A wonderful day at Royal Ascot on Thursday as Valiant Force, owned by Rachael O'Callaghan with Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar, ran out the impressive winner of the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes.
Despite going off at 150/1, the Adrian Murray-trained colt had shown smart form in two previous starts, notably when beaten under a length in the Listed First Flier Stakes on his debut at the Curragh.
On Thursday, Valiant Force showed great speed under Rossa Ryan to hold a prominent position before storming clear for an authoritative success.
“This means the world to us,” said Amo's Kia Joorabchian. “The guys have worked so, so hard for this. They wake up at 4am every day and they work all day long – for them this is so deserved. I just don’t have the words right now, and that’s rare for me!
“We really did [think we would have a winner today]. When I woke up this morning I spoke to Robson and he said ‘we’re going to win today’ and I said to him that I felt that way too. I just didn’t know which horse it would be.”
Valiant Force was bred by Ramonn Horta Rangel & Spendthrift Farm out of the Quality Road mare Vigui's Heart. By the late Spendthrift stallion Malibu Moon, he was a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Roger and Robson.
