Mostahdaf provided Frankie Dettori with a fifth domestic Group One of the season and in the process helped him become the most successful jockey in the history of the Juddmonte International at York.

In drawing away from Lester Piggott with a sixth win in York’s best race, Dettori created yet another record in a career that is set to end later this year.

But when you see him at his best, as he was once again from the front on John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old, you have to wonder why he is retiring at all.

Yes, he has achieved almost everything in the game, but on the big occasion and when it matters the most, there really have been very few better.

Up against the potential Horse of the Year in Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington, who had beaten Dettori and Emily Upjohn in the Eclipse, he was determined his younger rival was not going to have things all his own way.

In a complete change of tactics from Ascot, when Mostahdaf had been so impressive in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Dettori bounded out of the stalls into an early advantage and it was one he would not relinquish with the Italian hailing him as the best 10-furlong horse around.

With his Ascot partner Jim Crowley suspended for his winning ride in the King George, Dettori for once was in the role as super-sub.

He still held a two-length lead two furlongs out but it was then a matter of what was left in the tank, however, by then Paddington was also beginning to paddle and it was the winner’s stablemate Nashwa closing in.

There might not have been much in the locker at the finish, but as he so often has in his storied career, Dettori had ridden the perfect race.

“He’s run over a mile and a half, so he stays a mile and a quarter really well. The key was to get the fractions right, not too slow and not too fast and thankfully after 36 years I got it right,” said Dettori.

“I knew I had got it right because when I looked round I still had two lengths rope, I expected them to be on my quarters and when they weren’t I knew it would take a good horse to catch me now.

“This is my last Ebor meeting, my wife has come along and to be the first jockey to get six Juddmonte Internationals, beating Lester, I couldn’t ask for more.

“This was a real team effort. I have to thank Angus Gold and Richard Hills (Shadwell’s racing managers), Sheikha Hissa for giving me the ride and John and Thady – and especially Jim, it’s his ride. We all came up with a plan to beat this great horse Paddington. We wanted to bully the race from the beginning. It takes a good horse to do that and he was.”

Connections of Mostahdaf had admitted in the build up to the race that his achievements had somewhat gone under the radar, his Ascot performance looked too good to be true and yet he backed it up again.

“What he did at Ascot, people thought it was put on a plate for him but today he did it on his own,” said Dettori, who, when asked about his impending retirement replied: “I’ve got seven weeks and three days left – not that I’m counting!

“We were having to give 7lb to the favourite, but for a reason – we are an older horse and stronger, but that is valuable weight and quite an advantage. Because of that I didn’t want to have to chase him, when you are giving a horse weight you want them chasing you, not be chasing them.

“There’s a limit you can go, you don’t want to go too fast but at the same time you can’t go too slow.

“He’s a super horse, he showed that at Ascot. Because we know he stays a bit further, we wanted it to be a test and I could be aggressive.”

Dettori has ridden greats like Halling, Swain, Sakhee and Authorized to success in this great race and he feels Mostahdaf sits comfortably in their company.

“Undoubtedly he is the best mile-and-a-quarter horse around after this performance. I suspect John will find some good races for him at the end of the season but unfortunately for me, I’m not likely to be on him, but I’ll just take it as it comes,” he said.

“Equinox beat this horse a good few lengths over a mile and a half, which isn’t his best distance while it might be for Equinox. This lad is right at home over a mile and a quarter.

“To be the first jockey to win this six times means a lot.”

William Haggas’ Relief Rally will be tested over six furlongs in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York after an impressive string of five-furlong performances.

The daughter of Kodiac has been beaten just once in four runs, winning a novice and a conditions race before stepping up to Group Two level in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

There she was beaten just a nose by the American challenger Crimson Advocate in a busy field of 26 runners.

She lost little in defeat and was a winner again when heading to Newbury for the Super Sprint, a race she won by three lengths under regular rider Tom Marquand.

