Carmers with Billy Lee up. (Megan Coggin)
Promising stayer lowered the 14-furlong course record
Royal Ascot Release
ASCOT, Berkshire, England—Promising stayer Carmers (9/2) showed a fine attitude as he lowered the 14-furlong course record in the G2 Queen’s Vase, providing Irish trainer Paddy Twomey with a first Royal Ascot success.
Lining up after wins at Ballinrobe and Navan, Carmers was committed off the home turn by Billy Lee and kept responding to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
In a bunched finish, Furthur (20/1) stayed on to go down fighting in second, with Rahiebb (9/1) a head further back in third.
Carmers won in a time of 2m 59.53s, bettering the previous record of 3m 0.57s set by Illinois in this race last year.
Twomey said: “I appreciate being sent nice horses, and it’s great that he went and delivered for Fiona [Carmichael] today. Carmers is a very important horse for her. I knew he would stay, and I knew turning in that Billy looked comfortable. When the bell rang, I thought that we had a chance because staying is his game.
“He is obviously going to have an entry in the St Leger; we will see. He has ran three times, won three times, and hopefully he continues doing that. We have nice horses and good owners, and it’s fantastic to be able to come here with them. This is my first Royal Ascot winner. We did have winners at Cheltenham and Aintree last season.”
Lee, who won yesterday’s Ascot Stakes on Ascending, said: “The race went to plan all the way. Carmers jumped well and had a great position. I was able to just hack away, but I got him rolling early from five out just to get him going forward; he takes a while to build up a head of steam and I knew he would stay well.
“I wanted to stretch them, so I was always going to try to make it a stamina test. You can see him there pricking his ears going to the line, just doing enough. Staying was always going to be a forte of his. He is so laid back; he wouldn’t pass out the dog at home. He is just that type of character and saves plenty. I knew when I got stuck into him, he’d keep finding.
“I love coming here – it is the pinnacle of our sport. Me and Colin [Keane] are after riding the winners and it is great for the Irish lads to be riding winners here. Paddy is a big part now of my career and it’s great to deliver his first Royal Ascot winner. Hopefully, this is the first of many.”
#3 CARMERS wins the G2 Queen's Vase for a new course record over 1 3/4 miles. Jockey Billy Lee up for trainer Paddy Twomey on the son of Wootton Bassett.pic.twitter.com/LliGElJ7f6
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 18, 2025
Winning owner-breeder Fiona Carmichael said: “It is all fairly new to me, but I am living the dream, and what happened today is amazing. I am thrilled. It has made me so nervous today – you have no idea how nervous I have been. It’s fabulous – what dreams are made of.
“It helps my mare [Signe]. I bought her as a yearling, and this is her first foal. I am just happy as Larry. I have been involved in the big bunfights before and it’s a lottery. Today is amazing and I have loved it.”
Furthur’s trainer Andrew Balding said: “We are thrilled. It is a really fun syndicate that we’ve got together, and he wasn’t an expensive horse. He has given us a huge amount of enjoyment. Hopefully, there’s more to come as well. We might look at the Bahrain Trophy if he comes out of this all right. He stays well and might be a Leger horse later in the year.”Roger Varian, trainer of Rahiebb, said: “He has run a really good race. A horse to look forward to, hopefully for the next year or two in that staying division. He’s still a baby and didn’t behave great in the prelims, just showing a bit of immaturity. He was slow from the gates and the draw [10] made it difficult. He hasn’t quite got a clear passage, he didn’t really get stopped, but he didn’t quite get an open runway. I still thought he would win with two to run. Then he was sort of wandering off a straight line. I think when you throw everything into the mix, he’s a nice horse who performed very well. A bit frustrating, we didn’t quite bring it home, but a nice one for the future.”
