Bellum Justum Seals Royal Ascot Ticket

Bellum Justum to have made himself a place on Andrew Balding's Royal Ascot team after using down odds-on preferred Silver Knott in the Betfred Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.


The globetrotting Silver Knott was a well-supported 10-11 shot for his first start in Britain considering that ending up down the field in the 2000 Guineas 2 years ago - and he looked likely to prevail after taking over the lead from the pacesetting Divina Grace heading towards the final two furlongs.


However, Andrew Balding's Bellum Justum (11-2) - a Group Three winner in America last year and fitted with cheekpieces for the very first time after being well beaten on his Newbury return last month - managed to remain on Silver Knott's tail racing out of the dip and ended up the more powerful to score by a length and a half under Oisin Murphy.


Balding said: "He's an elite horse, he's got some great type from last year and clearly the 2nd is an extremely great horse too.


"I was delighted, because he 'd been a big frustration in the John Porter (at Newbury). He definitely needed the run that day and he's taken a huge advance today. It's great to see him back on track.


"I believe the cheekpieces helped - I believe he was quite strong at the end of the race. It was an exceptional efficiency.


Bellum Justum ridden by jockey Oisin Murphy on their way to winning the Betfred Jockey Club Stakes on Guineas Friday of the Betfred Guineas Festival at Newmarket Racecourse, Suffolk. Picture date: Friday May 2, 2025.


"We'll wait for the Hardwicke (at Royal Ascot), I would have believed. He's had a hard sufficient race there and it would be nice to have runners with a chance for King Power (owners) at the Royal meeting.


"We'll try and we've always got the alternative to travel later on in the year if we wish to."