Another mouthwatering clash with Tahiyra has got Saeed bin Suroor counting down the days to Royal Ascot with Mawj.

The pair were involved in one of the best races of the Flat season to date when duelling in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

On that occasion Mawj came out on top, but Tahiyra has since won the Irish equivalent and the bookmakers make her favourite to turn the tables in the Coronation Stakes on June 23.

“She grew a little bit when she was in Dubai,” said Bin Suroor of his diminutive filly.

“What I do with two-year-olds, when I see they are small and skinny, is give them time between races and that helps them.

“She hasn’t really grown that much but at least she has a big heart.

“We ran her over seven (furlongs) in Dubai and then she won well over a mile. When she came back to England she went and won a Classic. She’s a very special filly and we’re looking forward to Ascot.”

Looking ahead to the rematch he went on: “Dermot Weld’s filly is very good, she was second in the English Guineas and went and won in Ireland, she’s very tough.

“Our filly should run well, we’re happy with her and looking forward to it.

“I think a mile is perfect for her. Maybe in the future we might look at something different, but at the moment a mile is fine. We might look at nine furlongs some day.

“There are lots of races for her over a mile, the Falmouth, the Sun Chariot, races like that. We’ll see, but I think a mile suits her well.

“I don’t think we’d ever be looking to come back in trip with her.”

Paul Struthers will return to the Professional Jockeys Association as a consultant, along with Frankie Dettori’s commercial agent Peter Burrell.

Struthers, who left the organisation after 10 years at the helm in 2021, returns to assist the board in his capacity as chief executive of his own company Moya Sport, which specialises in PR support to governing bodies.

Burrell has been recruited to seek out additional income for the PJA and its members, and to act as an adviser on other important commercial matters.

The appointments, made with immediate effect, are to support “specific projects”, according to a statement from the organisation.

In recent months, heightened tensions over the perceived handling by senior PJA figures of critical issues such as the whip review, valets’ pay and the closure of racecourse saunas led to a revolt by jockeys and the resignation of CEO Ian McMahon.

Jon Holmes, the sports agent who counts the likes of Nick Luck, Gary Lineker and Ruby Walsh as clients, then resigned as PJA chair along with board members Simon Cox and Mick Fitzgerald.

Seven new members were appointed to the PJA board last week – Henry Brooke, Neil Callan, Tom Marquand, Andrew Mullen, Jonjo O’Neill Jr, Tabitha Worsley and Nick Attenborough, who was announced at Holmes’ successor.

Commenting on the appointments, Dale Gibson, interim CEO, stated: “This is positive news for the PJA. Adding Pete and Paul to our team helps ensure that we can deliver for our members both commercially and strategically.”

Attenborough added: “I’m delighted to welcome Pete and Paul to the association, their experience will strengthen the organisation considerably.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Dale and the team for their tireless work and commitment during recent challenging times.”

Sporting worlds are set to collide at Royal Ascot when Frankie Dettori partners baseball star Alex Bregman’s No Nay Mets in the Norfolk Stakes.

Trained by American George Weaver and owned by the Houston Astros’ third baseman’s Bregman Family Racing, the son of No Nay Never booked his ticket when landing the ‘win and you’re in’ Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes by an impressive three and a half lengths at Gulfstream in May, and will now attempt to become the third US-trained winner of the Group Two Norfolk.

Joining No Nay Mets on the flight across the Atlantic will be stablemate Crimson Advocate, who was equally as impressive on the same afternoon at the Florida track.

She will head to the Queen Mary Stakes as a general 7-1 chance, with Weaver relishing the prospect of getting on the Royal Ascot scoreboard with his pair of five-furlong fliers.

“They were both sharp in victory last time and earned their shot to make this trip,” Weaver said.

“They both did really well at Gulfstream. With two-year-olds, they are so lightly-raced it is hard to tell what you are running against, but they won the right way and it was never a second thought to bring them over to Ascot if they won.

“You don’t just want to shoot for the sake of it, but both have earned their chance to run in these races at Ascot and we’re excited about it.”

Dettori, of course, is no stranger to partnering American raiders at the Royal extravaganza and will be bidding to add to the four Royal Ascot winners he has previously steered for Wesley Ward during what will be his swansong at the showpiece meeting.

