IT was a good day for John Gosden, who also won the Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes for fillies and mares with 2/1 favourite Coronet. This was over the same extended 10 furlongs as the Dante and the winner was dropping back in trip, having finished second in the Yorkshire Oaks and third in the St Leger last year.

It made no difference at all as longtime leader Chain Of Daisies dropped away and Frankie Dettori brought Coronet through on the far rail. A dour stayer with a slightly high head carriage, she galloped on relentlessly and had just over a length to spare over Horseplay.

Jim Bolger’s Turret Rocks kept on steadily in fourth but Sir Michael Stoute’s Mori, who ran Coronet very close in the Ribblesdale before losing her way last year, was very disappointing.

Coronet has any number of options and will cheer the Gosden stable with Enable currently on the sidelines.

“She’s the best ride,” enthused Dettori. “She’s brilliant, she’s honest and she’s got an engine. When you get up in the morning and see your name down to ride her it’s a privilege.”

MAIN DESIRE BACK

Michael Bell has had to be patient with his High Chaparral filly Main Desire, who won twice early last year, including at this meeting, but missed the rest of the campaign after fracturing a cannon bone.

She began making up for lost time by going right through with her effort to beat Hey Jonesy and Roussel by a neck and the same in the Listed Westlow Stakes over five furlongs.

Few had any idea what would win this and Main Desire started at 12/1. Aidan O’Brien’s Declarationofpeace, ominously easy to back, was possibly disconcerted by the antics of a neighbour in the stalls and finished last after missing the kick, while Mokaatil showed speed but carried his head markedly to the right. However, Main Desire did very well after such a long absence. She looks a natural five-furlong filly and the King’s Stand is surely worth a try.

AFAAK SCORES

The money came late for Charlie Hills’ Afaak, 9/2, who was always close up and found an impressive turn of foot to go clear in the Betfred TV Hambleton Handicap over a mile.

Hills’ horses took a while to hit form and Sheikh Hamdan’s Afaak was below his best in the Newbury Spring Cup when starting favourite. However, he ran Addeybb very close at Newmarket last September and that form speaks for itself. He fairly sprinted past Love Dreams this week, leading jockey Jim Crowley to suggest his sights might be raised beyond the ranks of handicappers.

ROCKET ASTRONAUTE

Much water has passed beneath the bridge since John Quinn rode Past Glories into third in the Champion Hurdle.

Based in Yorkshire these many years, he saddled 15/2 chance El Astronaute to win the opening five-furlong handicap, the five-year-old’s blistering early speed earning him enough leeway to hold the late challenges of Dark Shot, Major Jumbo and Carlton Frankie.

The only youngster with previous racecourse experience, Mark Johnston’s I Am A Dreamer just held Kessaar and Dettori in the six-furlong maiden. Finally, a very carefully planned coup by trainer John Butler, who tends to target the closing Investec Wealth Handicap over two miles, just went astray when Paul Hanagan failed by a neck to force the 14/1 chance Denmead past Tom Tate’s very game Waiting For Richie, 7/1, and James Sullivan.