THE ground was soft at Newbury on Saturday and one or two fancied horses failed to produce their best form. However, that did not apply to Godolphin’s Ribchester, who handles the surface well and fairly ran away with the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, making all and pulling nearly four lengths clear of Lightning Spear with Breton Rock third.

Ribchester closed in again to 7/4 favourite on the off but two of his talented stable-companions had run poorly in the recent past and there was strong late support for Aidan O’Brien’s filly Somehow, winner of the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket last time. She was never going the pace before keeping on to finish a creditable fourth.