It will, however, be the first time he has ridden for from Weaver during his career and the trainer is delighted to have secured the services of the 52-year-old.

“Dettori will ride the colt and John Velazquez will ride the filly,” he confirmed.

“I don’t even think I’ve had the chance to give Dettori a ride before. Even though he has been in the States, he has been more California. But the man speaks for himself. What a career he has had – and he’s still got it! He’s one of the best in the world.”

And it appears Weaver will trust the Italian to make the right calls aboard the forward-going No Nay Mets as he bids to emulate his sire’s victory from 10 years ago.

He continued: “Both of these horses have plenty of early speed. I’m not sure what that translates to over in Ascot, as I know it is straight and a little uphill.

“No Nay Mets is a handy horse and I don’t even think he needs to lead. He’s got quality. Certainly, we’ll break away from the gates and try to place him forwardly and then the rest will be down to Frankie.”

Before Dettori has been given the leg-up on No Nay Mets, fellow riding great Velazquez will get the chance to notch his fourth Royal Ascot victory in the Queen Mary.

Hall of Fame pilot Velazquez is best known at the meeting for setting hot fractions aboard raiders saddled by Ward and he can be expected to take his customary position at the head of affairs when he rides Crimson Advocate, who is a precocious daughter of Nyquist.

“She’s so quick out of the gates, I wouldn’t want to take that away from her,” continued Weaver.

“In her first race she was behind horses on the dirt and was a little green about it. She was wearing blinkers and had those on, but then took to the grass really well at Gulfstream.

“If there is another horse that is quicker than her then fine, but we intend to be forward in this race – we will not take that early gate speed away from her.”

Weaver is hoping to fare better than on his sole previous visit to Ascot in 2015 when the Velazquez-ridden Cyclogenisis was unable to back up his strong American form in the Commonwealth Cup, finishing down the field in 14th.

But that experience left a lasting impression on Kentucky-born Weaver, who has been craving a return to the Berkshire track’s summer showpiece ever since.

He continued: “In 2015, I brought over a horse that wasn’t good enough, so this time around I hope I’m bringing at least one horse that is good enough – and maybe two.

“When I was there in 2015, I thought to myself how cool it would be to win a race at Royal Ascot and come back with a horse with a little better chance to win. At the time I thought our horse had somewhat a chance but hindsight is always 20-20.

“Royal Ascot just feels a lot different to American racing as a whole. The big days are big days over here, but Royal Ascot just feels like a special place. There is such an atmosphere there and then there is the pageantry. Everyone I’ve spoken to since I went there, I’ve told them, you need to go to Royal Ascot if you get the chance.

“If you have any sort of love of horse racing and a fan of the sport, going to Royal Ascot should be definitely on your bucket list, it’s a great experience.”

Pearls And Rubies will head to Royal Ascot as an exciting proposition for Aidan O’Brien following a very promising debut success at Navan.

An imposing daughter of No Nay Never, Ryan Moore let her find her feet in the five-furlong Lynn Lodge Stud Irish EBF Maiden, as up front Lightening Army took them along.

Keeping close tabs on the leaders was 6-5 favourite I Am Invictus, who looked like getting his head in front when leading over a furlong out, having filled the runner-up spot behind O’Brien’s Coventry Stakes-bound River Tiber first time out.

But Pearls And Rubies (3-1) started to find top gear late in the day, coming home really well to get the verdict by a neck from Michael O’Callaghan’s charge.

O’Brien said: “We thought she was very smart, we had it in our head could she be an Ascot filly.

“Obviously, she needed experience badly. We came here to see if she would be forward enough for Ascot. Ryan rode her accordingly and left her alone and educated her. She could be an Albany filly.

“She has won there and doesn’t even realise she has raced yet. She just kept coming and finished off very strong.

“She’s obviously a filly with plenty of class.”

Desert Crown will miss the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sir Michael Stoute has confirmed.

Last year’s Derby winner was on course for a clash with Adayar, Luxembourg and stablemate Bay Bridge in the 10-furlong Group One contest on June 21, having produced a scintillating piece of work under Ryan Moore on Wednesday.