The same jockey will receive the leg-up on the Knavesmire, where Relief Rally steps up to six furlongs for the first time against a group of eight rivals for the Group Two Lowther.

Trainer William Haggas said: “She’ll run a good race. She’s a lovely filly – very fast, very able, goes on any ground.

“She should get the trip – I think she’ll enjoy the trip.”

Relief Rally will face Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, a Dark Angel filly last seen winning the Alice Keppel at Goodwood by a convincing four lengths.

Prior to that the grey was sixth of 26 in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, where she was the first home in the group on the far side as the race split into three bunches across the track.

“She won well at Goodwood in different ground conditions, we’re looking forward to seeing her over six furlongs and she seems in great form,” said Balding.

“You never quite know until you try, but it’s a nice race for her and the timing is right.

“The draw was a factor there (at Ascot) but it won’t be here, it’s a smaller field.

“Hopefully we’ll get a fair race and fingers crossed she runs well.”

Also well-fancied is Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom, a No Nay Never filly with form over six furlongs as she won a Curragh maiden over the trip by five lengths earlier in August.

Prior to that she notably made her debut in Listed company, finishing fourth in the Marwell Stakes when beaten only a length and a quarter.

“We started her off in a Listed race and she ran well,” said O’Brien.

“She’d taken a big step forward from that and we’ve always liked her. Any ease in the ground would be an advantage to her.”

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have a runner in Star Of Mystery, winner of the Listed Empress Stakes and second in the Duchess of Cambridge at Newmarket’s July Cup meeting.

Karl Burke, who was victorious last year with Swingalong, has two chances with Beautiful Diamond and Dorothy Lawrence.

Beautiful Diamond was third in the Queen Mary when racing alone behind the leading duo, prior to which she was a decisive winner of a Nottingham maiden.

Dorothy Lawrence has more racing experience having run four times, including a good course effort when second in the Marygate by half a length in May.

Following that performance she was third at Chantilly and then won for the first time in an Ayr maiden last month.

Running in the same Clipper Logistics silks for Michael Bell will be Queen’s Guard, who comes into the race having won a Yarmouth maiden last time, with Irish trainer Paddy Twomey represented by Airlie Stud Stakes second Gunzburg.

Clive Cox will saddle Symbology, a winner over course and distance on debut before finishing third in the Princess Margaret at Ascot.

Big Evs has been supplemented for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday – where Andrea Atzeni will ride.

Mick Appleby’s speedy two-year-old won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot by three lengths and then followed up at Goodwood in the Molecomb.

He was ridden in both those victories by Jason Hart but he understandably maintains his partnership with John Quinn’s Highfield Princess.

As a result Atzeni, who will take up a licence in Hong Kong soon, has stepped in to fill the breach.

“He’s in good order. He did a good piece of work this morning and he’ll probably have one more piece of work on Wednesday. I’m delighted with him,” said Appleby.

“It’s a long time since a two-year-old has won the Nunthorpe Kingsgate Native, 2007). So, yes, it’s a big ask for him, but hopefully he’s going there with a very good chance at the weights. Jason doesn’t ride as he is on Highfield Princess. Andrea Atzeni rides.”

Saffie Osborne is set to continue her association with Scampi when he bids for Sky Bet Ebor glory at York on Saturday week.

The 21-year-old was in the saddle aboard Andrew Balding’s charge when he registered his second victory of the season on the Shergar Cup card at Ascot last Saturday, and connections are delighted to have retained her services when Scampi heads to the Knavesmire for the prestigious handicap.

Owned by the RaceShare syndicate, the five-year-old is as short as 14-1 for the £500,000 contest, having secured his spot in the race by winning the Jorvik Handicap at the track earlier in the season, and plenty of his supporters will be making the trip to cheer him on in his quest for further glory.

“We’re all on an absolute high at the moment,” said Lucy Delaney, managing director of RaceShare.

