'He's absolutely in his peak' - Charyn confirms his class as he sees off Facteur Cheval in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Charyn capped a superb season by seeing off French challenger Facteur Cheval to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes under Silvestre de Sousa.

The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old justified 13-8 favouritism to record his third Group 1 victory of the year.

The son of Dark Angel demonstrated signs of significant progress from three to four when landing the Listed Doncaster Mile Stakes in March, the first time he was ridden by De Sousa.

The pair followed up in the Group 2 bet365 Mile at Sandown before chasing home Audience in the Lockinge Stakes. A breakthrough top-level win came in the Queen Anne Stakes and a return to the same track and trip as that Royal Ascot success yielded the same result under De Sousa.

Charyn (Silvestre de Sousa) wins the QEII Stakes at AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Facteur Cheval, who chased home fellow French raider Big Rock in this race 12 months ago, filled the same runner-up position for Maxime Guyon and Jerome Reynier.

One of Charyn’s two defeats in six starts this term before the QEII had been when failing to make up ground on front-runner Tribalist in last month’s Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.

However, the Nurlan Bizakov-owned grey, who also won Deauville’s Prix Jacques le Marois in August, emphatically confirmed himself the star miler of the season with his two-length victory.

“He’s the finished article now,” Varian told ITV Racing. “He’s fully developed, he’s absolutely in his peak. Hasn’t he been great all year? I’m delighted for Nurlan Bizakov and his team at home. It’s a great result.”

Read these next:

Seven in a row! Superstar stayer Kyprios completes perfect season with comfortable Long Distance Cup win 

'This family has done us tremendously well' - Kind Of Blue gives James Fanshawe third Champions Sprint 

Kalpana quickens up impressively to hand Juddmonte first success in the Champions Fillies & Mares 

Top jockeys such as Ryan Moore can't do their jobs without it – and you can subscribe to Racing Post Members' Club Ultimate Monthly and get 50% off your first three months!

Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code MEMBERS24. First three payments will be charged at £24.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter. To cancel please contact us at least seven days before subscription is due to renew.