However, after a routine canter under Ted Durcan on Saturday morning, he was found to be lame.

A market drifter on the exchanges on Sunday morning, asked if all was well with the colt, Stoute told the PA news agency: “No. He’s not running, no. He’s a non-runner.”

Desert Crown cruised to success in the premier Classic, but picked up an ankle injury and was not seen again until reappearing in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last month.

Though he looked better than ever beforehand, he was defeated in the dying strides by last season’s Coronation Cup winner Hukum, who was similarly coming back after a year on the sidelines.

Frankie Dettori was booked to ride the son of Nathaniel at Royal Ascot, replacing Richard Kingscote, but Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, added: “I knew they weren’t happy with him yesterday morning.

“He worked well on Wednesday. He doesn’t usually work like a rocket. His general work practice is to go steady early and to quicken.

“I didn’t see him yesterday. He worked nicely and I believe it was on his own. His final gallop was going to be next Tuesday or Wednesday with Dettori on him.

“I thought he won’t be doing too much. That was at 10 o’clock in the morning. At 12 o’clock, I heard he was a bit lame.

“They were having a good look at him. Injuries so close this time to the race mean you don’t take chances.”

Kevin Philippart De Foy is happy to roll the dice with El Habeeb in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

The four-year-old ran with credit in both the Derby – when only once-raced at the time with Stan Moore – and the St Leger last season, and proved his class when beating subsequent Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes.

De Foy has stepped his charge up to two miles this term, a move which saw him finish fifth in the Dubai Gold Cup before placing third in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes.

The Sagaro winner, Andrew Balding’s Coltrane, is the 3-1 favourite for the Gold Cup, with El Habeeb a best-priced 25-1 shot despite having only five lengths to find.

Philippart De Foy feels his colt merits his place in the field for the two-and-a-half-mile showpiece.

He said: “At the moment that (Gold Cup) is the plan. He ran well in the Sagaro. He’s fairly well one paced and doesn’t have that change of gear he needed at Ascot to go and pick up the second.

“The winner was quite impressive and he deserves to be the favourite, but I thought we were a little bit unlucky on the inside and I think we deserve to be there.

“He settles very well at any pace and he always stays on in his races. He wouldn’t have the biggest stride, but he keeps galloping all day, so I don’t think the distance will be an issue.

“The form of his last few races stacks up well. He’s got plenty to find to be competitive, but I think he will be competitive for a place.”

Light Infantry is on course for the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot following his cracking run in defeat in the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp.

Though beaten a short neck by the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat, his third runner-up effort in Group One company in France, the four-year-old son of Fast Company will bid to gain a measure of compensation on the first day of the Royal meeting.

Trainer David Simcock was delighted he showed his best after a disappointing seventh, when beaten three and three-quarter lengths by Modern Games in the Lockinge at Newbury.

Stepped up to nine furlongs for the first time in France, he was headed with over a furlong to race, but battled back to regain second place in the hands of Jamie Spencer.

Simcock said: “I’m delighted with him, especially backing up so quick after Newbury.

“Things really didn’t pan out for him in the Lockinge, but it was a good run (in the d’Ispahan) and it was a very competitive field.

“I would imagine he will go to the Queen Anne – I’m pretty sure of that. He’s very well and in good form.”

Reigning champion jockey Dane Dawkins inched closer to rivals in the race to retain his title, as he rode a dazzling three-timer, including Perfect Brew, who dismantled the field to cop the Alsafra Trophy over a mile (1,600m) at Caymanas Park on Saturday. 

Perfect Brew, conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan, justified favouritism, romping the three-year-old and upward Overnight Allowance race by six lengths in a time of 1:38.0. The splits were 23.4, 45.4 and 1:11.1.

The four-year-old bay gelding, who finished nine lengths behind the reigning Horse of the Year Atomica over seven furlongs (1,400m) on May 23, showed that he was better off from that run, as Dawkins rode a patient race, while Ameth Robles played catch me if you can aboard former Horse of the Year Further and Beyond.

Returning from an almost one-year break, Further and Beyond, now trained by Donovan Hutchinson, rushed to an early three length lead, which rapidly increased on the backstretch, as the rest of the field settled well off the blistering pace.

