Aidan O'Brien had not won the G2 Queen Mary Stakes until subsequent G1 1000 Guineas heroine True Love (No Nay Never) prevailed last year and the Ballydoyle maestro edged closer to a century of Royal Ascot winners when TDN Rising Star Victorious (Wootton Bassett), who is blind in one eye, produced a telling burst in the closing stages of the five-furlong contest to provide the trainer with a 99th Royal winner.“She's incredible, we knew she was very classy and we've always felt that she'd be very good,” O'Brien said. “She is a filly with one eye so she's always lacked a bit of confidence, but she's been coming along lovely. Going back to five [furlongs] in this type of race, sometimes you can get lost, but it was lovely how Ryan got her racing in a small group. She doesn't have any sight in her left eye, so he slowly got her out and reassured her all the time. He rode her in Naas and he really loved her. We knew she was very good, but sometimes over five they might not get everything together and we were very hopeful. The people around her are the ones who are very careful not to frighten her and they've taught her everything very slowly. They've done a great job, it's all about the people dealing with her and I'm so delighted for them. Ryan nursed her and then, when he knew she was happy that she knew where she was going, he then said go. He gave her a brilliant ride.”Moore added, “She is a gorgeous filly and I think the world of her. She is just a sweetheart and has always shown plenty. She is so straightforward and the complete professional.”Following the lead of G2 Coventry hero Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never), Victorious becomes the second Royal winner this year to have emerged from last month's Naas Trials card.The G3 Naas Fillies Sprint winner was settled in rear through the early fractions as Stateside challenger Ruiva (Munning) assisted in setting a strong tempo up front. With Moore sitting unflustered through halfway, the 10-3 favourite was stirred into action soon after passing the quarter-mile marker and went through an array of gears to thunder past Senorita Bonita (Starspangledbanner) inside the final furlong for an impressive two-length success. Senorita Bonita had to contend with the rallying Ruiva in the closing stages and claimed second by a pixel.“It was a great run and we bumped into a very high-class filly,” said Simon Crisford of the 900,000gns Craven Breeze-Up sale topper Senorita Bonita. “She's done everything right, has come on from her first run at Nottingham and I couldn't be more pleased with her. She'll keep progressing. I do think she has the right temperament to keep going forward and she's not just a two-year-old. I think we'll stick to five furlongs for her next run and there's races like the [G3] Molecomb at Goodwood to consider. She's run a super race and bumped into a filly that was better than her on the day, but we'll take that one on again when we can.”Wesley Ward was delighted by the performance of Ruiva and said, “She didn't quite do it, but we tried! She's a beautiful filly and a hard trier and she'll have a big future. She's very fast and she's like a quarter horse. She's going back to America on Friday, but may be back depending what the owner thinks. The Breeders' Cup is where we are aiming. Keeneland is where she lives and if she blossoms out in her next run or two, it'll take a very good horse to beat us there. You can't take anything away from the winner there, but she had two runs and we only had the one and we're delighted to have such a high-quality filly. I just wish she had won.” She's well named! Victorious wins the Queen Mary Stakes! #RoyalAscot winner number 99 for Aidan O'Brien! pic.twitter.com/tfpnYdMFra— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2026 Pedigree NotesVictorious is the fourth foal and winner produced by a Galileo full-sister to Group 1-winning distaffers Minding, Tuesday and Empress Josephine.Her dam Heaven On Earth, who was bred to Justify last year, is also a full-sister to G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial victrix Kissed By Angels.Minding, in turn, is the dam of G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes hero Henry Longfellow (Dubawi), while the winner's second dam is G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Matron Stakes heroine Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer).Victorious is a half-sister to last year's G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes victrix Sugar Island (Dubawi) and G3 Give Thanks Stakes runner-up Mother Nature (Justify).The post Aidan O’Brien Edges Closer To Royal Ascot Century With Victorious Queen Mary Triumph appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.