Royal Ascot: The Norfolk Stakes Group 2. This 2yo contest open to colts & fillies over 5f is a featured on the third day of this supreme meeting of quality racing.
Established in 1843, it was originally called the New Stakes with Rattan winning the inaugural event.
The race was renamed in 1973 in honour of the 16th Duke of Norfolk & promoted from Group 3 status in 2006.
Lester Piggott is the leading jockey for this race (Abermade 1961 - Niche 1992) with 9 victories. Surprisingly, no trainer has achieved more than four winners to date.
Mind Games
Puissance (6.4f) — Aryaf (CAN) (Vice Regent (CAN) (8.8f)
Trainer J Berry
OWNER: Robert Hughes (shropshire)
Mind Games was a second foal, half-brother to Able Fun, 1m winner at 2, Prince Ary, 10f winner at 3, & Quiz Show, 1m winner at 3, later dam of smart sprint 2yo Right Answer; dam unplaced at 2-3, half-sister to quite useful miler Peartree House
On the 24th March 1994 Mind Games won the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes by a neck from Jobran, trained by Gay Kelleway, at 4/1 joint favourite. Jack Berry - the renowned trainer often noted for his red shirts - had unveiled one of the most talented horses from the vast string of horses. Berry was well known for his early-season dominance of two-year-old races. This son of Puissance ran seven times at two, winning his first three races with a ready success taking the Norfolk Stakes (Group 3) at Royal Ascot over 5f. He suffered his first loss (5th) when competing at Leopardstown (IRE) in the Heinze 57 Phoenix Stakes (Group 1). Mind Games continued to mark himself as a top-class two-year-old racing at Group level and narrowly losing by a short head in the Flying Childers (Group 2).
A successful career at 3 & 4 saw him race from Listed to Group 1 level, winning a further four races, with the Temple Stakes (Group 2) at Sandown being a notable success. Mind Games raced at Group 1 level on nine occasions but never won at this level albeit finishing 4th in the Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1) at York, beaten by two length behind Pivotal.
Berry's star raced once as a five-year-old before being retired to stud.
In his career, Mind Games raced 20 time, winning 7 races and won total prize money of over a quarter of a million pounds and an official rating of 112.