By the time Robles and Further and Beyond left the five-furlong mark and flashed past the half-mile, they were well over six lengths in front with Stomp The Rhythm (Anthony Thomas) and Marquesas (Tevin Foster), the closest pursuers at the point.

However, Dawkins made his move aboard Perfect Brew at the three-furlong point and after hitting top stride in the home stretch, they swept by a now-tiring Further and Beyond, whose lack of race fitness was well advertised, and a fighting Stomp The Rhythm, in the latter stages to win. Marquesas completed the frame.

While it was the first win of the season for Perfect Brew, it was Dawkins's 35th of the season, as he moved within 10 of leader Reyan Lewis and two shy of second-place Tevin Foster.

Dawkins earlier won aboard Jaguar in the fifth race giving newly licensed trainer Ricardo Mathie a first win from his first start. He later piloted Big Guy In The Sky to victory in the ninth race for trainer Gary Subratie.

Meanwhile, Barrington Bernard and Courtney Williams, who are also freshly licensed trainers, also won their first races. Bernard won the first race with Anngelos (Roger Hewitt), while Williams won the seventh race with Zion (Phillip Parchment).

Oisin Murphy made a rare visit to Beverley worthwhile when taking the bet365 Handicap aboard Mick Appleby’s United Front.

The jockey had a full book of rides on the Westwood and after finishing second in the first two contests, he partnered the 5-2 joint favourite in his third bid for victory.

This time he was successful as the six-year-old found a nice spot on the rail in the handicap and burst through a gap between the race leaders in the final half-furlong to prevail by a length.

“He was in the right race, Mick Appleby’s horses are in good form,” said Murphy.

“He was very straightforward and it’s nice to ride a winner here, I had two seconds to begin with so I needed to start winning!”

Another triumph then followed as Andrew Balding’s Sovereign Spirit took the Price Promise At bet365 Handicap at 7-1.

The gelding made the running as the pace was a steady one and held on resolutely to claim a short-head victory in a photo finish.

“He’s quite a tough horse because the race wasn’t as smooth as I wanted it to be,” Murphy said.

“He had a look at the stables and I was off course and wasting time as I drifted out, then down the back I thought the only way I could get him to really relax was by letting go of his head.

“He pricked his ears when I eventually got to the front and up the straight he found plenty for pressure.”

Murphy was then narrowly denied a third success on the card when Michael Dods’ Berry Edge (16-5 favourite) was defeated in the Best Odds Guaranteed At bet365 Handicap by Dandy’s Angel (12-1).

Kevin Stott helped George Boughey’s Abbadia get off the mark in the bet365 Very British Raceday Restricted Maiden Stakes.

The Mastercraftsman filly had come closest to winning when second over course and distance in a handicap in April, and the bay again showed her liking for the Yorkshire track after starting at 100-30.

She made almost all of the running and crossed the line a length and a half ahead of his nearest rival.

“It’s the first time I’ve ridden her, I got to the front pretty easily and had the race pretty easy, really,” Stott said.

“I just had to pick it up inside the two (furlong pole) and she’s hit the line good. George said she’s been working really well and that she’d have a good chance.

“You have to have a horse that travels around here and she really did that.”

Novakai remains firmly on course for a tilt at Classic glory in France after seeing her form receive a significant boost at Epsom last weekend.

Runner-up in the May Hill at Doncaster and the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, the Lope De Vega filly made her three-year-old debut in the Musidora Stakes at York.

Karl Burke’s filly again had to make do with second place, but that now looks a fine effort after the surprise winner, Soul Sister, followed up in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom under Frankie Dettori.

Immediately after her run at York, Burke nominated the French Oaks as the likely objective and he is looking forward to seeing her line up at Chantilly on Sunday week.

“She’s on target for Prix de Diane, she looks in great shape,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.

“She’s not a particularly strong work horse at home, but she does look in good form and we’re very happy with her.

“The Musidora form obviously got a nice boost and she’ll step up on that York form as well.”

Novakai will bid to provide Burke with a second French Oaks success following the victory of his star filly Laurens in 2018.

Whether she will renew rivalry with Soul Sister remains to be seen, but she is likely to meet her stablemate Running Lion, who was withdrawn before the start of the Oaks at Epsom.

