SOON after brother Donnacha got off the mark at Royal Ascot, brother Joseph broke his 2023 duck at the meeting, saddling the five-year-old Okita Soushi (Galileo) to land the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.

This was his fourth win in 11 starts, though his only blacktype to date was gained when runner-up in the Listed Orby Stakes on his three-year-old seasonal bow.

A winner on his debut at two, Okita Soushi has been frustrating since, but this year has been in flying form, winning three of his four starts.

Bred by Coolmore, he is the only winner to date for his dam, Amicus (Fastnet Rock). Her five wins were headlined by victory in the Group 1 Schweppes The 1000 Guineas at Caulfield, and she is out of a half0sister to the champion sprinter in Europe and Australia, Starspangledbanner (Choisir).

The Juddmonte silks are very familiar in the winners’ enclosure at Royal Ascot, and the three-year-old homebred filly Coppice (Kingman) carried them to success in the Sandringham Stakes. The last time John Gosden won this race it was with Persuasive, then having her fourth start, and she later was a Group 1 winner.

Coppice was also having her fourth start, though unlike Persuasive she did not go into the race unbeaten, as she was unplaced in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Coppice is a full-sister to Calyx (Kingman), the Group 2 Coventry Stake winner whose first crop are two-year-olds. His winners include Malc, runner-up last week in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes.

Racing at Royal Ascot on Friday concluded with the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes, The Cool Silk Partnership own and bred the winner, Rhythm N Hooves. This three-year-old gelded son of Pearl Secret (Compton Place) looks as though he could become the best runner for his sire, who stands at Norton Grove Stud for £2,000. He has yet to sire a runner who earned blacktype in four crops.