“We have confirmed that Saffie Osborne keeps the ride in the Ebor, which we are really thrilled about because she gave him an absolute cracking ride at Ascot on Saturday.

“York have been fantastic in supporting us and we hope to have a really big group of owners there cheering him on and he’s obviously reached new heights really.

“Scampi’s name and his style of running just really connects with people and he has a bit of a following now. I think not just his RaceShare owners, but the wider racing public have latched onto him because he has become a really consistent Saturday horse.

“We’re just hoping everything goes well in the Ebor and he is able to put up one of his always consistent runs.”

A bold showing in the Ebor could help fulfil ambitious plans from the owners to race in Australia later in the season, with Scampi holding nominations for both the Caulfield Cup on October 21 and the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The Ebor also serves as an automatic qualifier for the ‘race that stops the nation’ on November 7, so there is plenty on the line when the Kingsclere inmate heads north on August 26.

“He went up 6lb for his win and obviously it is still a dream, but if he did run well in the Ebor and goes up a bit more, Australia is a possibility,” continued Delaney.

“Andrew entered him in the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup with the feeling being he was going so well at home and if he did come out and win the Ebor and he wasn’t entered in those races, we might regret it.

“He confirmed how he is flying at the moment with his win at Ascot on Saturday and we’re trying not to get too excited, but his community of owners are all counting down the days to the Ebor.

“We are massively keen on Australia. He would need a further jump in the ratings, so he would need to do well in the Ebor or even a race soon after to get into the Australian races. But if he does continue on his upward curve, we would be really keen to take on the Australians.”

Although Scampi’s legion of syndicate members may still be holding fire on booking their tickets to Australia, he has easily become the standard-bearer for the fledgling RaceShare operation since being purchased for 85,000 guineas last October.

He has secured over £100,000 in prize-money for his owners and his importance is not lost on Delaney, who via RaceShare attempts to enhance the ownership experience through interactive means, such as live shows on racedays, broadcasting not only the Raceshare horses in action but also showing behind the scenes footage from the track with key participants.

She said: “We only launched in November last year with the five horses and we’ve grown from there and in fairness they have all done all right.

“There is still probably a lot to come from Treasure Time and Red Mirage will find his form, and I think Jolly Nellerie is going to be a typical Venetia Williams long-term project.

“But Scampi really couldn’t have done much more for us than he has, he’s an absolute hero. There’s over 1,000 people involved with Scampi and all our horses are divided into 4,000 shares.

“You can buy from one to 250 shares and the aim is, while we want to make the raceday experience on course brilliant, we want to do a really good job of creating a really good experience off course as well, because the majority of owners are never going to actually get to the course most of the time.

“We’ve built up a lovely community of owners in a really short space of time and the form of Scampi is just the icing on the cake.”

Odds-on favourite Paddington is all set to bid for a fifth successive Group One win this season in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International at York.

Aidan O’Brien’s new superstar will step back up in trip to an extended 10 furlongs having won the Eclipse at Sandown over a similar distance.

He proved his versatility last time out by dropping down to a mile for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood where he made all the running.

From a humble beginning this season in a Naas handicap, he is now the best of his generation by some distance.

“He’s an amazing horse really and is progressing from run to run, that’s all he has done all year,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“We thought he was a very good two-year-old, he went to Ascot first time out but he got stage fright and just never performed so we gave him a good break. He went to the Curragh after that and won very easily.

“Because of that we left him alone. He was trained for the Classics in the spring but we started as low as we could because we had a lot of horses to get out.

“Ryan (Moore) was very impressed with him, as you know Ryan doesn’t say much but he was very impressed with him in the Sussex. He would have preferred a lead but there was nobody else prepared to so that was why he went on.

“John (Magnier) always felt on pedigree he would get a mile and a half. He went to the Eclipse for his first run over a mile and a quarter so this is a little bit further on a flatter track. It will be interesting to see and we’ll take it race by race with him at the moment.”

