IT was a splendid day for Roger Charlton and Khalid Abdullah with Fair Eva winning at Ascot and Time Test going in at York. However, the latter was made to work very hard in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes and had only three-parts of a length to spare over Mondialiste.

Third in the Coral-Eclipse on ground a little too soft for him, Time Test looked a good thing for this and started at 2/1 on in preparation for a tilt at his owner’s Juddmonte International Stakes over the course and distance next month.

With pacemaker Countermeasure doing a good job in front, Pat Smullen was able to lob along in fourth before asking Time Test to quicken up inside the three furlong pole.

The favourite responded and soon drew level with Mondialiste, but there was a protracted battle before he finally got on top and opened up a small gap close to home.

David O’Meara’s Mondialiste had been underestimated at 10/1. Winner of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in Canada and runner-up to Tepin in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last term, he left this season’s form behind on a first attempt at 10 furlongs and may now be supplemented for the International.

“I was happy with him and I think he’s the type of horse who will be better in a better race,” Smullen said of Time Test. “He was getting a bit idle but in the end he’s fought well and seen off a Group 1 winner who had his ideal conditions. That should put him right for coming back here in three weeks.”

Time Test is generally around 4/1 for the big one. The 3/1 favourite Postponed needs to shrug off the setback which forced him to miss the King George, while the Eclipse winner Hawkbill would have to be supplemented.

REVIVAL

Trainer Dandy Nicholls is staging something of a revival and his tough sprinter Kimberella, helped by a handy low draw, justified 4/1 favouritism in the valuable Sky Bet Dash.

Hitting the front at the furlong marker, he held O’Meara’s Intisaab, who tacked over from the other wing, by just over a length, with Related finishing third.

Earlier this week Kimberella was still in the Stewards’ Cup. Mick Easterby’s Hoof It won both races a few years ago, but Nicholls also has clear favourite Orion’s Bow for that race.

“The owner Clive Titcomb has always wanted to win the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon, so I should think that will be next for Kimberella,” said Nicholls’ wife Alex Greaves.