It takes some doing to have more pre-race confidence than four-time Queen Mary Stakes (G2)-winning trainer Wesley Ward and Karl Burke's unrelenting belief in star filly Dramatised was justified with a scintillating success.
Burke told the Racing Post on Tuesday he would not only tip his hat but hand it over to Ward should the well-touted U.S. raider Love Reigns beat Dramatised in the group 2 event boasting a roll of honor, including Acapulco, Lady Aurelia, and Campanelle. There was no need for any attire handover.
The Clipper Logistics-owned filly traveled sweetly through the five-furlong contest and had front-running fourth Love Reigns covered at every moment, quickening into the lead inside the final furlong and a half and keeping on stoutly to score by a length and three-quarters over Maylandsea.
A beaming Burke, who was celebrating a fourth Royal Ascot winner, said: "I had so much confidence in her. She'd done nothing but strengthen and improve since Newmarket and she ran like I dared to dream she would.
"When you get in the paddock you can usually cross off half the field on looks but this appeared a very strong field and people were saying the right things about their horses, but I just knew we had a very talented filly.
"Her work had been excellent. She's a bit of a diva, so we've just had to keep a lid on her, but she handled everything really well. She's the quickest 2-year-old I've trained but I'm sure she will stay six furlongs."
The Aug 18. Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (G2) at York and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville three days later were nominated as potential targets—along with the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket a month later—and jockey Danny Tudhope will be counting down the days until he is reunited with a filly who gave him "an incredible feel."
Dramatised's success—with Clipper Logistics owner Steve Parkin also involved in third-placed Maria Branwell—was a third winner for Tudhope from the first eight races of the meeting after striking on Dubai Future in the Wolferton and Get Shirty in the Copper Horse Stakes on day one.
Tudhope said: "That was unbelievable and she gave me an incredible feel. The pressure was on today as she's a filly with a big reputation. When that's the case you just want to get the job done.
"She has a lot of speed but she relaxed nicely and when I asked her, there was loads there. She has a tremendous amount of talent and we hope she's top class."
Tudhope lost his whip a furlong and a half out but it made no difference to Dramatised and the in-form rider afforded himself a smile about the incident afterwards.
He said: "It was a bit of a nightmare. I went to spin it and sometimes you lose it. I only gave her one little smack and she's obviously very, very good."
Trainer Michael Bell was delighted with the performance of runner-up Maylandsea, describing her as "a filly with a big future," while Irad Ortiz Jr. took encouragement from Love Reigns' fourth.
Ortiz, who was suspended for five days for allowing his mount to drift left without sufficient correction, said: "She ran big. I was in a good position and when I asked her she kept responding. The winner was much the best, but she gave a great performance."
