THERE is little question as to which winner posted the best relative time performance on the third day of Royal Ascot, and that is Benbatl in the Hampton Court Stakes, a race in which the average speed was quicker even than that of the Britannia Stakes, run over two furlongs shorter later on the card.

Benbatl was pursued fairly closely by Orderofthegarter, who ended up with a bit to do, Mirage Dancer and Taj Mahal, but it was then a sizeable gap back to the remainder. Timefigures of 121, 120, 118 and 117 are well above the norm for a Group 3.