cause a 33/1 shock for Charlie Appleby.

Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin team trained the first two home, with Naval Crown denying the better-fancied Creative Force (12/1) under William Buick who stayed down the middle of the track, going down by a neck at the line.

It was even closer for the minor placings, as American raider Campanelle and Aussie sprinter Artorius dead-heated for third at the line.

Hot favourite Home Affairs (5/2) was a bitter disappointment for Australian trainer Chris Waller, who bagged the earlier Group One sprint at the meeting with Nature Strip on Tuesday.

He travelled well initially but weakened with over a furlong out, eventually finishing well-beaten in 20th.

Eventual third Campanelle helped take them along earlier, with around a dozen in with a chance in the two furlongs, but it was the boys in blue who found more and were three-quarters of a length clear at the line.

Winning rider James Doyle, who took out both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas earlier this season, admitted after the race he thought he had done enough to get the verdict on the line.

Doyle: It’s all about riding Royal Ascot winners

“I felt a bit easier once I saw the camera was on me,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“At halfway I just got a lovely draught into the race with Home Affairs. He faded around the two-and-a-half and we just had to be pretty brave and kick for home.

“He’s been campaigned over further and dropping back in trip so we knew the final furlong was a fair way but he has that stamina.

“Any season to get two Classics is just incredible. It sets the bar quite high and it’s a tough to follow but this is what it’s all about, riding winners here.”

‘They put us in our place on Tuesday!’

Charlie Appleby said that after the Australian demolition in the King’s Stand on Tuesday, it was good to get one back for the home team in the six-furlong sprint.

“They put us in our place on Tuesday in the King’s Stand so we felt we better serve it up to them a little bit more!

“They were two good horses that we were bringing into the race. To have two Dubawi’s going toe-to-toe, it was an exciting race to be a part of.

Coming into the race, they both worked alongside each other and Will [Buick] said he was having a job to split them.

“He sided with Creative Force because he’s been there and done it. Naval Crown it was his only second start over the six but he’s learning on the job.”