'My God he found, didn't he?' - Moore works magic as Harry Three powers clear

Saturday: York

Anyone wondering why Ryan Moore is favourite to recapture the title of top jockey at Royal Ascot had their question answered on the Knavesmire.

For sure, the man who has taken the crown eight times since 2010 will have the mighty horsepower of the Ballydoyle battalions on his side next week. But he also brings an awful lot to the table himself as he showed on 15-2 shot Harry Three in the Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint.

The former champion brought his mount from an unpromising position at halfway in the £100,000 dash to power home up the stands' rail and take a hugely competitive handicap off second topweight by two and three-quarter lengths.

"He's a nice horse," Moore said of the winner. "He did everything well, he relaxed and quickened up well. He got there very easily and was very dominant. There probably won't be too many more handicaps for him."

Harry Three had been progressing well through a trio of three-year-old handicaps at Newmarket, and his trainer Clive Cox was delighted by what he saw of the race from Sandown.

"It's bloody marvellous. He was given a great ride," Cox said.

"I was worried at halfway, we were last I think from where I was watching on my phone at Sandown.

"There aren't enough hours in the day to get to York, I'm afraid, but my God he found, didn't he?"

Cox, who is set to have his biggest ever team at Ascot with 16 runners planned, will now step Harry Three up in class.

"I'm really pleased with him," he said. "He's progressed all the way and he's made another step forward today.

"Mentally he's taken time to mature, but the great thing is he has that turn of foot, and the way he switched off suggests he will cope when he steps up in grade."

Ingra Tor started 7-2 favourite in a field of 19, having beaten the winner at Newmarket on 2,000 Guineas day, but he could only finish 11th here. Trainer Mick Channon's representative could offer no explanation for the colt's performance.

Without a hitch

Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum won the Ebor with Fujaira Prince in 2020, and the owner could be back to bid for the £500,000 handicap again this summer.

His Without A Fight earned a 12-1 quote from the sponsors after landing the Listed Sky Bet Grand Cup, run over the same distance as York's signature handicap and the last of four races which gives its winner a guaranteed place in the field on August 20.

Winning jockey Andrea Atzeni said: "We won the Ebor before and the boss Sheikh Mohammed Obaid loves the race so that may be an option."

Without A Fight: earned a quote of 12-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor in AugustCredit: Pool

Without A Fight was dropped in class and upped in trip after finishing third in a Group 3 over 1m4f at Newbury last month.

"It was a bit of a messy race," Atzeni said after his length-and-three-quarter victory. "We didn't go very quick and I wanted to give him half a chance today because we tried him over a mile and six before and we weren't sure whether he was going to stay or not.

"He's grown up a lot since. He was a little bit keen early, but he got into a nice rhythm and the further he went the better he was."

Atzeni wore the same colours when landing the two-year-old maiden on Cold Case, a 160,000gns son of Showcasing who reminded his trainer Karl Burke of his dual Group 1 winner Quiet Reflection by the same sire.

Burke has a strong team of juveniles, but said: "I love this one, he's been my favourite all the way through.

"When I saw him as a yearling I thought he was the nearest thing I'd seen by Showcasing to Quiet Reflection. Thankfully Sheikh Mohammed Obaid gave me a budget to have a go at him and we got him.

"He's a lovely horse. It's not quite going to happen as quickly as I hoped, but he's a nice one for later this year and next year."

Alice pulls off Cup shock

Switching to the Flat paid off handsomely for jockey Alice Stevens, who has ridden more than 50 winners in point-to-points and six jumps winners under rules.

She won her weight in Ayala champagne after landing the £25,000 Queen Mother's Cup for women amateur riders on Zealandia, an ex-French 33-1 shot who was scoring on his first run for trainer Ian Williams.

Alice Stevens won her weight in Ayala champagne after taking the Queen Mother's Cup on ZealandiaCredit: David Carr

"I can count on two hands how many times I've ridden on the Flat and that's my second winner, but it went really smoothly," said Stevens, 23.

"Ian said he didn't know much about the horse, it was a fact-finding mission, but it went swimmingly, he was a dream ride. He got into a lovely rhythm and did it very easily – even though I managed to drop the reins he still won."

Replays, results & analysis

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