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.