Kinema wins at Ascot for Richard Pegum
Australian-owned Kinema has come out on top in a rough finish to the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot.
After a protest by Ryan Moore on third placed Kings Fete, Kinema retained the 2414m-handicap to give trainer Ralph Beckett his first Royal Ascot win.
The five-year-old is owned by businessman Richard Pegum and indications are he will be sent to Australia.
“I’m delighted for a number of reasons,” Beckett said.
“(These are) Richard Pegum’s colours – some of you will remember Muhannak carried them to win the Breeders’ Cup Marathon in 2008. He was the first man who really sent me a number of horses, so I’m absolutely delighted.”
The news wasn’t so good for Berry who received a seven-day ban for careless riding.
The result was a change of fortune for Beckett who has not had much luck in stewards’ inquiries in the past 12 months.
Secret Gesture was disqualified and demoted to third after passing the post first in the Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park in America, before Simple Verse was controversially disqualified after winning the St Leger at Doncaster, only to regain victory after an appeal.
“We lost one Grade One and one Group One last year and got one back, so this is a bit of a relief to put it mildly,” Beckett said.
The Duke Of Edinburgh is the same handicap won by Opinion in 2013 before he came to Australia where he has a win in the Metropolitan and second in the Sydney Cup on his record.