Paddington, Mostahdaf and Desert Crown all feature among eight confirmations for what promises to be a blockbuster contest.

Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf heads the opposition for John and Thady Gosden.

The five-year-old was a four-length winner at Royal Ascot and he is set to be partnered for the first time by Frankie Dettori, as regular rider Jim Crowley serves a 20-day whip suspension.

Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was forced to sidestep the Prince of Wales’s due to a late setback, but he is in the mix following a satisfactory piece on work on Wednesday morning.

He could be joined by fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner Bay Bridge, who finished fifth behind Mostahdaf at Ascot.

The Gosden have a second contender in Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes and third in the Nassau last time out, while the Mostahdaf colours of Shadwell are also represented by Alflaila, although it is unlikely both their horses will run.

O’Brien also has Point Lonsdale in contention while the prospective field is completed by The Foxes, who finished second in the Belmont Derby for Andrew Balding last time out.

St Leger hopes will be on the line in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Gosden-trained Gregory the key name following his Queen’s Vase verdict at Royal Ascot.

“We’re all looking forward to seeing him back,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“He did it the hard way at Ascot – he was very game. The big aim for him has always been the St Leger, so the Voltigeur is an obvious stepping stone, but it’s a very prestigious race in its own right and it’s exciting to have a colt going there who we think will have a good chance.”

Godolphin rely on the Charlie Appleby-trained Castle Way after his narrow Bahrain Trophy success over Tower Of London.

That colt again features for O’Brien, who has five potential runners out of a list of 10, with Adelaide River and Continuous also confirmed.

Derby fourth Sprewell could represent Jessica Harrington, with Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, possibly crossing swords again.

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed the brilliant Paddington to be firmly on course for the Juddmonte International at York.

The Siyouni colt has carried all before him so far this season, winning each of his six starts, including four Group Ones.

A Classic success in the Irish 2,000 Guineas was followed by victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, since when he has beaten his elders in the Coral-Eclipse over a mile and a quarter and the Sussex Stakes over a mile.

He is set to revert to the longer trip on the Knavesmire on August 23, with Mostahdaf and Desert Crown among his likely rivals.

“He’s good and everything is good so far with him. The Juddmonte is still the plan,” said O’Brien.

The Ballydoyle handler also provided an update on his dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin, who ran a listless race in the King George at Ascot last month for which no obvious excuse has emerged.

However, O’Brien is pleased with his current condition and is pointing him towards the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9.

He added: “He’s good and he’s on the Leopardstown programme at the moment. He’s done two or three pieces and everything has been lovely so far.”

Bluestocking will be given a couple of options at the upcoming Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York following her narrow defeat in the Irish Oaks.

Placed behind Warm Heart in both a Listed race at Newbury and the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Camelot filly comprehensively reversed that form in the Curragh Classic and looked the likely winner after travelling powerfully to the lead.

In the end she was outstayed by Epsom Oaks runner-up Savethelastdance, but lost little in defeat in being beaten half a length and is now bound for the Knavesmire.

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, said: “Whilst we thought the world of her, her form before the Irish Oaks wouldn’t have suggested she was going to put in a run like that, but we sort of always felt she had that in her.

“It was a huge run and I thought she had it won for most of the straight, but unfortunately we didn’t.

“We’ll look towards York for her. It will more than likely be the Yorkshire Oaks, but because she hasn’t won yet this year she has the option of the race we won with Haskoy last year (Galtres Stakes).

“You’d imagine she’ll probably go for the Yorkshire Oaks, but she’ll be in both anyway.”

Two other horses who have made a big impression for the Juddmonte team in the last week are Waltham and Task Force.

Trained by Ger Lyons, the three-year-old Waltham supplemented an impressive debut win at Leopardstown with a runaway six-length success in a conditions event at the same track. He now looks set for a step up to Pattern class, but Mahon feels talk of a tilt at Classic glory in the St Leger is premature.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s a horse that went into training late – he only went into training in May this year,” he said.

