Golden winner Rite of Passage earns his passport to Australia

Is there a more versatile horse in training than Rite of Passage, the heroic winner of the Ascot Gold Cup as his trainer Dermot Weld plots a November trip to the Antipodes?

It's an entirely legitimate question when one considers how the galloping six-year-old warmed up for his victory in this stayers' championship (and in a course record) by finishing third in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

It takes an exceptional horse to excel on the Flat and over the obstacles – the Yorkshire icon Sea Pigeon still remains the greatest exponent of both disciplines – and Rite of Passage appears to have the credentials to become an international favourite.

Weld, the record-breaking Irish handler, is the only European trainer to have won the Melbourne Cup, a race that he landed in 1993 with Vintage Crop and then Media Puzzle nine years later. Rite of Passage is now a 10-1 chance to spoil Australia's party this winter.

"It's a long way away, but it's always been a target of mine for this horse," said Weld.

Yet, before travel plans are confirmed, the quietly-spoken trainer wanted to reflect fully on yesterday's 20-1 shock success after his charge overcame fellow Irish raider Age of Aquarius in a pulverising struggle up the Ascot straight for the honour of succeeding Yeats, the staying superstar retired after his fourth successive Gold Cup triumph last year.

"The plan was hatched a long time ago. It's a race I've always wanted to win and two previous runners, Vinnie Roe and Vintage Crop, finished second so I thought it could be third time lucky," said Weld, 62. "We had a good draw and obviously we discussed it with Pat (Smullen), he's a world class rider and I totally left the decisions to Pat how to ride the horse."

Smullen added: "I was very happy with how the race unfolded. I was very confident he would stay but he's got speed as well.

"I got a lovely position just behind the leaders all the way round and got the gap when I needed it.

"He quickened up well and it takes a very good horse to win how he did."

A measure of Weld's versatility as a trainer is that Rite of Passage had not run on the Flat since last November – and was facing one of the strongest Gold Cup fields for years.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Ask was sent off a well-supported 11-4 favourite but his stamina appeared to give way in this gruelling two-and-a-half-mile contest, a comment which also applied to the Henry Cecil-trained Manifest as Age of Aquarius appeared to be a certain winner until Rite of Passage's late thrust.

Yet, while Stoute and Cecil accepted their fate with typical dignity, there was one man with a smile as wide as Weld's.

He is Donald McCain, the top jumps trainer whose Peddlars Cross emphatically beat Rite of Passage into third place at Cheltenham.

McCain, whose father Ginger trained the Grand National legend Red Rum, has always held Peddlars Cross in the highest regard – and Rite of Passage's victory vindicates his judgement.

"He's in a field and looks a million dollars," McCain told the Yorkshire Post. "Whether he stays hurdling, after winning at Cheltenham and Aintree, or goes chasing, we'll worry about that nearer the time.

"All options are open – but the Rite of Passage result makes him an even more exciting prospect."

Elsewhere, Gainsborough trainer James Given landed the King George V Stakes with Dandino, with Thirsk trainer Bryan Smart's Excel Bolt third in the Norfolk Stakes

Middleham's Mark Johnston also had two placed horses – Greyfriarschorista was third, at 40-1, in the Britannia Stakes, with Bay Willow fourth in the King George V Stakes.

There was also disappointment for Royal fans when the Queen's Quadrille lost out to Afsare in a thrilling finish to the Hampton Court Stakes.

This was winning jockey Kieren Fallon's first Royal Ascot winner since 2006 and trainer Luca Cumani's first winner at the meeting since 1997.

Of having deprived the Queen, Cumani quipped: "I'm Italian – I'm not a subject!

"He's progressive. I'd have to see the race again but I'd say he'll improve for going up to a mile-and-a-half.

"We might look at a Group Three now but I don't see him as a St Leger horse – he has too much speed."

Who won what at Royal Ascot

2.30: Approve

Winner for Yorkshire-born William Haggas.

3.05: Hibaayeb

Second in Doncaster's DFS May Hill Stakes last September.

3.50: Rite of Passage

Gold Cup hero breaks course record.

4.25: Ransom Note

Won at Doncaster in April.

5.00: Afsare

Kieren Fallon back in the winner's enclosure.

5.35: Dandino

Another former Doncaster winner prevails.