Soft track blunts Star Witness's burst

LONDON, June 18 AAP - A soft Ascot track got the better of Australian sprinter Star Witness on Saturday, the four-year-old closing his account at the royal meeting with two minor placings.

The Danny O'Brien-trained colt went into the Golden Jubilee Stakes at 4-1 in the betting and led the field of 16 in the straight, but could not hold on for the 1200m distance.

Unlikely Irish horse Society Rock (25-1) won with Monsieur Chevalier in second and Star Witness more than a length behind for third.

"It would have been nice but racing doesn't reward you out of the turn," a realistic O'Brien told BBC Television.

"The horse has run very well today (but) just found the ground a little testing. He hit the front full of running but certainly tired inside the 50-metre mark."

O'Brien said the horse had recovered well from Tuesday's King's Stand, for which he jumped as favourite but finished second after also tiring in the closing 200 metres.

Two days of steady rain made for a heavy Ascot track on Saturday.

"He has got a really good burst and I think if you'd seen him on a good track today you would have really seen him let go," O'Brien said.

"He puts a length and a half on them inside the furlong but just peaks on it late and a lot has to do with the ground being just a little bit testing."

O'Brien will keep Star Witness in Europe for the Newmarket July Cup and denies two starts this week was too much to ask of the horse.

"He's certainly managed it before in Australia, he raced twice over the Melbourne Cup Carnival and he's raced twice here now," the trainer said.

"He's got three weeks here now until the Newmarket race and ... he's certainly thrived so if he keeps on that plane he'll be there on July Cup day (July 9)."

O'Brien said he and his Flemington crew have "loved" Royal Ascot, adding: "We'd love to come back here and win a race".