The former champion jockey let out a roar of delight as Anmaat caused a huge 40-1 upset in the Champion Stakes.
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Anmaat (blue silks) downed the favourite Calandagan (left) in the Champion StakesCredit: Getty
It was a result few saw coming, but confident Crowley grinned: “This was no fluke.”
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Given the way the horse exploded impressively through a narrow gap on testing ground to mow down Calandagan, one of the top three-year-old’s in Europe, it’s hard to argue.
But it was also about as messy a Group 1 race as has been run in the UK all season.
The field bunched up on the turn for home and the bumping and barging that followed in the straight was more like something you’d see at Twickenham, not Ascot.
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It was an especially rough race for French star Calandagan, who lost ground at the start and, from his inside draw in stall one, was boxed in with nowhere to go for the majority of the race.
He finally managed to thread the eye of a needle with just over a furlong to run, but Crowley and the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat were right on his tail and came over the top late to leave the 29,012 crowd in stunned silence.
Crowley said: “I was going well in the straight, but then we had to try and work our way through and we got completely stopped.
“There was no option at the time, we were just stuck. I won’t tell you what I was thinking. But when he got the gap, it was extraordinary the way the horse picked up and, believe me, it was no fluke.
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“This year has been a bit slow. I am used to having these big winners all the time and this is my first Group 1 this year so I’m going to enjoy it.”
It was an especially big result for the jockey given he was turned over on superstar Baaeed in the same race two years ago.
He added: “It was a tough one to take when Baaeed got beat here a couple of years ago, but it just makes this result even sweeter.”
Economics ran the worst race of his young career back in sixth, and as he pulled up passing the line there was blood clearly visible around his nostrils.
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When a horse ‘bleeds’ it’s usually as a result of burst blood vessels in the lungs as a horse exerts itself.
It’s not a serious condition but can often be a recurring issue and will have a severe impact on their performance.
It’s the second time the three-year-old has bled during a race, though William Haggas claimed the bleed after his victory in the Dante at York in May was because he banged his head on the starting stalls.
There were no such excuses this time and it clearly looks like being a major concern for the horse going into next season.
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Charyn, meanwhile, has been an absolute model of consistency all year long and he capped an epic campaign with victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
His jockey Silvestre De Sousa rode him with supreme confidence, and he was still sat motionless as Facteur Cheval ranged up alongside with a potent looking challenge.
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Charyn (left) won his third Group 1 of the year in the QEIICredit: PA
But the undisputed champion miler Charyn went clear when asked to quicken up and he was well on top at the line for a chuffed Roger Varian.
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It has been a tough year for the Newmarket trainer, who has lost the support of powerful owners Amo Racing and Sheikh Obaid, but this horse has more than kept him going.
Varian said: “He is a super horse and that was fantastic. Everything went very smoothly, and it was a lovely race to watch.
“Silvestre got me a bit nervous! He just sat there very comfortably and you could see the second horse coming, and then Charyn had to get to work and showed his battling qualities.
“We’ll have to see how he comes out of this race, we might just contemplate one more international run in America or Japan.”
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Kind Of Blue bagged the Champions Sprint for nice guy James Fanshawe, who has now won the race three times with horses from the same family.
Kalpana was in a league of her own for trainer Andrew Balding as she swept to an impressive victory in the Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes.
And king of the stayers Kyprios completed a clean sweep for the season when winning the Long Distance Cup in style.
Aidan O’Brien’s star has won each of his seven starts in 2024 and is head and shoulders the best stayer in the world right now.
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O’Brien said: “He is a very special horse. Ryan (Moore) was in total control on him after the first furlong, it was a joy to watch.
“He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn’t matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and gets the job done.”
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Light-welterweight contender Adam Azim passed his toughest test to date with an impressive eighth-round stoppage win over Ohara Davies at London’s Copper Box Arena.
The 22-year-old from Slough dropped Davies with a body shot in the fifth round.
Davies, 32, gallantly fought on but was floored again three rounds later as a left hook landed flush.
The contest was waved off by the referee before he noticed Davies’ corner frantically waving the towel.
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“It was my best performance. I had to be very switched on for him,” Azim, now unbeaten in 12 pro fights, said.
Azim expects to face Harlem Eubank next and then settle a rivalry with Sheffield’s Dalton Smith in 2025.
The pair were ordered to fight for the European title but Azim vacated his belt, leading to a public spat between the two teams.
Davies, meanwhile, said it “might be the end” for his career, after a fourth defeat in 29 pro fights.
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“I feel like you have to know when your time is done. You don’t want to stay in this sport for too long and take too much,” he added.
At Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ngannou (18-3) pounded Renan Ferreira (13-4) into unconsciousness with ground-and-pound punches from back mount for a knockout stoppage at 3:32 of Round 1.
Ngannou, 38, took the fight to the ground early. From there, Ferreira shot up a triangle. Once Ngannou escaped, it was practically game over. The former UFC heavyweight champion who never lost his title blasted his opponent with big punches to end the fight.
The bout was Ngannou’s first in MMA since his UFC departure in early 2023. He competed twice in boxing vs. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and lost both bouts. The first was by controversial split decision. The second was a knockout defeat.
