BEATEN in the Diamond Jubilee and Falmouth Stakes this summer, William Haggas’s mare One Master benefited from a drop in class, and the ability to race without a penalty to land the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes under a well-judged Tom Marquand ride, finishing fast to deprive Valeria Messalina (Jessie Harrington/Frankie Dettori) by a short head, with Althiqa (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) a length behind in third.

The winner was drawn on the rail, and while that saved her ground, Marquand had to sit and suffer as he waited for an opportunity to launch his challenge. Eventually the gaps appeared, and the six-year-old really flew to deny Valeria Messalina what had looked a likely victory.

The runner-up produced another career-best having landed the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes at Cork on her previous outing, and this capped something of a frustrating week for Jessica Harrington, whose One Voice was beaten by just a neck in the Nassau Stakes on Thursday, while Njord and Conron both came out worse in desperately tight finishes at Galway. Her horses are running exceptionally well, and her luck will turn.

The paucity of seven-furlong races at the highest level in the European Pattern has long been a cause for debate, with the only Group 1 of the season for older horses being the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp in October. The very best specialists at the trip are forced to concede penalties in the Group 2/3 events which pepper the calendar, or they must run in the top races over trips either side of their optimum.

That has been the bane of the career of One Master, a dual winner of the Group 1 Foret who has gone agonisingly close to landing top prizes at six furlongs and a mile, but who is a true seven-furlong specialist. This was some consolation for her various frustrations, but the elevation of either the Lennox Stakes or the City of York Stakes to Group 1 status is overdue.

William Haggas explained that he agonised over whether to run his mare on the drying ground: “There’s a fresh strip here from seven to three [furlongs out], and I told Tom to keep her on the inside, and if he got the breaks, then great, and if not, at least she wouldn’t have a hard race.

“She’s kept her form, basically, because we’ve looked after her, and I won’t run her on ground that quick again. She showed here that she’s a top-class mare, especially at seven furlongs, but there’s only one race for her at that trip.”

TILSIT (Charlie Hills/Ryan Moore) had looked a star when winning by 19 lengths on Newcastle’s Tapeta surface last month, and belatedly built on that big effort when taking the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes on his turf debut, beating My Oberon (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) by a length and a half.

The 10/1 winner hung badly right inside the final furlong, hampering My Oberon, and a stewards’ enquiry was needed to confirm the result. Odds-on favourite Khaloosy was rather disappointing in light of his impressive victory in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, and was beaten four lengths in total in third.

This win took Ryan Moore past the landmark of 50 winners at the Goodwood Festival, and he’ll be disappointed if he hasn’t increased that further when he goes home today.

Charlie Hills, eying another big payday at the track next month, spoke afterwards, praising his team and one work rider better known for his exploits over fences: “Tilsit has come a long way. The guys at home have done a great job at home and Will Kennedy has been coming in most days to ride and he has done a fantastic job. A lot of thought has gone into this horse. We’ll see how he is tomorrow morning and go from there – we could maybe come back here for the Celebration Mile.”

The Unibet Summer Mile went to the progressive Prompting, who took advantage of just a 6lb penalty for his win at York last weekend to make it three out of three for David O’Meara.

Ridden by Harry Bentley, the four-year-old was caught in a pocket two furlongs out but picked up nicely when his passage opened and won with a fair bit in hand, which he had officially, as he was 6lbs well in on his reassessed mark. Nonetheless, he is clearly going the right direction and will be a force in one of the big mile handicaps upcoming.

Haggas and Marquand double up with Escobarr

WILLIAM Haggas and Tom Marquand doubled-up in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes with Pablo Escobarr who proved too strong for 2019 winner Desert Encounter (David Simcock/Jim Crowley) over the mile-and-a-half trip, with Le Don de Vie (Hughie Morrison/Oisin Murphy) a head behind the runner-up in third after long-time leader Communique had weakened out of contention. The winner got first run, but proved determined, and was always holding Desert Encounter’s challenge to score by three-parts of a length at 9/2.

Pablo Escobarr had been placed in listed races at Newmarket and Newbury this season, and while this probably represents an improved effort from the four-year-old son of Galileo, it rather points to this being a substandard event for the grade.