Following Docklands’ incredible win in the Royal Ascot opener on Tuesday, OTI will now seek the rare occurrence of bookending the prestigious carnival when the 6-year-old son of Camelot, Sober, steps out in the program’s concluding event on Saturday for trainer Willie Mullins
Group 1 placed as a 3-year-old and a multiple Group 2 winner at four, Sober was purchased by OTI late in 2024 with dual-purpose intentions. As is Willie Mullins’ custom, he would prepare the horse for top-quality staying events as an older horse by mixing his program with hurdles racing.
Debuting for the stable in May 2025 over hurdles, Sober won for the first time for his new ownership group and laid the platform for a tilt at Royal Ascot.
Sober wins at Killarney(IRE) in May, 2025.
While a start in the Royal Ascot Gold Cup on Thursday was considered, it will be Saturday’s Class 2 Queen Alexandra Stakes over 4300m that Sober will contest, and he is favoured to win it in early markets (currently 10/11 in final field markets). Drawn barrier 3 of 11, Ryan Moore will give him every chance. (The final field can be viewed here)
A forward run by Sober on Saturday could see plans refocus towards a trip out for the Melbourne Cup. Willie Mullins has a storied history of chasing success in our great race, and his contenders have often been brilliant hurdlers. Absurde has finished 7th and 5th in the past two runnings, while Vauban was well fancied in both editions. Before that, OTI had tried a similar approach with Mullins on two occasions, but True Self was squeezed out of a start in 2019 and 2020 (only to pick up valuable consolation victories in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in both years).
Winning a Group 1 with Docklands on Tuesday was a dream. Picking up a second win and book-ending the carnival would be remarkable for the team and our owners!