Very many congratulations to owners/breeders John and Tanya Gunther following  the success of Without Parole in the Gr.1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Born and raised at Newsells Park Stud, Without Parole, took the lead over a furlong out in the mile contest and fended off the late challenge of Gustav Klimt to score by a half-length.

Trainer John Gosden said: “Without Parole is a grand horse. There were no hiding places in that race. It was proper, proper Group One pace. I think he is still on the up and still learning. At the moment he has a bigger middle than me, which is not a good thing in a racehorse!

“I think he could stay at a mile or go up. I think he was green on the bend and Frankie was having to say, ‘come on old boy, come on old boy’. He’s so lazy at home. I’ve never seen a horse eat and sleep like it, which is a great, great thing in a racehorse. I think he will improve, he’ll get sharper and I think he will get a little further too.”

Owner/breeder John Gunther said: “It is a dream come true. In all the 20 years I have been coming to Royal Ascot, my dream was just to have a horse run at Royal Ascot. Then we start in a Group One and do it; I don’t know what to say.

“This does mean more [than breeding Triple Crown winner Justify] and always will. This was the most important and means everything to me. To be able to mate the mare to Frankel and Juddmonte giving me that nomination even though the mare was unproven. To go through all that and then watch Without Parole being raised as a yearling was so special.”

The unbeaten Without Parole was making only his fourth start with victory in the Listed Heron Stakes his previous biggest success. 

By Frankel, the three-year-old colt is out of the unraced mare Without You Babe (Lemon Drop Kid) and is a half-brother to the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz (Speighstown).  As well as being bred and raised at Newsells Park Stud he was consigned by the stud as a yearling with John and Tanya Gunther retaining him for 650,000gns.

Also at Royal Ascot yesterday, the Newsells bred Lightning Spear ran yet another gallant race to finish third in the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes for owner Qatar Racing Ltd and trainer David Simcock. 

He has been an extremely consistent servant for his connections amassing prize money of over £750,000.  Other success at Group level includes winning the Gr.2 Celebration Mile Stakes twice and finishing second in the Gr.1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes by just a short head.

By Pivotal, Lightning Spear is out of Atlantic Destiny (Royal Academy), also the dam of Stakes horses Ocean War, First Destinity and Seaway.