“He’s done nothing wrong in his two wins, he’s progressing nicely and stays well and something like the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh (August 20) would be next on the cards.

“He is a nice horse, but you have to remember he’s won a pretty uncompetitive maiden and he’s won a nice conditions race – it’s a long way off Group One standard.”

Task Force, trained by Ralph Beckett, is bred to be a bit special as a son of Frankel out 1000 Guineas heroine Special Duty and made a big impression on his racecourse introduction at Salisbury.

While plans are fluid, Mahon hopes he can go on to bigger and better things.

He said: “It’s not too many times you have a two-year-old that’s by a Guineas winner and out of a Guineas winner and he’s a nice horse.

“He’s a very late foal (born in May) and he’s been a little bit immature, but he’s shown up well at home, Ralph decided to bring him down the road for his first start and he won well.

“Again the quality of the race might not have been the strongest, but he did it in impressive fashion over what I’d imagine is his bare minimum trip of six furlongs.

“Without discussing it with Ralph, he would remind me of a horse who probably won’t have a huge amount of racing this year. If he had another two starts that would probably be the height of it as he’s a horse to look forward to for next year.

“I’d say he’ll step up to seven furlongs next time.”

When asked whether the Acomb Stakes at York could be a target, he added: “At the moment I think the plan is for Starlore to go to the Acomb, but if Task Force was in good form and Ralph wanted a go it’s not impossible we could run two of them.”

Alflaila made a triumphant return to action with an impressive display in the Sky Bet York Stakes.

The Owen Burrows-trained four-year-old won a Listed race at Pontefract and successive Group Threes to round off last season, including a verdict at York in the Strensall Stakes.

A subsequent injury suffered when being readied to run in Bahrain delayed his reappearance, but he proved his talent remains very much intact with a smart performance on the Knavesmire.

A small but select field of five went to post for the Group Two contest, with My Prospero the even-money favourite to make the most of a slight ease in class after finishing fourth in the Lockinge at Newbury and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on his first two starts of the season.

But after responding to Tom Marquand’s urgings to grab the lead late on, he was unable to resist the challenge of Alflaila, who had been biding his time in behind under Andrea Atzeni and swept by in the closing stages to prevail by half a length.

Royal Champion was only a length further behind in third, with Checkandchallenge fourth and Mashhoor last of five after cutting out the early running.

Sparks Fly will bid for a remarkable seventh consecutive victory in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Lyric Fillies’ Stakes at York on Friday.

The Dave Loughnane-trained three-year-old was rated just 59 when her winning spree began at Windsor in April, but five further victories have seen her mark rise to 98 and earned her a step up to Listed level.

She has won three times at Windsor, once at Thirsk, once at Chester and most recently struck gold north of the border at Ayr.

Sparks Fly will become winning-most Flat horse in Britain this season if she can bring up the seven-timer for owner David Lowe in Friday evening’s £70,000 feature on the Knavesmire.

“The owner is a very good owner – he’s very loyal and always gives his horses a chance. We gave her a chance to just fill her frame a bit and a chance to develop,” said Loughnane.

“All her siblings have been very early sharp two-year-olds; you’d expect her to be, but she wasn’t. We gave her the time and reaped a reward.

“She’s always been a bit of a stable favourite. She’s a lovely filly and a pleasure to have around the place – everyone always liked her.

“Obviously, it’s been a lovely journey to be part of and I don’t think we’re finished yet.”

The Shropshire-based trainer is hoping for some cut in the ground at York, adding: “The plan is, provided there’s ‘soft’ in the description, she’ll run.

“I’d go there quite bullish if the ground conditions are right. The way she’s won every race, she’s done it with complete ease. I don’t think we’re anywhere near the bottom of her yet.

“I think she’d be fine on good ground as well, but it’s not something we need to find out right now. Obviously, we’re on for a seven-timer, so we just need to tick every box at the moment.”

