'Very exciting' Charles Darwin provides Aidan O'Brien with third juvenile winner of the week with dominant Norfolk display

Aidan O'Brien's dominance of the Royal Ascot juvenile contests continued after Charles Darwin stormed to victory in the Norfolk Stakes. 

The No Nay Never colt was sent off odds-on and was briefly challenged by Sandal's Song and Ameeq, but he exerted his class over the pair to pull clear and strike by two and a quarter lengths.

The impressive victory resulted in Charles Darwin becoming the first favourite to land the 5f contest since South Central's success in 2008 and he enhanced the glowing reputation of Ballydoyle juveniles at this week's meeting following on from wins by stablemate Gstaad in the Coventry and True Love in the Queen Mary. 

It was also a milestone success for Ryan Moore, who was riding his 2,593rd domestic winner. The victory takes him to joint-tenth place among Britain's winningmost Flat jockeys of all time, equalling the score of Edward Hide.

Charles Darwin and Ryan Moore after success in the Norfolk StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The win was the third success in four starts for Charles Darwin, who similarly made all when striking on his second start at Navan and again at Naas last month. He looks to be yet another star sprinter in the making out of dam Murin, who also foaled dual Group 1 winner Blackbeard.

Charles Darwin finished clear of Godolphin's Wise Approach, who finished strongly to snatch second from Wathnan Racing's Sandal's Song, while 100-1 shot Ameeq held on for fourth. 

What the winning rider said

Ryan Moore: "He's very professional and has a super attitude. He jumped very quickly, showed good speed, I was just trying to control him the best I could. They came to me about two and a half furlongs out and I asked him to go and he picked up well. 

"He's got a good brain, he's obviously a very mature, very strong two-year-old; another No Nay Never like the filly yesterday. He's doing everything right, doing everything really lovely, couldn't be happier with him really. He'll get six."

What the winning trainer said

Aidan O'Brien: "He's a very, very fast horse. He's big and mature and has a very good mind, so he's very exciting. We were actually hoping he would get a lead – he's very quick and he'd be happy to get a lead. 

Charles Darwin returns to the winner's enclosureCredit: Patrick McCann

"Ryan obviously does his own thing always; when the gates open, he decides, and he was very happy with him. He said he powered to the line. We couldn't be happier."

What the others said:

William Buick, rider of Wise Approach: "He ran super. Obviously we were drawn on the other side of the track to the winner. The winner won well and I'm very happy with my horse."

Case Clay, US racing manager to Wathnan Eacing, owners of Sandal's Song: "Valiant effort. He ran very well. He's a zippy horse and James McDonald said once he got to the rise he got a little bit tired, he's probably not used to that. He was beaten by a very, very good horse but we're very happy with the effort. We're going to take him back to the US and we're going to try and get to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, with a race or two maybe in between."

Ante-post reaction

Charles Darwin was introduced at 4-1 with Paddy Power for the Nunthorpe, while Betfair left him unchanged at 25-1 for the 2,000 Guineas.

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