Ribchester was an impressive all-the-way winner of the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by William Buick, kept finding more in front and was far too strong for the opposition in the first British Group 1 race of the season for older horses.

The 7/4 favourite kept up the gallop in admirable style to score by three and three-quarter lengths from the David Simcock-trained Lightning Spear (9/2).

Breton Rock, a stablemate of the runner-up, was another two and a half lengths away in third at odds of 25/1.

Buick said: "He's a very good horse, very versatile. Richard and his team at home have done a fantastic job with him. He's getting mentally better and physically stronger every day.

"If you are going to compete in these Group 1 races and be successful, you have to be the complete package. He's a horse I'm very, very happy to ride."

While most pundits expected Toscanini to be the pacemaker for his stablemate, he was slowly away and was not asked to make up the ground quickly.

That did not worry Buick, who was happy to let Ribchester stride out in front, with his old rival Galileo Gold in second place.

That was until the race got serious inside the final quarter of a mile as last season's 2000 Guineas winner wilted tamely out of contention.

In the style of a class horse, Ribchester found much more in the closing stages as he gave Godolphin an eighth Lockinge triumph.

Irish raider Somehow finished fourth, with Galileo Gold a disappointing fifth.

Ribchester was roundly cut in the betting for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, for which he is trading as the 7/4 favourite with Paddy Power.

Fahey said: "It's (a race) you'd liked to watch again. I was quite nervous as it was a big day and we wanted him to perform.

"He (Toscanini) missed the kick but I always felt Ribchester could do something like that. Ribchester is mentally mature and he's physically getting better. We've always liked him. He's gone a bit lazy on me at home, but we are happy where he is now.

"It looks like we will go there (Queen Anne) but I won't say definitely as we've got to speak to John (Ferguson, Godolphin racing manager) and Sheikh Mohammed.

"We'll see how he comes out of this, but the Queen Anne looks likely.

"I've got to say he's the best horse I've ever trained. It was a huge performance. We felt there was one in him and it's all come together.

"As he's got older he's got wiser. If we could get his mind right we always felt he'd be special. That's a strong word for a trainer to use but when you see a performance like that, it was special."

Frankie Dettori said of Galileo Gold: "He didn't handle the ground, he didn't like it like in Ireland (in last season's Irish 2000 Guineas).

"He ran a bit fresh and I knew two (furlongs) out the writing was on the wall.

"It rained, it's just one of those things."

GODOLPHIN DOUBLE

Earlier there had been another impressive Buick/Godolphin front-running winner when last year's Eclipse Stakes hero Hawkbill bounced back to his best with a comprehensive victory in the Al Rayyan Stakes.

The colt, trained by Charlie Appleby, lost his form in the closing months of the last campaign, but he reaped the benefit of a pipe-opener in France three weeks ago by making most of the running over a mile and a half at the Berkshire circuit.

Hawkbill (3/1 favourite) stretched out in the long straight and scored by two lengths from My Dream Boat, who came from from the rear to be a clear second.

Winning jockey William Buick said: "Charlie was very positive about going on and making the running. He came forward from that race in France - it's done him the world of good

"He stays well, he likes to get his toe in and I was very happy with the performance. He's back on track now."

Appleby said: "I was pleased with his run in the Ganay (fifth). They went a French pace there and it didn't suit us, but most importantly he got a run under his belt. He definitely came forward for the run.

"Full credit to the team at home. They look after the horse and they all felt he had come forward.

"He'll go wherever the ground is. He's in everything. He's a better horse with that ease in the ground. He's one of the few horses who can actually quicken on soft ground and he's done that this time.

"When we compete at the top level there has to be ease in the ground."

My Dream Boat's jockey Adam Kirby used his whip above the permitted level and was suspended two days (June 5th-6th).

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