Jumby showed his love of seven furlongs once again in claiming the Sky Bet John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s son of New Bay won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes over the distance last summer and avoiding a penalty for that success here, the 9-4 favourite made full use of that advantage to get the better of Australian raider The Astrologist in the closing stages.

Dropping back in both trip and grade having beaten on horse home in the Lockinge Stakes last time, Jumby was positioned towards the rear by jockey Charlie Bishop as The Astrologist was out of the gates and quickly into stride in the hands of Ryan Moore.

However, the long Haydock straight provided Bishop with all the time he needed to set about catching the strapping Australian speedster and with Karl Burke’s El Caballo suffering interference at a crucial moment, Jumby was given plenty of daylight to make his challenge, cruising to a cosy one-and-a-half-length success in the closing stages.

Johnson Houghton said: “Seven furlongs is the right trip, but seven furlongs is also the hardest trip to find and he also doesn’t want soft ground, so we have to just pick our way through.

“He’s a brilliant horse who is very good in Group Threes, he’s won a Group Two and there’s no reason why he couldn’t win another one.

“He’d have to carry a lot of weight in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot (over six furlongs), but when you see the size of him I don’t think weight bothers him very much, so we’ll see.

“We’ll take him home, scratch our heads and have a think about it, but today is a great day and he did it like we expected him to. It was like a bit of work for him and he did it with a smile on his face.”

Johnson Houghton felt Jumby simply did not stay a mile at Newbury, but is not ruling out a crack at that distance in the Breeders’ Cup later this year.

She added: “We tried to go to the Lockinge and the times guys tell me he did the fastest six furlongs between the one to the seven, but he didn’t get the mile.

“Maybe if we really smuggled him into it he might get it, but we’ll obviously look at the Lennox at Goodwood over seven, the Hungerford at Newbury which he won last year, the Foret in France and we might have to travel further with him.

“We could have a little look at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, why not? I think he might get a mile round a bend and if they pay us to go why not give it a crack?”

The Astrologist, who is trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, posted an improved effort on his British bow, when he finished seventh in the Duke of York Stakes and is on course for Royal Ascot.

Assistant trainer Dom Sutton said: “It was definitely a step in the right direction. Ryan said he thought he was on the winner three furlongs out. He was probably just found wanting in the last 50 yards stepping up to seven furlongs on his second start (in Britain).

“It will put him cherry ripe for Ascot, so he should be at peak fitness. We’ll freshen him up going into Ascot.”

Bombay Bazaar continued a good afternoon at Beverley for Richard Fahey when taking the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy Conditions Stakes.

The Kodiac colt was a winner on the Westwood last time out when landing a course-and-distance event by four and a quarter lengths.

Prior to that he was third in a good quality contest on his debut when ridden by Oisin Orr, the same jockey who took the ride for the Two Year Old Trophy.

Sent off a 4-1 chance, the bay was ridden patiently and found his path blocked ahead of the two-furlong pole, but upon finding a gap he was able to accelerate away from his rivals to win by three quarters of a length.

The success followed Midnight Affair’s victory in the Hilary Needler earlier on the card, with both horses now bound for Royal Ascot having earned their place in these Beverley trials.

“They’re two great two-year-old races that I’d always like to win, but to win them both on the same afternoon is fantastic,” said Fahey.

“That was quite impressive there, he came home well. It didn’t look a bad race, looking at the individuals, so it was a good, solid performance.

“He is definitely getting better, he is a homebred and he just missed out on going to the sales – he has improved drastically.

“I would think the owner (Hussain Alabbas Lootah) would be very keen to go to the Windsor Castle. I will speak to him but I know they are keen to go. There’s no reason for him not to go, so we’ll see.”

Tom Marquand delivered Sea Silk Road to perfection to give William Haggas a fitting success in the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock.

Haggas and Marquand combined to win the contest – which is registered as the Pinnacle Stakes – with Sea La Rosa 12 months ago, but this year’s victory had added meaning with the Group Three contest renamed in honour of Piggott, who was not only a weighing room legend, but also Haggas’ father-in-law.

