Reflecting on four-time Group 1 winner Wellington’s performance, Gibson said: “The jockey said the horse didn’t suit the straight 1200m. He ran a clean race but we weren’t good enough today. Poor Ryan smashed his nose coming out the gates.”
Pitted against 15 rivals from the United Kingdom, France, the United States and Australia, Wellington was never in contention in his first attempt on a straight course as 80/1 outsider Khaadem notched his first win at elite level for Charlie Hills and Jamie Spencer in 1m 12.42s, defeating Sacred by a neck.
Highfield Princess, who started a 4/1 favourite with British bookmakers, finished third.
Eventually beaten five and three-quarter lengths, Wellington’s sluggish start left Moore hoping the six-year-old would rally powerfully off a solid pace set by The Astrologist.
But, despite making up some ground, it soon became apparent Hong Kong’s reigning Champion Sprinter would struggle to bridge the gap in an incident-packed contest, which saw Australian sprinter Cannonball dwell in the gates before dislodging Daniel Tudhope.
Jockey Frankie Dettori finished seventh aboard Hong Kong-owned Kinross on the Italian’s final Group 1 ride at Royal Ascot.
Wellington’s performance leaves 2012 G1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) victor Little Bridge as Hong Kong’s most recent Royal Ascot winner, while David Oughton-trained Cape of Good Hope landed the 2005 G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m) for Mick Kinane in record time at York.
Gibson almost struck in 2016 with Gold-Fun, who was beaten a neck when second to Twilight Son, who was ridden by Moore, in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) in 2016.
