Frankie Dettori proves ideal 'super-sub' as he pushes Mostahdaf to Juddmonte glory at York

Deputising for the suspended Jim Crowley aboard John and Thady Gosden’s Royal Ascot scorer, Dettori wasted little time in bouncing the 3-1 second favourite out of the stalls and quickly into stride, he set perfect fractions as the Shadwell-owned five-year-old made every yard of the running.

Although Ryan Moore received the desired response when asking Paddington to close the gap in the home straight, he ultimately had no answer to Mostahdaf who kept finding extra under an ultra-confident Dettori as he registered a length success and followed up the owner’s victory in the Group One contest with the imperious Baaeed 12 months ago.

Stablemate Nashwa edged her way past Paddington for the silver medal late on as the Clarehaven team enjoyed a fabulous one-two, but the day belonged to Dettori who by winning the race for the first time since 2007, moved past Lester Piggott to become the contest’s leading rider.

Mostahdaf’s success was another high-profile victory in the Shadwell colours in what has been a fine campaign, with Hukum’s King George verdict at Ascot and Al Husn’s Nassau win at Goodwood other moments to savour in recent weeks.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said: “To win the races we’ve done this year has been incredible – the Prince of Wales’s, the King George, the Nassau and this (race). It’s been an amazing year.

“We have to enjoy it and be grateful. This was a proper race. I was sad for York and the crowd there were only four runners, but it lived up to its billing.

“We knew if we stood any chance of beating Paddington, we had to do something different rather than let him have his own way out in front again.

“Frankie proved a good substitute to have on the day. We weren’t too worried changing tack because this horse has won over a mile and a half, as long as Frankie got the pace right.”

John Gosden was full of praise for Dettori’s ride and said: “I think Frankie is like many of us, he’s getting better with age!

“At Ascot people questioned whether Mostahdaf was as good as he looked, but he’s probably stopped the clock in impressive fashion again.

“The filly (Nashwa) showed her class today as well having got stuck in the mud in the Nassau – it was brave to run her from the owner, he wanted to support British racing.

“The winner can handle good to soft, he just hated the bottomless ground in the Arc (when last in 2022). He just wants summer racing ground.

“It was the plan to make it a real test today. There was no point letting Ryan do his own thing. It was like Roberto and Brigadier Gerard all over again but the filly finished second, the other boy (Paddington) has been very busy.”

Elsewhere, Moore fared better when he produced a sterling ride aboard Continuous as he came from last to first to register an emphatic victory in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Heart’s Cry dead-heated for third in the Dante at the track earlier in the season and was putting his St Leger credentials to the test following a fine effort in defeat behind King Of Steel at Royal Ascot.

Sent off the 4-1 second favourite, he answered every question to throw his hat in the ring for the final Classic of the season in tremendous fashion.

Ridden with real patience by Moore as 8-11 favourite Gregory went for home early under Dettori, Continuous gradually worked his way through the gears and as Gregory’s challenge began to wain inside the final two furlongs, the Ballydoyle colt was just getting started as he powered clear of runner-up Castle Way for an authoritative three-and-three-quarter-length success.

O’Brien said: “He’s a lovely horse who is progressing. He’s an exciting horse really.

“He handles an ease in the ground well as he has a bit of a round action, but that was fast ground there today – Ryan said it was quicker than it was at Royal Ascot – and he didn’t seem to have any problem with it.”

Indian Run announced himself as a youngster on the rise in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.

Always travelling strongly on the outside in the hands of Danny Tudhope, he eased to the head of proceedings heading up the Knavesmire straight and the son of Sioux Nation still had plenty up his sleeve at the business end of the contest to repel the challenge of Ballymount Boy as he finished the Group Three contest full of running.

Equilateral, running in his first handicap in the UK, defied top weight to triumph in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group-sponsored opener.