Orthodox and jockey Rossa Ryan surged clear of their rivals to claim the 5-furlong Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot, which was set up for a closer by three pacy fillies trained by Wesley Ward.
Ryan won the Norfolk two years ago aboard the 150-1 shot Valiant Force but there was no such shock about the victory of Orthodox, a well-backed 9-2 shot who was providing trainer Clive Cox with a second win in this race, 14 years on from Reckless Abandon.
Two furlongs out, Orthodox was still 5 lengths adrift of the leader among the Ward trio, but when Ryan gave the 2-year-old son of Havana Grey the "go" signal, the response was electric and the pair powered home to score by 3 1/2 lengths. Orthodox ran the second-fastest Norfolk since No Nay Never set the juvenile course record in 2013.
"I've been lucky, I've ridden good colts in the past like Persian Force and Go Bears Go, who were never too far away in these types of races," Ryan said. "This lad got me excited and he went to Salisbury green and he still is, he's still learning.
"He's as laid-back as they come, but when I sat down into him 2 (furlongs) out I'm thinking, 'Watch this!' Once I opened him up, he just really dropped down and galloped for me. He's a nice colt, that's for sure.
"I've been very fortunate this week; I've ridden two winners for two massive supporters of mine. I've been with Clive for a good while and we've had a good few near-misses when we've come to Ascot with horses we thought would nearly hit and they've come just short. Luckily, he's got a nice one, and he's done the job."
With all three Americans fading out of the frame and Aidan O'Brien's favorite Carry The Flag never able to land a blow, the places were filled by some unconsidered runners, with the Nigel Tinkler-trained 150-1 shot El Floridita giving his new connections a huge thrill in second, having changed hands for £100,000 at the Goffs London Sale earlier in the week. Mussab was third.
Ward's trainees—Fanshell Beach, Ez Tina, and Through the Years—weakened to fifth, sixth, and 16th, respectively, in the 21-horse field. Fanshell Beach and Ez Tina were 1-2 with a furlong remaining.
The good pace set by the Ward trio no doubt enabled Orthodox to look so good, but the time and the fact he put 3 1/2 lengths between himself and the runner-up at the line no doubt mark this as one of, if not the best, juvenile performances of the week.
With the Norfolk part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, Jason Goddard's Orthodox earned a paid, automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) Oct. 30 at Keeneland. The Norfolk was the fourth and final Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race at the 2026 royal meeting.
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