Sparks Fly is one of 10 fillies declared. Her rivals include the William Haggas-trained Golden Lyra, a Listed winner in France last season, and Richard Fahey’s Midnight Mile, who placed fourth in the Musidora Stakes at York in the spring.

Electric Eyes, trained by Karl Burke, is another major contender as she makes her first competitive appearance since finishing second in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in September.

Dubai Mile could make his debut for Martyn and Freddie Meade in Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes.

The three-year-old progressed nicely through his juvenile campaign, topped by landing the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud last October for Charlie and Mark Johnston.

However, he has failed to build on that in three runs this term. Although fifth to Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas, he was subsequently ninth in the Derby and finished eight lengths behind King Of Steel in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.

Thereafter, he joined the Meades’ Manton Park Stud after a deal was secured to purchase a half-share in the colt from owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, with a view to a stallion career.

Freddie Meade says the son of Roaring Lion has settled in well at Manton and while he holds an entry in the Group One Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich on Sunday, York could be the preferred option.

“We have left him the race in Munich, but I don’t think that will happen,” said Meade. “The possibility is we might go to York on Saturday for the Group Two.

“He seems to have settled in well. Everything seems good and he has fitted into the regime and everything.

“The York Stakes was what we earmarked as a starting point. He will definitely get the entry and we will see how he is through the week.

“The ultimate is to get another Group One with him if we can. We’ll start there and see where we go, but we are coming into the part of the season where he will maybe get his favoured soft ground, but he is pretty ground-versatile, it is just that his optimum is with a bit of juice in the ground.

“Hopefully he will be an exciting horse and that we can do some good with him.”

Kihavah may drop in trip for the Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday week ahead of a potential crack at the Ebor next month.

Classic-winning trainer Adrian Keatley feels his stable star, who has a handicap mark of 98, may have to win another race to ensure a place in the Sky Bet-sponsored feature handicap.

Having won his previous four races, including once over hurdles, Kihavah finished a game second to Saeed bin Suroor’s Live Your Dream at Newmarket last week.

“We might run Kihavah at York as a prep run for the Ebor as he’s short a couple of pounds on 98, he might need another couple to make sure he gets in,” said Keatley, who won the 2016 Irish 1,000 Guineas with Jet Setting.

“He’s got his confidence back, he had a couple of issues with his wind in the past, which we’ve played around with, and we seem to have found the key to him now.

“It was a massive run last week at Newmarket but the rain came a bit soon as it just made it a bit loose. Half a mile from home I thought he had no chance, but he pulled it out of the bag again.

“He’s a very big horse, he was very lean when I got him but he seems to be holding his condition now and taking his training better. Hopefully if he gets into the Ebor, he could be a good representative for us.

“We were thinking of Market Rasen this weekend, but when you are talking of races like the Ebor being a possibility, we can always go back jumping later.

“He’s very much a top-of-the-ground horse and because the ground got so loose last week it was a harder race than expected, so that was another reason we missed Market Rasen this weekend.”

The Sky Bet York Stakes is on the final day of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival which gets under way on Friday at Pontefract and concludes at York on Saturday week.

Alflaila will make his belated return from injury at York on Saturday week in the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes.

The Shadwell-owned colt won four times from six starts as a three-year-old last term before sustaining an injury ahead of a run in Bahrain in November.

Trainer Owen Burrows feels he has had plenty of time to recuperate and thinks an outing on the Knavesmire, where he won the Strensall Stakes last August, will bring him on.

Though not having raced since defeating Ottoman Fleet in the Group Three Darley Stakes at Newmarket in October, he is entered in the Group One Juddmonte International.

Connections are keen to see if he will cope with 10 furlongs for the first time in his career, in preparation for a possible run at the top level in the August 23 contest at York.

Burrows said: “He will run in the Group Two at York on Saturday week. He was injured in Bahrain a few days before he was due to run.

