Jonquil takes Paradise Stakes honours at Ascot

Friday's Queen Anne Stakes trial at Ascot, the Listed Paradise Stakes over a mile, went the way of the Andrew Balding-trained Juddmonte homebred Jonquil, who was partnered to victory by Colin Keane.

Taken from the European Bloodstock News and Racing Post, 2nd May 2026:

The four-year-old son of Lope De Vega was settled in midfield throughout the early part of the race, before making headway from two furlongs out and getting on top inside the final furlong to win by one and a quarter lengths from Holloway Boy, with Remmooz coming home just a further neck back in third.

A winner of the Gr.2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood last August, Jonquil was returning to British shores yesterday after a globetrotting campaign which saw him finish fourth in the Gr.1 Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland and ninth in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, before a seventh-placed effort on his penultimate start in Listed company in Abu Dhabi in February.

Andrew Balding commented: "Jonquil is a talented horse, and his record was a bit in and out last year, but the Greenham, French Guineas and Celebration Mile take some winning. He didn't win the French Guineas, but he nearly did. Hopefully we get faster ground later in the year and he can win a big one. The Lockinge would be an obvious next step. He had a tough campaign last year, so if we can get a clear run now, then hopefully he can prove he's a decent horse."

Jonquil is out of the three-time winner and dual Listed-placed Jovial, a half-sister to six other winners, including the Gr.2-winning sire Array (No Nay Never). The second dam is the dual Listed winner and four times Gr.3-placed Joyeuse (Oasis Dream), a half-sister to the champions and multiple Gr.1-winning sires Frankel and Noble Mission (both by Galileo).