THE afternoon began with the notoriously tricky Symphony Group Stakes, a five-furlong handicap featuring any number of familiar faces.

It is unusual for a sprint handicapper to win two of these valuable events in a row but Tony Carroll’s Boom The Groom did just that, following up his Goodwood success with a hard-earned victory over 8/1 favourite Duke Of Firenze with Captain Colby and Line Of Reason filling the places.

Robot Boy set a scorching early pace but was collared at the furlong pole, Boom The Groom (11/1) and Andrea Atzeni battling on well to hold Duke Of Firenze by a head. The latter was suited by this return to the minimum trip following a fine fifth in the Stewards’ Cup and was level with the winner inside the final furlong but could do no more close home.

Boom The Groom has been a real money-spinner for Carroll, a former jumps jockey who does particularly well with sprinters. Generally considered more effective on the all-weather, the five-year-old is clearly just as good on turf and holds his form very well.

He seemed tightly handicapped with several of these on Goodwood and Ascot running but beat them quite comfortably. Boom The Groom will be very hard to place from now on but that will be of little concern to connections.