JOHN Gosden’s Ardad had disappointed a little following his convincing victory in the Windsor Castle Stakes on soft ground at Royal Ascot but he bounced back in the Group 2 Pepsi Flying Childers Stakes, coming home three-parts of a length in front of dead-heaters Legendary Lunch and The Last Lion.

Much of the credit for this success must go to Frankie Dettori who, possibly taking a lead from Spangled’s victory, made sure he got some cover in the face of a fierce headwind and then made the most of the gap which appeared on the rails.

The big disappointment of the race was uneasy 3/1 favourite Tis Marvellous, winner of the Prix Robert Papin before finishing fifth behind flying filly Lady Aurelia in the Prix Morny. He was struggling at half-way but The Last Lion kept on well despite his busy schedule, while Legendary Lunch did well to finish so close from a position on the wide outside.

Ardad was only 5/1 at the off, much shorter than his morning price. Clearly there were those aware of his improvement following unplaced efforts over six furlongs at Goodwood and York.

“I didn’t necessarily expect him to win because the ground was drying up a bit but five furlongs is his best distance and he looks to be a nice sprinter in the making,” Dettori said.

The afternoon began with a major surprise when Roger Varian’s Spangled took the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes from fellow 14/1 chance Mise En Rose with Lumiere only third and Nemoralia a bitter disappointment at 4/6.

The latter went out like a light after racing prominently to half-way, while Lumiere was soon under pressure as early leader Maggie Pink faded in the centre. Mise En Rose was the first to challenge and head for home but Spangled, a huge filly, found a gap on the nearside rails for Andrea Atzeni and stayed on strongly to get up and score by a neck.

This was a considerable step-up following her victory in a fillies’ handicap last time and she was officially rated about a stone behind the top two in the betting. Clearly something was amiss with Nemoralia, so impressive last time, but they made quite a print in the ground and it may be that she needs the word ‘firm’ in the going description.

A Starspangledbanner filly, Spangled has some blacktype now and not a great deal more may be asked of her, pending talks with owners the Cheveley Park Stud.

“She’s a big girl,” Varian smiled. “We’re very happy and delighted for Cheveley Park, who’ve been very patient. The flat track and straight seven furlongs suited her.”

Seldom can favourite backers have experienced a more unlikely boost than the one they enjoyed in the Mallard Handicap over the full St Leger distance.

Well-backed down to 5/2, York winner Wall Of Fire seemed to be going nowhere at all half-way up the straight but suddenly found a sustained late burst for talented apprentice Josephine Gordon and cut down the luckless Seamour to score, going away, by just over a length. First Mohican took third.

Seamour and George Baker seemed to have timed their challenge to perfection but, just as in the Northumberland Plate, a handsome lead evaporated. Wall Of Fire finished so strongly that he was well on his way down the back straight before Gordon managed to pull him up.

“She’s done a brilliant job,” winning trainer Hugo Palmer said. “I just told her not to give up. At York he made heavy weather of it for most of the way but won cosily in the end, just as he has today. I don’t regret by-passing the Leger because it’s a long way up from winning a handicap off 102 to a classic and William Buick told me he wouldn’t win it.

As for Pat Smullen, when I was running Wall Of Fire over seven furlongs, he told me he wanted about three times as far! He should make a fun Cup horse next year.”

Simon Crisford has done easily enough since taking out a trainer’s licence to convince everyone that he can challenge the best. He received a considerable boost here as the Exchange Rate colt Rodaini, successful three times in lesser company, won the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes in a very tight finish with Salsabeel and Larchmont Lad.

In a muddling contest, run at no great pace, 7/4 favourite Taamol came to have his chance on the outside but found little. Senator was struggling when squeezed on the inside and it was left to Rodaini and Silvestre de Sousa to kick for home in the centre. He was very game indeed and held them off in a blanket finish.

The winner was returned at 6/1. He is hardly a world beater but has been placed with considerable skill.

Sir Michael Stoute may have been disappointed with Taamol but he remains in excellent form overall. Playful Sound and Canonbury both won for him at Chester in the hands of Graham Gibbons, while market leader Khairaat, a horse of potential, was produced with perfect timing to master Luca Cumani’s Laurence in the 10-furlong classified stakes.

Andrea Atzeni completed a first and last-race double when Nigel Tinkler’s Normandy Barriere got up in the closing sprint handicap.

Norton falls

ALSO at Chester, Franny Norton - having one his best-ever seasons - was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collar-bone after a very nasty fall from Thomas Cranmer in the nursery.