Chipotle provided jockey Charles Bishop and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton with a second Royal Ascot success in the five-furlong Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.
Eyes were drawn early to the pace-setting US-challenger Ruthin (3/1 fav) under Frankie Dettori, but it was the 22/1 outsider Chipotle who emerged the victor, scything through the far-side pack and pulling away for a two and a quarter length victory. Dig Two (7/1) took second place, with Boonie (18/1) a head further back in third.
The winner was bouncing back from a lesser effort on soft ground at Sandown Park having won his first two starts – the Brocklesby at Doncaster and the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial over the course and distance on April 28.
Johnson Houghton said: “Chipotle is an absolute dude. He trains himself – I can take no credit for it. He just travels and then goes. He didn’t handle soft ground at Sandown, but apart from that, he has never put a foot wrong.
“I thought during the day we couldn’t win as he was drawn in stall one. Nothing was winning on the far side, but the Royal Hunt Cup result was important as it gave everyone the courage to stay that side.
“They went a rattling good pace and he picked them up – it was amazing. Ascot suits him perfectly. It’s great for Ascot that he won a trials race and then a Royal Ascot race. It is my second Royal Ascot winner and it’s fantastic. I cannot tell you how good it is.”
Bishop said: “A lot of credit to the trainer I say. I have only had two winners here and they’ve both been Eve’s – she’s unbelievable.
“We were very disappointed at Sandown. We thought Chipotle was very good, but the ground just completely blunted his turn of foot. I was too handy from a wide draw and made too much use of him, but thankfully we’ve made amends today, and I think we’d take today over Sandown!
“It’s not very often you get a run like that here at the Royal meeting, but I had the horse to go for the gaps – they weren’t very big, he was very brave and I almost got there too soon, but thankfully he held on.
“He is a good horse trained by a lovely person and a great trainer. It is quite emotional – Eve is very, very good to me. She has kept the faith.”