Tom Clover celebrates Royal Ascot win by hitting the town - and Group 1 races are next

Dad dancing with his staff in a Newmarket nightclub is how Tom Clover celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner and the trainer is hoping there will be more of the same next month when he aims for a breakthrough Group 1 triumph.

Clover enjoyed the biggest success of his career when stable star Rogue Millennium struck in Wednesday's Duke of Cambridge Stakes, a win that resulted in him honouring a longstanding bet with members of his team.

"We had a few drinks and went back to the picnic for a glass of champagne," he said on Monday. "By the time we got back we wanted to see the filly and give her a pat because we were all there because of her. She's taken us on a special journey.

"In March we were riding out in the dark and it was about -1C and the lads said 'if we have a Group winner this year will you come out to Unique with us?' and I said 'of course I will'. So we went to the club on Saturday night and they saw my awful dad dancing – it was good fun."

Clover, one of 25 successful trainers at last week's meeting, saw a carefully orchestrated plan pay off, having supplemented Rogue Millennium for the Group 2.

Tom Clover: aiming high with Royal Ascot winner Rogue MillenniumCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We were quietly confident and we all backed her," he said. "On all the form of her starts this year I felt she was overpriced. It was absolutely electric. You work your whole life to get to those big days, which really captivate people. It was the most incredible day and I wish we could do it all again.

"Very often in our game you see the top yards get a lot of the best horses and it's hard for us to compete on the big day, so for myself and the likes of Harry Eustace, Ed Walker and Julie Camacho it was terrific."

It was Rogue Millennium's first try at a mile and she will remain at the trip for a crack at the Group 1 Prix Rothschild on July 30, with the timing of the race and Deauville's straight mile playing to the filly's strengths.

Clover said: "She's been out for a trot this morning and seems very well. We didn't want to put her in the Falmouth because she hadn't run very well on the Rowley Mile, and although it's a different track I think it translates [to the July course].

"I think we should stay at a mile given they went a slow pace and she had to come from quite a way back in the Duke of Cambridge.

"She's pretty versatile with ground, so it wouldn't concern me if it turned soft. The lads said 'if we win a Group 1 would you go out to Unique with us again, boss?' and I said 'absolutely'. That’s very much the plan."

Read these next:

Derby form franked, new stars plus the best place to look for royal winners - four things we learned at Royal Ascot 

'Nightmare for punters' as stats show biggest average-priced set of Royal Ascot winners in last decade 

Subscribe today and get set for a sizzling summer of Flat racing with 50% off your first three months 

Sign up here. New customers only. First single and each-way bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 4 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets for horse racing only. Free bets are non-withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+, begambleaware.org.