Cecil is Over the moon

The green and pink colours have become synonymous with the current Flat season after Special Duty landed a brace of Guineas, Workforce careered away with the Investec Derby and Byword claimed the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Twice Over came from out of the field for a half-length second that day and Henry Cecil's runner went one place better under Tom Queally.

With Mawatheeq refusing to enter the stalls and just five runners facing the starter, the lack of pace was an obvious concern.

William Buick seized the early initiative aboard John Gosden's Dar Ri Me, but the Dubai Sheema Classic winner soon found Twice Over whizzing past.

Queally dictated matters from thereon and after opening a three-length advantage at one stage, his five-year-old mount – who lost one of his stick-on shoes during the race – idled towards the line and found Sri Putra closing to within half a length.

Aidan O'Brien's Viscount Nelson was the same distance adrift in third with Dar Ri Me fourth and Sir Michael Stoute's Zacinto a distant last of the quintet.

Although Twice Over could finish no better than last of seventh of 10 runners behind Sea The Stars in the Eclipse last year, Cecil rejuvenated him later in the campaign and he claimed the Champion Stakes and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Cecil's maiden win in the Eclipse came in his first season as a trainer with Wolver Hollow in 1969 and he went on to follow up with Wallow in 1976 and Gunner B two years later.

The 10-times champion trainer said: ''Well done to all the staff at Warren Place and Graham Purse who rides him every day. Without them I would not be standing here talking to you.

''It's great to see him win and whatever anyone says I do think he was unlucky at Royal Ascot.

''Looking ahead there is the Juddmonte International and the Champion Stakes and I would love to win the Dubai World Cup.

''I thought we'd win the Dubai World Cup this year but he was drawn wrong and everything else went wrong, so I'd love to go back there.''

Fast-ground loving Sri Putra completed a hat-trick on Guineas weekend at Newmarket and put in a career-best performance in second after trailing home in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

His trainer Michael Jarvis said: ''The way he ran suggests to me he should step up to a mile and a half, either that or a galloping mile and a quarter again, and we might think of going abroad again.''

Viscount Nelson was the sole three-year-old in the field but never really appeared likely to provide Aidan O'Brien with a fifth win in the race.

O'Brien commented: ''We're delighted with that. He's moving up all the time – every time he runs he gets better and hopefully that will continue. I don't know where he'll go next.''