The Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot delivered another thrilling finish as Quai De Bethune powered home in the final moments to snatch victory, much to the delight of his connections. The three-year-old colt, trained by Andrew Balding, displayed resilience and class, producing a perfectly-timed run under jockey Oisin Murphy to edge out the favourite, Seraph Gabriel, right at the finish.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Quai De Bethune, who appeared unsettled in the early stages. However, once given clear running room in the straight, he shifted gears and produced an electrifying burst of speed. His late surge proved just enough to deny Seraph Gabriel, who had looked poised for victory. The French-trained Best Secret stayed on well to claim third, finishing a length behind the front two.
The win marked the fourth success at this year’s Royal Ascot for trainer Andrew Balding and the 15th of his career at the prestigious meeting. Balding expressed his satisfaction, noting that this race had been the long-term target for Quai De Bethune, though he acknowledged that luck plays a big role on these competitive occasions.
For jockey Oisin Murphy, this was his fifth handicap victory of the week and his 20th Royal Ascot win overall. Reflecting on the ride, Murphy admitted there were moments of doubt, especially with both he and rival jockey Rossa Ryan struggling for momentum earlier in the race. It was a clever tactical battle down the straight, with Ryan attempting to keep Murphy boxed in, delaying his challenge. Ultimately, Murphy’s patience paid off as Quai De Bethune unleashed his finishing kick right on cue.
There was added drama behind the scenes, as co-owner Gary Gillies revealed they had received an offer to sell Quai De Bethune on the eve of the race. Gillies admitted the decision to decline that offer came down to timing, and in hindsight, it couldn’t have worked out better. Securing a Royal Ascot winner is a dream for any owner, and for Gillies, the emotional high of victory made the gamble worthwhile.
Murphy credited the horse’s pedigree and the team at home for bringing Quai De Bethune to peak condition. As a son of Persian King, known for maturing later in his career, there’s every reason to believe this progressive colt has plenty more to offer as the season unfolds.
While connections of the runner-up Seraph Gabriel were understandably disappointed, trainer Ralph Beckett summed it up succinctly — everything went right, except the result.
For Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy, the Golden Gates Stakes victory capped yet another memorable moment in their successful Royal Ascot campaigns, with the promise of more to come from Quai De Bethune as his career continues.
