APPRENTICE Ray Dawson gained the biggest win of his career when Ismail Mohammed’s Zain Claudette got the better of a desperately close photo in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes with favourite Desert Dreamer (Stuart Wiliams/Oisin Murphy), the pair pouncing late on opposite sides of Delmona (Tom Dascombe/Richard Kingscote), who led a furlong out, and was beaten just a neck at the line.

The winner, a 15/2 chance, made her effort at the same time as the runner-up, but while Dawson had to switch left to get a clear run, Oisin Murphy was forced to the opposite wing, and it’s possible that being isolated there cost his filly victory, as she was unable to engage with Zain Claudette, and she deserves credit for a trio of blacktype seconds since disappointing at Royal Ascot.

That shouldn’t detract from Zain Claudette’s effort, and she did well to pick up the placed horses given she was caught further back in the field than her rider would have liked.

Ebor meeting

Zain Claudette was having her first start in pattern company having won a Newmarket maiden in June, so she may well have further progress in her, with the Lowther Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting an obvious port of call for the front pair. Delmona didn’t help her chance by edging left when in front, and she has hung both ways in previous starts.

She is a talented filly, but her waywardness is holding her back at present.

THE feature handicap at Ascot, the £100,000 Moet & Chandon International Stakes provided a victory for astute tactics, with Danyah (Owen Burrows) taking advantage of the surprising lack of pace to make all the running.

Runner-up in the Spring Cup at Newbury and the Buckingham Palace Handicap at the royal meeting, Danyah certainly deserved this big win.

The decision to ride him a little more aggressively than in those races certainly paid off, as the well-backed 9/2 favourite held on by just a short head from the thrusting Star Of Orion (Ralph Beckett/Laura Pearson).

The win was the middle leg of a treble for jockey William Buick.

Group company

The winner has been raised 6lb to a BHA mark of 112 after this win, and his next appearance is likely to be in group company, and the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury seems a likely target for the improving son of Invincible Spirit.

He might meet the same owners’ Motakhayyel there, and although the Bunbury Cup winner could finish only sixth here, he held every chance until fading in the last 100 yards, and ought to make his mark in group races.

Buick’s treble

The Listed Pat Eddery Stakes was won by 2/1 market leader New Science (Charlie Appleby), kicking off William Buick’s treble as he beat Angel Bleu (Ralph Beckett/Frankie Dettori) by a length.

That form has already been franked with the runner-up taking the Vintage Stakes, although the softer ground at Goodwood seemed to suit that colt better than the firm surface at Ascot.