'We knew he’d love the soft ground' - Ice Max records first Group success in Celebration Mile for Karl Burke

Ice Max (seen here winning at Musselburgh): won the Celebration MileCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Rain-softened ground helped outsider of four Ice Max record his first Group success in the Celebration Mile.

A deluge on Saturday morning changed the going description from good, good to soft in places to soft all over, resulting in John and Thady Gosden withdrawing favourite Lead Artist from the Group 2.

In the absence of the Glorious Goodwood Group 3 winner, Ice Max was left as the sole three-year-old in the smallest line-up for the race since Poet’s Voice prevailed in 2010.

Poker Face led inside the final furlong but was outstayed by Ice Max, who scored by a length from the 5-4 favourite under Clifford Lee.

The 5-1 shot vindicated trainer Karl Burke’s decision to step him up in class for the feature contest off the back of finishing fifth of seven on his first appearance in Group company at Chantilly last month.

The gelded son of Dark Angel’s four previous wins had been at Catterick, Bath and Musselburgh on going which featured at least soft or worse in the going description.

"Before the race we knew he’d love the soft ground," Lee told Racing TV. "We didn’t go very quick but he travelled very well. Once I switched over to the standside rail, I knew I’d won it from there."

Ice Max, whose owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid won this race with Afsare in 2013, was cut to 40-1 (from 100) with Paddy Power for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day.

Lee had earlier helped Burke’s Group 2 Rockfel Stakes entry, Serving With Style, follow up her successful debut at Carlisle in the mile novice.

Awesome Anshoda

Bargain-buy Anshoda went one better than last month’s Listed second at Sandown to land the Group 3 Prestige Fillies' Stakes.

David Loughnane’s juvenile cost 5,000gns in May, and was cut from to 20-1 (from 33) for the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile by Betfair after her second victory from three starts.

Delight delivers again

Lead Artist’s intended rider Kieran Shoemark helped City Of Delight complete a four-timer in the 1m2f handicap.

The three-year-old defied a 9lb rise for his latest success at Newmarket before another David Menuisier-trained market leader justified favouritism under Shoemark, when Goodwood Odyssey took the following 1m4f handicap.

Perfect record

Trainer Daisy Hitchins enjoyed a winner from her first runner at the track with Kitty Foyle's success in the 1m6f handicap.

33-1 Breege causes major shock in City of York Stakes as John Gosden explains odds-on Audience's underperformance