“He has had his rehab back at Shadwell and touch wood it has all gone well.

“We have had plenty of time to prepare him and there was the Listed race at Newbury on Saturday or this race, and we’d have had a penalty in the Listed race, so we thought we’d have a punt and see how he fared in the Group Two.

“He won the Strensall at York, so he is a track winner and it would be nice to get him back on the track.”

Hukum, who made a winning return following a long injury lay-off in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, heads to Ascot for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the same day.

However, Prix d’Ispahan winner Anmaat is set to take his place on the sidelines due to a foot problem that ruled him out of the Eclipse.

“Losing good horses (through injury) is what I think they call ‘character-building’,” quipped Burrows. “With Anmaat now likely sidelined for the rest of the season, I think I’ve done enough character-building for now.

“Hukum is in good form, though. It will be a big weekend for us, that’s for sure.”

Shadwell decided not to supplement Al Asifah into Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh, with no imminent plans.

The three-year-old daughter of Frankel, trained by John and Thady Gosden, was a runaway winner of a Goodwood Listed heat in June, before finishing a lacklustre sixth to Warm Heart in the Ribblesdale Stake at Royal Ascot 11 days later.

Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell, said: “We have left her alone since Ascot. We will just give her a little bit of time and will bring her back gently later in the season.”

Nymphadora could have another opportunity to create some York magic with the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes in her sights following her impressive success in the City Walls Stakes.

Trained by Andrew Balding, the four-year-old showcased her love for the Knavesmire as a juvenile when winning the Marygate and although unsuccessful in the Lowther Stakes later that year, she made a winning return to the course on Saturday when casting a spell on her rivals to scoop Listed honours.

The daughter of No Nay Never looks to have earned herself a shot at a major sprinting prize later in the season and a return to York for the Nunthorpe on August 25 appears the obvious spot if conditions are suitable, with the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp (October 1) also on the radar considering Nymphadora’s love of soft ground.

“She definitely enjoys getting her toe in and loves York,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock Limited.

“She’s a multiple stakes winner and I love the way she can get to the front. In a Group One she is not going to get an easy lead but she has a lot of pace, she can get to the front and sustain, and we know she handles soft ground.

“I have not spoken to Andrew yet because we wanted to enjoy the victory, but I suppose, in my mind, I would have one eye on the Nunthorpe because she loves the track and five furlongs.

“She won the Marygate there and when she won there on Saturday she showed a lot of speed and she won pretty well in the end – she’s a quick filly. I would say we will definitely have one eye on it at least.”

Brown went on: “I think cut in the ground is important to her, so an Abbaye might also come into the thinking.

“We are going to have a crack at something and the great thing with a filly is even if she was fourth in one of those races, you can catalogue it and it’s an important thing to get on the page.”

Saturday’s City Walls triumph for Nymphadora was her second win from her four starts this term and the victory was one half of a fine weekend for owner Andrew Stone of St Albans Bloodstock, who also owns a share of Henry Candy’s Araminta who claimed the Group Three Prix Chloe at Chantilly.

Brown added: “It was a great weekend because Andrew also has a share in the filly that won the Group Three in France on Sunday. So he had two stakes winners in one weekend and he’s a very happy man at the moment.

“I’m delighted for him because he puts a lot in and it’s fantastic to see him getting these results.”

Royal Aclaim is likely to be kept at six furlongs following her near-miss in York’s Summer Stakes.

James Tate’s filly has always been held in the highest regard by connections and last year’s City Walls Stakes winner was returning to the scene of her finest hour when trying the trip for the first time on the Knavesmire.

Unsure on whether the daughter of Aclaim would see out the extended yardage, she was ridden with restraint by PJ McDonald in the early stages before making a stylish move to challenge the winner Swingalong at the business end of the contest, failing by just a neck on rain-softened ground in the Group Three contest.

