‘This started as a stop-off on the way to Ibiza’: Mark Zahra wins Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot aboard Australian-owned Docklands

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra kicked off the Royal Ascot carnival on a winning note for Australia while Victorian mare Asfoora was a gallant fifth in her King Charles III Stakes defence.

Mark Zahra celebrates after winning the Queen Anne Stakes aboard Docklands on day one of the Royal Ascot carnival in England. Picture: Tom Dulat / Getty Images

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra kicked off the Royal Ascot carnival on a winning note for Australia when he piloted Docklands to victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (1609m).

Australian-owned Docklands, trained by Harry Eustace, was purchased last year by OTI Racing for a tilt at the 2024 Cox Plate, in which he was an 11-length fifth behind Via Sistina.

After subsequent unplaced runs in the Champions Stakes at Flemington and the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, Docklands returned to Eustace’s stables in the UK.

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In his sole ride on day one of the Royal Ascot carnival, Zahra let the $14 betting chance settle off the pace in the 10-horse field before making his move between runners at the 400m mark.

In a desperately close battle with $3.50 favourite Rosallion, Docklands got the bob on the line – despite Zahra being forced to ride hands and heels after dropping his whip inside the final 100m.

DOCKLANDS pips ROSALLION in the Queen Anne Stakes. Congratulations to jockey Mark Zahra, trainer @H_Eustace, and all connections. #RoyalAscotpic.twitter.com/J8sHjOTBnz

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 17, 2025

“Everyone kept scaring me about the whip rules, I thought it was just easier to throw it away at the 200m,” Zahra joked in his post-race interview.

“It was a very slow, slow speed and I just crept as much as I could, we got room at the right time and he just kept responding, it was such a tough win.

“Amazing. What an amazing feeling. Hearing all the Aussies over the fence, even though the horse is English, you’d have thought he was Aussie by all the screams; amazing experience for unbelievable people.

“Harry has been pumping me up the whole way. This just started as a stop-off on the way to a trip to Ibiza, so to turn into a massive win like this is very special. The closer we got, the more Harry filled me with confidence and he was right.

“Both Docklands’ runs this season have been really good. I rode him in Hong Kong with blinkers, whereas blinkers off today, and just looking at him in the field, he is a completely different horse.”

Mark Zahra gets Docklands home from Rosallion in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Picture: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

There was a strong Antipodean flavour to the Queen Anne, with jockey James McDonald sixth aboard the now-Ciaron Maher-trained former US star Carl Spackler, which was recently purchased by Yulong Racing. Just ahead of Carl Spackler in fifth was the William Haggas-prepared Lake Forest, winner of the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill last November.

In the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1006m), the Henry Dwyer-trained Asfoora was unable to defend her victory from 12 months ago but she was far from disgraced, dead-heating for fifth as American Affair ($14) charged home for victory.

AMERICAN AFFAIR takes the King Charles III Stakes for @PMulrennan and @JimGoldieRacing. Congratulations to all connections. pic.twitter.com/m5VB0k5UEk

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 17, 2025

Under Irish jockey Oisin Murphy, Asfoora ($4.50) raced just behind the pace and looked a winning chance inside the 200m before just peaking on her run late.

Dwyer had already flagged leading into the King Charles III Stakes that Asfoora would be vulnerable in the race, given he was unable to get her to England in time to have a lead-up run, as she did last year.

The Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August remains a key goal for Asfoora later in her UK campaign.

“Oisin [Murphy] was just of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track,” Dwyer said.

“Even though she loomed at the 150-metre mark like she had a fair chance, she probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race.

“There’s not much for us at home so it will be Goodwood, York and beyond hopefully.”

Originally published as ‘This started as a stop-off on the way to Ibiza’: Mark Zahra wins Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot aboard Australian-owned Docklands