Triumphant Canford Cliffs continues to scale heights

He will need a statue if he continues this form. His battle of the sexes with the legendary mare Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes did not disappoint – though the French horse was not helped by jockey Olivier Peslier carrying a point overweight.

It would probably did not matter. Canford Cliffs and his ice-cool jockey Richard Hughes appeared to have plenty to spare as the Richard Hannon colt added this prestigious prize to his Jersey Stakes triumph of 2009 and last year’s victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The reaction of Hughes was indicative of the quality of the race. “He’s an amazing horse., the best I’ve ever ridden,” he said.

In this supreme one mile test for horses who are four-years-old and older, Peslier bought Goldikova – the winner of an unprecedented 13 Group One races – to the front passing the furlong marker.

Hughes quickly followed her through as the big two settled down to fight it out, but 11-8 shot Canford Cliffs was always getting the better of the argument and passed the post a length ahead of the 5-4 favourite.

The surprise was Roger Charlton’s Cityscape who finished a close third under Ryan Moore after briefly threatening to pull off one of the biggest shocks in Royal Ascot’s 300-year history.

Yet Hughes was at no point concerned about his hold-up tactics.

“Olivier rode a great race to be fair. He wouldn’t kick and I couldn’t kick until he kicked,” he explained.

“We did quicken a lot in the last two furlongs, that was the quickest part of the race. I’ve said since the first day I rode him he was an amazing horse.”

Hannon, the champion trainer, commented: “We had two good pacemakers in there and we followed Goldikova through.

“Canford Cliffs has got a very high cruising speed but also a great turn of foot. That’s the great thing.

“He’s a very special horse to us.”

As for the runner-up, who was cheered back to the unsaddling enclosure, history still beckons – she will bid to win a fourth Breeders’ Cup in America this autumn.

“I was very happy, there’s nothing too much to say as there were no excuses on the ground and Canford Cliffs is a very good horse,” said trainer Freddie Head who was typically gracious in defeat.

“She saw daylight a little bit early, but she ran very well. We will probably look at the Prix Jacques le Marois next and, of course, the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the year.”