Tate was delighted with how the step up in trip panned out and feels the run signals the end of her time competing at the minimum distance.

He said: “It’s something we had been toying with for a while and we’re pleased that we did and it’s nice to see her run so well.

“We didn’t know how she was going to finish and nor did PJ, but she finished well. That would give you plenty of confidence the next day and I thought she was coping with the rain-softened ground rather than enjoying it.

“I think that is probably the end of five furlongs for her now I would have thought. We were very pleased with the performance.”

The Jamesfield Place trainer now has to decide on a next target for his stable speedster with connections mulling over a tilt at Group One options both home and abroad or whether to stay at Group Three level for the time being.

“We’ve got decisions to make now and the next race is not that obvious,” said Tate.

“If we want to fly (high) then we can talk about the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Deauville, August 6) and the Haydock Park Sprint (Betfair Sprint Cup, Haydock, September 9) probably, but there are various Group Three and Listed options around as well.

“It does look like you either go Group One or you go Group Three, there is not a lot in the middle.

“So we haven’t quite decided on her next target, but she has come out of the race well. Training-wise she had a good prep into that race at York and it is good to see she has come out of it well. We’re very pleased with her.”

Royal Ascot third Swingalong looks to be the ace in Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum’s pack as the owner has assembled a strong hand for the William Hill Summer Stakes at York on Friday.

Karl Burke’s three-year-old won the Lowther Stakes over course and distance as a juvenile and since then has acquitted herself well in a plethora of high-class contests.

She relished the drop back to six furlongs when making the podium in the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting and that Group One performance behind Shaquille and Little Big Bear marks her out as the one to beat here.

“Right from Ascot this has been the target, Karl said straight away the Summer Stakes would be perfect,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for the owner.

“Hopefully this is her race. Six furlongs seems to be where she is at her best and we hope she will have a really strong hand in the race.”

Joining Swingalong in the owners’ colours is last year’s City Walls Stakes winner Royal Aclaim and William Haggas’ Pink Crystal, who has some smart course form to her name in handicap company.

“It’s a nice, easy six at York and should suit,” continued Robinson on James Tate’s Royal Aclaim, who steps up to the distance for the first time here.

“If she came back to her best, she is a very, very talented filly. She was a little disappointing last time, but they all have off days.

“She was entered up for the July Cup and hasn’t doesn’t a lot wrong. Last year I really thought she would be top, sprinting wise, she just hasn’t gone on from that. But back in this class she has to be somewhere close.”

Robinson added on Pink Crystal: “She was third last time at York and has experience on the track.

“She is going to have a little bit to find, but you never know and William surprised us all at Sandown the other day winning a Listed race with a 78-rated filly.

“His horses seem to be in great form and she will be trying to do the same thing and sneak into a place somewhere and get a bit of black type. You never know, she might excel.”

Michael Dods’ course-and-distance scorer Gale Force Maya was third in this last year, but has a point to prove after two lacklustre displays so far this term, while fellow track-and-trip winner Secret Angel and Richard Fahey’s Ayr Listed runner-up Marine Wave are others bidding to land a winning blow for the north.

Nell Gwyn winner Mammas Girl drops back in both trip and class after finishing well held in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Ralph Beckett’s Juliet Sierra was a top two-year-old and is also sent sprinting having started her three-year-old campaign in a hot contest here during the Dante meeting.

“We’re starting back on the road with her and I thought she ran a good race over a mile back in the spring,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“She didn’t stay the mile but she was only beaten a touch over five lengths, giving weight to some nice horses.

“Six might be a little short and her optimum is probably seven. We’ll start her back here now and hopefully the second half of the season we can have a good run with her, she’s a nice filly.”

David Evans’ Radio Goo Goo saw her four-race winning run come to an end when fourth in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Ascot last month and she will be aiming to get back to winning ways and also confirm form over Steph Hollinshead’s Al Simmo, who was just a nose behind when they clashed over track and trip not too long ago.