THINGS were far from easy for punters in the most important races at Haydock on Saturday.

The Group 3 Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes went to 10/1 shot Royal Artillery, while 12/1 chance Aljazzi took the honours in the Listed Dick Hern Fillies’ Stakes.

Plenty of people will have picked up on Colm O’Donoghue riding Royal Artillery for John Gosden, who also ran Foundation at a much shorter price.

It was the former who gained the day, taking over from warm favourite Scottish at the furlong pole and then leaning on the younger horse before pulling away to score by just over a length. The winner was paying quite a compliment to Hawkbill, who had him back in fifth at Royal Ascot before taking the Coral-Eclipse.

Marco Botti’s Aljazzi had not been seen since finishing a very modest 10th in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, but she appreciated the longer trip in the Dick Hern race and even missed the break before staying on gamely to account for Mix And Mingle and Pirouette by a neck and a head.

Andrea Atzeni, who gets better and better, was seen to great advantage on the winner.

The disappointment was Sir Mark Prescott’s Red Box, from a stable in form. She finished sixth after never moving well and is surely better than this.