Although the race lost a little spice when John and Thady Gosden’s Mimikyu was declared a non-runner prior to the runners heading to post, there was nevertheless a small but select cast at the Lancashire track and it was German raider Nachtrose who led them along in the early stages from Roger Varian’s Modaara as the quintet raced in single file.

Marquand had the eventual winner anchored in rear sitting on the tail of Ryan Moore and the evens favourite Time Lock and although Moore was soon nudging away as the runners swung the turn for home, Marquand was yet to panic aboard the eventual winner as he began to hunt down those at the head of affairs.

Modaara laid down a challenge two furlongs from home, but the eye was always drawn to Sea Silk Road who would prove to be Nachtrose’s biggest danger in the closing stages and having hit top gear with a furlong to run, the Somerville Lodge inmate was well in control as she swooped past the raider late on to score by three-quarters of a length at 9-2.

Raatea may have earned himself a place on Julie Camacho’s small but select squad for Royal Ascot with victory in the Sky Bet Reverence Handicap at Haydock.

The six-year-old carries the colours of Martin Hughes, a part-owner of the yard’s stable star Shaquille, who is a major contender for Group One honours in Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup.

Raatea is not of that standard, but is undoubtedly a talented sprinter in his own right and following a fifth-placed finish on his reappearance at Newmarket, he stepped up on Merseyside to land odds of 13-2 in the hands of James Doyle.

Camacho’s husband and assistant, Steve Brown, said: “In fairness to Jason Hart, who rode him at Newmarket where he finished fifth in a really competitive race, he said he thought he’d really benefit from cheek pieces and you could see the difference today with how he travelled.

“James said he’d have kicked himself had he got beat as he actually got there too soon and the horse thought he’d done enough.

“There’s no doubt he’s a horse with plenty of ability and he’s done well for us, but we’ve always had it at the back of our minds that he could have done a touch better.

“We’ll have a chat with Martin and see what he’d like to do, but the ability is there to be taking part in good races. He has his own ideas, but when he’s good, he’s good.

“He’s in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot. He’s obviously got a penalty now, whether that’s enough to get in I don’t know, but I’m sure Martin would be delighted if he could run.

“In fairness, the stiff six at Ascot is his gig as he’s a six-and-a-half-furlong horse really.”

The Charlie Fellowes-trained Cumulonimbus (6-1) led from pillar to post in the Better Betting With Sky Bet Handicap under a well-judged ride from Harry Davies.

The four-year-old made every yard of the running when scoring at Newmarket last month and repeated the tactics on Merseyside, dominating from the front and keeping enough up his sleeve to repel the challenge of the long-absent Live Your Dream by half a length.

“The ground is rattling out there today, it was actually a concern for me but it was no problem for him,” said Davies.

“I managed to get a very easy lead on the front end. I hacked round really until we got to the four-furlong marker and I just sprinted away.

“He’s very gutsy and he’s improving, so it’s great.”

Midnight Affair is Royal Ascot bound after a neat performance in the Hilary Needler Trophy Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Beverley.

The Richard Fahey-trained bay was denied a clear passage on her debut at Newmarket in May, but still ran with promise and was highly fancied on the Westwood as a result.

Starting as the 5-6 favourite under Danny Tudhope, she made light work of the five-furlong event and was not stretched in crossing the line a length and a quarter ahead of Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda.

Royal Ascot is next on the agenda, with owner Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics aiming for the Queen Mary Stakes to retain the trophy Dramatised landed for him 12 months ago.

He said: “Richard has been saying he likes her a lot and she’s done that really well there. He says that he can’t get her off the bridle at home and she gets all the others off the bridle.

“She must be quite good and it’s lovely to see her do that on the track.

“We’ll go for a crack at the Queen Mary now as it’s a race we haven’t done too badly in!

“I won that with Dramatised last year and we hope she can develop into another really nice filly like her.”

Fahey echoed his words, adding: “We do like an her an awful lot at home, she always works really well.

“We feel she’s still learning. The better ones don’t always come off the bridle, but she’s learning and that was a good performance. She’s very uncomplicated, we’re very happy with her.

“Steve’s very keen to go for the Queen Mary and that’s where we’ll aim with her. He won it last year, it’s his race now!”

Paddy Power make Midnight Affair an 8-1 chance from 11s for the Queen Mary.