Pierre Royal secured a dramatic victory in the bet365 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, holding off Crest Of Fire in a tight finish to become the first Irish-trained winner of the historic handicap this century. Ridden by Mikey Sheehy and trained by Adrian McGuinness, the 33-1 shot tracked the leaders from the far side before delivering a decisive late charge in the dying strides.
Pierre Royal Ends Irish Drought in bet365 Cambridgeshire Thriller
The four-year-old gelding’s triumph ends a twenty-five-year wait for Irish handlers in the prestigious autumn cavalry charge. Tony Martin was the last Irish-based trainer to claim the prize when She’s Our Mare won under Franny Norton in 1999.
Tactical Execution and the Far-Side Battle
The race unfolded predominantly on the far side of the Newmarket track, where Jack Channon’s Crest Of Fire and jockey Tom Marquand emerged as the early leaders of the group. Sheehy executed McGuinness’s pre-race instructions to perfection, settling Pierre Royal out the back of the field before launching his challenge.
As Crest Of Fire began to tire inside the final furlong, Pierre Royal reeled him in stride by stride, getting his nose in front where it mattered most. Altareq ran a massive race at 100-1 for trainers Jim Goldie and Lauren Young to finish third, while the favourite Gavriel finished as the best of the near-side runners in fourth place.
Connections Celebrate Newmarket Success
Speaking after the race, Lusk-based trainer Adrian McGuinness admitted he felt confident despite the long odds, pointing to a crucial change in ground conditions as the catalyst for the victory.
McGuinness revealed that connections only finalized plans to travel to Newmarket the previous Monday. The horse previously finished behind rivals in testing conditions at a distance of one mile and two furlongs.
Value Purchase Pays Off at Headquarters
Pierre Royal was purchased for just 48,000 guineas at the Newmarket sales last year. According to his trainer, the gelding has consistently repaid that investment for his ownership group.
He’s paid his way plenty and cost only 48,000 guineas at Newmarket last year," McGuinness said.