Moonrise holds on to claim Princess Margaret honours
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sat 25 Jul 2026
Moonrise backed up a second placed finish at the Royal meeting with a win in the Group Three Princess Margaret Japan Cup at Ascot.
The Andrew Balding-trained two-year-old was runner-up to King Of Cloughan in the Windsor Castle Stakes over the same course and distance last month.
But stepping up in grade, the Churchill filly travelled well before taking it up a furlong from home and holding on close home to win at 11-2, three- quarters of a length in front of the fast finishing Dee’s Funny Girl under Ryan Moore.
Paddy Twomey’s Velozee picked up more valuable black type in third.
Balding said: “She got a nice lead into it today which helped and she was then strong at the end as well which helped, so we’re very pleased.
“She had done some nice work before the Windsor Castle and we were hopeful of a big run and she nearly did it, but I would be very happy with today’s performance.
“Donnacha O’Brien’s horse (Dee’s Funny Girl) was coming and you are always fearful until you have crossed the line. But it was great to see keep on well.
“She’s in the Lowther and that looks the next logical step, but after that is a long way away to be thinking back just yet. There’s plenty of races we can be looking at.”
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