Australian mare Joliestar narrowly missed out on victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing third in a tightly contested sprint on Saturday. The 1,207-metre race was won by 40/1 outsider Almeraq, with Japanese contender Satono Reve placing second. Joliestar, sent off as one of the favourites at 2/1, was edged out in the final stages of the event.

Almeraq, trained by William Haggas and ridden by Tom Marquand, capitalized on a strong inside run to secure the upset win. The pair denied the highly anticipated duel between Joliestar and Satono Reve, two of the sport’s leading international sprinters, in what was described as an exhilarating finish. Haggas, who also saw Lake Forest—winner of the 2024 Golden Eagle—place fifth, expressed satisfaction with the victory but acknowledged the quality of the international competition.

“I’m delighted to win but it would have been lovely to celebrate a Japanese or Australian win,” Haggas said. “It’s terrific that these people come across the world and support our biggest carnival, so I’m sorry they didn’t win. Long may it continue that they come from Australia and Japan.”

Joliestar, owned by Cambridge Stud and ridden by jockey James McDonald, settled well after a clean start and maintained a strong position throughout the race. The five-time Group 1 winner challenged powerfully in the latter stages but was unable to catch the eventual winner, finishing just behind the top two in a race lauded for its competitiveness.

Chris Waller, champion trainer of the Australian mare, expressed pride despite the narrow loss. “She was so brave—to travel all the way around the world and come that close,” he said. “Really proud to be on the world stage. James rode her brilliantly, she jumped well and got into a good spot and fought on well. It was a great tussle and it was so close.”

Joliestar’s performance adds to the growing presence of Australian racing talent on the international stage, while the win by Almeraq highlights the unpredictability and depth of competition at Royal Ascot’s premier sprint event.