Kemari proves a class apart in G2 Queen’s Vase

Progressive three-year-old Kemari announced himself as a top stayer in the making with a decisive victory in the G2 Queen’s Vase over a mile and three-quarters on day two of Royal Ascot, Wednesday, 16 June.

The son of Dubawi, stepping up in class and trip for Charlie Appleby following an easy success in a Yarmouth maiden, broke well and settled in third on the inside rail as Law Of The Sea led the 13 runners.

Kemari continued to travel kindly turning for home and quickened powerfully between horses to take up the running just inside the two-furlong pole. He soon opened up daylight and galloped out strongly for William Buick, crossing the line a length and a half clear of the staying-on Wordsworth in second.

Charlie Appleby said: “I must give the team at home a lot of credit for this – Kemari has been a challenging horse during the winter. He was gelded, and had his hood on for his first start, but full credit to them, they have done a great job.

“William praised Kemari highly after that win at Yarmouth. I have to say, I sat on the fence slightly and felt he was a horse who was progressing, but was he progressing quickly enough to be able to step up into today’s league? He has proved me wrong and William right, which is the great thing about having a team such as we have got, we all put our opinions in and hopefully we get the right result. But the horse is definitely a horse who is going the right way.

“I hope he will make up into a Cup horse for next year. This year - as we all know, in the past few years three-year-olds in the Melbourne Cup, they have produced the goods. Whether he gets to that level, we will see, but we will enjoy today. Wil will have the discussions with our principals and managers during the next few weeks, and map the autumn out. He’s got a profile that is working in that direction, anyway.”

William Buick added: “I had a nice draw and got a good position out of the gates. The pace took me to where I needed to be and he really quickened up well. It actually surprised me how well he quickened. He is learning on the job and I thought it was a good quality race.”