Frankie Dettori and Undrafted deny Brazen Beau in Diamond Jubilee Stakes

Frankie Dettori celebrates in the parade ring after riding Undrafted to the win in the Diamond Jubilee Race at Royal Ascot for American trainer Wesley Ward. Will Oliver / EPA

Ascot // There was no fairy-tale end for Brazen Beau’s connections in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday when Frankie Dettori punctured Australian dreams on American raider Undrafted.

Undrafted collared Brazen Beau within the final 200 metres to win by half a length.

It was expected that the Diamond Jubilee was to be the swansong of the Darley-owned colt, but in a tantalising twist it appears likely that the two horses could be heading towards a second collision in the July Cup next month at Newmarket.

Brazen Beau’s trainer Chris Waller experienced mixed emotions following the run and was looking forward to fighting another day.

“He has done us so proud,” Waller said. “To get so close might be frustrating but I’m so pleased with the way he ran and to be part of such a special ­occasion.

“I hope the July Cup will give us a second chance.”

Should Brazen Beau run next month, he is likely to carry the Godolphin silks.

On the day that Australian 2006 King’s Stand winner Takeover Target died, jockey Craig Williams rode Brazen Beau with supreme confidence in a bid to become the third horse from the southern continent to win the £525,000 (Dh3.06 million) contest.

Because of his draw in stall 15 Williams was forced to race on his own as the field packed up the centre to far side.

With 400 metres left, the tactic looked to have paid off, with Dettori languishing in last place on the far side of the course.

Then Brazen Beau started to drift right and Dettori timed his run to perfection.

It was an irresistible surge and across the track Williams kept glancing over as the giant Undrafted ate up the ground to become Wesley Ward’s fifth Royal Ascot winner and first with an older horse.

Dettori had not won the Diamond Jubilee for 20 years, a period so long that when he struck on Godolphin’s So Factual the race had a different name and was only a Group 2. He had ridden Undrafted into fourth in last season’s July Cup and was delighted with the work trainer Ward had since done with him.

“When I saw him on Tuesday he looked twice the size of the horse in the July Cup,” Dettori said. “When you ride a sprinter with that turn of foot it is beautiful.”

Whether Undrafted runs in the Darley-sponsored race on July 11 is uncertain, but he is entered.

“We are going to sit down and talk about the July Cup,” Ward said.

Dettori was trying to track Mustajeeb throughout the race, but Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s runner could finish only fifth under Pat Smullen.

The Minister of Finance had followed up Muhaarar’s electric win in Friday’s Commonwealth Cup earlier in the day when Mahsoob carried his colours to victory in the Wolferton ­Handicap. It was a fourth successive win for the improving four-year-old, who handed Paul Hanagan his first winner here this week.

Mahsoob faced 14 rivals in the 2,000-metre contest and showed he is still wet behind the ears by being too keen during the early stages in what was a rough race.

He was forced wide but, when challenged on his outside in the straight, he lit up to hold off Sennockian Star by an easy half a length.

The Wolferton Handicap is only a Listed contest, but such is the confidence that connections have in Mahsoob that it would not surprise if he were to take up his engagement in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race 400 metres further, back here on July 25.

Sheikh Hamdan, Hanagan and trainer John Gosden teamed up to win the race with Taghrooda 12 months ago

“He’s so laid back, nothing really fazes him,” Hanagan said. “He’s got the class for a mile and a quarter, but I think we might see the best of him over a few more furlongs.

“He is a horse that I have the utmost faith in.”

It was a third win in the past five years for Gosden, who also trained Mahsoob’s dam, Mooakada, a filly who was capable of winning up to a 2,400m.

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