Bellum Justum Seals Royal Ascot Ticket

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


The globetrotting Silver Knott was a 10-11 shot for his first start in Britain considering that finishing down the field in the 2000 Guineas 2 years ago - and he looked likely to dominate after taking over the lead from the pacesetting Divina Grace heading towards the final 2 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 resurgence last month - managed to stay on Silver Knott's tail racing out of the dip and finished the more powerful to score by a length and a half under Oisin Murphy.


Balding said: "He's a classy horse, he's got some great type from in 2015 and obviously the second is an excellent horse as well.


"I was delighted, since he 'd been a big dissatisfaction in the John Porter (at Newbury). He certainly required the run that day and he's taken a huge advance today. It's good to see him back on track.


"I believe the cheekpieces assisted - I think he was pretty solid at the end of the race. It was an excellent performance.


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 await the Hardwicke (at Royal Ascot), I would have thought. He's had a difficult sufficient race there and it would be great 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."