LEZOO (Ralph Beckett/Frankie Dettori) overcame a slow start to win the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot in workmanlike fashion, the Zoustar filly making up for an unlucky run when second in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.

This represented a drop in class for the winner, and she took advantage to register her third win in four starts.

Kinta (George Boughey/Will Buick) ran very well to be second on her first turf start, having won twice on Polytrack. She lost her place after failing to settle early on, then tracked the winner thereafter.

Challenge

She threw down the only significant challenge to Lezoo, with John Quinn’s Breege (Jason Hart) plugging on late for third, three and a half lengths behind the well-backed 6/5 winner.

First and second could meet again in the Lowther Stakes at York.

Jumbly pulls it out of the fire

THE Group 3 Valiant Stakes provided the closest finish of the afternoon at Ascot, with German Guineas disappointment Jumbly (Harry and Roger Charlton/Hollie Doyle) getting up on the line to deny the game Oscula (George Boughey/Will Buick) by a nose. The 2021 German Guineas heroine Novemba took third, two and a half lengths away.

Promising

The 100/30 winner looked very promising as a juvenile and ran well when second in the Fred Darling at Newbury on her return. She wasn’t disgraced when mid-field in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches but failed to make the frame when sent off favourite for the German version last month and appreciated this drop in class to break her duck for the season.

Oscula is nothing if not tough and ran right up to her best on her fifth run since the beginning of June. She may well have won if Buick had waited a fraction longer before committing for home, but hindsight is 20/20 vision.

York Saturday

WILLIAM Knight’s Sir Busker has been something of a reluctant hero in recent times but broke a losing spell stretching back over 20 runs and two years when landing the Group 2 York Stakes under Ben Curtis.

The pair got the better of a protracted battle with Dubai Honour (William Haggas/Stevie Donohoe) to win by a nose over the longest trip the six-year-old has tried.

Showcase

The 15/2 shot was value for his win on the day, but the runner-up was almost certainly in need of the run after an absence, and the slowly run race enabled the winner to showcase his tactical speed in a race that set up ideally for him.

The first two could meet again in the Juddmonte International over the course and distance next month, which will ask sterner questions of both.