IF any filly in the Albany Stakes on Friday seemed likely to be in a different league to her rivals it was the Jessica Harrington-trained Alpha Centauri, who was so impressive in her two wins going into Royal Ascot. But, in the end, she was just denied by the French-trained Different League, with a 108 timefigure which was briefly the best by a two-year-old filly in Britain and Ireland this season.

It was a fair contest judged by sectionals, but Alpha Centauri still looks one for the future, at seven furlongs and eventually at a mile. She certainly went down fighting and would probably have prevailed with a little further to travel.

DANTE FORM

The Dante Stakes at York in May looks even better now than it did at the time, with the 1-2 from that race, Permian and Benbatl, both Royal Ascot winners since. Permian took the King Edward VII Stakes on Friday with a 111 timefigure, just below what he achieved at York.

Crystal Ocean looked a colt with a future in third at York and did so again in third here, making ground wide in one of the hotter parts of the race.

The Queen’s Vase was shortened in distance and upped in grade from listed to Group 2 level but there was little discernible increase in quality. The overall time recorded by the winner Stradivarius was nothing to write home about (90 timefigure), either, for all that the final furlong was the fastest of a day which included the Commonwealth Cup.

The concluding Duke of Edinburgh Handicap was a steadily-run and messy contest, with Rare Rhythm posting a 92 timefigure in victory and Sixties Groove once again catching the eye in a never-nearer fifth (ran a swift 23.7s for the last two furlongs and possibly should have won).