An emotional Paul Hanagan lands his sixth Royal Ascot winner when Perfect Power (14-1) went late and fast to win the G2 Norfolk Stakes on the third day of Royal Ascot 2021.
Hanagan, a Warrington jockey, was on the verge of retiring after breaking his back in an accident at Newcastle in February of last year.
The son of first-season sire Ardad was sitting off the pace on the stands side. Bears Go Go took the lead on the far side, with Wesley Ward’s Lucci leading the other group along the path to Perfect Power.
Hanagan got the colt going late in the race, and he pulled through to win by a head over Go Bears Go (6-1), with Bryan Smart’s Project Dante (6-1) in third. Cadamosto, Aidan O’Brien’s 5-1 favorite, was a half-length behind in third.
Perfect Power Jockey Paul Hanagan
The 40-year-old has won a Classic, Group Ones, an apprentice championship, and two jockey’s championships. And he was excited to win yet another Royal Ascot race.
“This would be my main (achievement) now because I didn’t think I would get back at all. It was a bad one – I fractured my T4, T3, and T6 (vertebrae), and the T6 was crushed all together”.
Of Perfect Power, he added: “I must have asked about 10 jockeys pulling up who won! I wasn’t quite sure as they were so far away on the other side, but I think the way I finished the race. I had every chance because he really powered home.
The Norfolk Stakes History
The event was established in 1843, and it was originally called the New Stakes. The inaugural running was won by Rattan.
The race was renamed the Norfolk Stakes in 1973. It now honors the 16th Duke of Norfolk, who served as HM’s Representative at Ascot from 1945 to 1972. For a period the event held Group 3 status, and it was promoted to Group 2 level in 2006.
The Norfolk Stakes is currently staged on day three of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. It was added to the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series for 2018 as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
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