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Ferreira’s four-fight winning streak comes to an end. He emerged as the best option for Ngannou after knockout wins over Matheus Scheffel, Maurice Greene, Denis Goltsov, and Ryan Bader.
Up-to-the-minute PFL: Battle of the Giants results include:
MAIN CARD (DAZN pay-per-view, 4 p.m. ET)
Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via knockout (ground-and-pound) – Round 1, 3:32
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BLAIRGOWRIE (4.35 Kempton, nap)
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Has plenty of decent hurdles form on his CV including when scoring on his last spin over timber at Newbury back in 2022.
He then had almost two years off before showing lots of promise when second on his chase debut at the Berkshire track in January.
He has had a little nudge down the weights since then and looks set for a bright future jumping fences for Nicky Henderson.
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SEEYOUINMYDREAMS (2.50 Kempton, nb)
This former bumper winner has won her past two spins over timber by a total of 38 lengths. She sees out this trip well and can land the hat-trick for Paul Nicholls.
TOMMIE BEAU (4.20 Sedgefield, treble)
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He is as hard as they come and he can defend his Durham National crown. He’s had a cracking summer with three wins and he relishes Sedgey’s roller-coaster ride.
Templegate’s tips
KEMPTON
1.40 Model Approach
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Game win at Sedgefield last time and has more to come.
2.15 Alien Storm
Plenty in hand when scoring at Plumpton 28 days ago.
2.50 Seeyouinmydreams (nb)
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Won past two easily with much more to come.
3.25 Persian Time
Looked a nice prospect a couple of times last season.
4.00 Rubaud
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Won this race last year on comeback and can strike again.
4.35 Blairgowrie (nap)
Lightly raced and more to come over fences for Hendo.
5.10 Far Sight
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Can cope with penalty for easy win at Wincanton last time.
SEDGEFIELD
2.00 Jac Jumper
Takes a drop in class over a trip that suits.
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2.35 Continuance
Solid form on the Flat and should make a nice hurdler.
3.10 Kabuki
Showed promise when fourth at Warwick last time out.
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3.45 Big Bee Hive
Keeps running well and went close at Southwell last time.
4.20 Tommie Beau (treble)
Has won three of past five and took this last season.
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4.55 Harper Valley
Has shown best form over this course and distance.
5.30 Karton Plein
Promising start when second in Irish point last time out.
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The legendary Bellator featherweight champion delivered another classic performance as she showcased her entire MMA arsenal to beat Larissa Pacheco in the co-main event at PFL: Battle of the Giants on Saturday from Saudi Arabia.
Even with a pair of gashes over her eyes, Cyborg just kept coming, displaying her signature power and mixing in takedowns that just kept Pacheco guessing from the first round until the last. When it was over, all three judges saw the fight the same with 49-46 scores for Cyborg, who moves to 28-2 with one no contest in her career while notching her eighth consecutive win in a row overall.
“She’s a legend,” Cyborg said about Pacheck following the fight. “She’s a big name in the sport. She punched really hard. It’s a pleasure for me. I’m really thankful to be here. I’m really happy. I feel very blessed, very thankful. I have two more fights, I’m going to defend this title.”
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An early takedown from Cyborg brought Pacheco crashing down to the canvas for a dramatic thud to start the fight. For a moment it looked like Cyborg might be setting up a Von Flue choke but Pacheco was able to recognize what was happening before scrambling free to get back to her feet.
Almost immediately after standing back up again, Cyborg unleashed a hellacious head kick that cracked Pacheco, who somehow ate the shot and kept coming forward. Cyborg followed with another big takedown with Pacheco attempting to counter with a guillotine choke but she couldn’t secure the submission.
Cyborg continued to dish out punishment but Pacheco displayed unreal durability to eat every shot and then just come back to ask for more. That led to another huge takedown from Cyborg, who really pressed down with all her weight to keep Pacheco trapped flat on her back.
Likely down two rounds, Pacheco knew she had to get some respect back from Cyborg so she immediately took the center of the cage at the start of the third and challenged the legendary Bellator champion to meet her there. Pacheco eventually pressed forward and actually ended up putting Cyborg on the ground with a well-timed takedown and then measured some nasty elbow strikes from the top.
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With a nasty pair of cuts over Cyborg’s eyebrows, Pacheco’s confidence started to surge but for some reason, her activity slowed as the fight moved into the championship rounds. That left an opening for Cyborg to set up some solid combinations including a nasty right hand that blasted Pacheco as she retreated towards the cage.
Many close exchanges forced both fighters to try and do anything to gain an advantage with Cyborg unloading a huge overhand right followed with a nice jab behind it. Pacheco was also trying to react to Cyborg’s movement, which prevented her from just throwing her best strikes.
While she’s known for her highlight reel finishes, Cyborg showed off her maturity by not getting drawn into wild exchanges and instead displayed her full arsenal round after round to get the job done. It’s likely that Cyborg just vanquished the toughest possible challenge awaiting her in the PFL or Bellator but with two fights left in her career, she’ll now wait and see what the promotion can find for her next.
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