Last year’s runner-up Lord Glitters just prevailed in a blanket finish to the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

David O’Meara’s grey, who disappointed badly last time out in the Lockinge Stakes, was winning at the highest level for the first time in his career.

His fortunes could not have contrasted more with last year’s winner Accidental Agent, who refused to come out of the stalls.

The popular Laurens made a bold bid for home and hit the front two furlongs out, but she could never put much daylight between her pursuers.

William Haggas’ One Master came swooping through, showing the pace that won her the Prix de la Foret last season, and certainly hit the front, before her run she faltered inside the final 100 yards.

That left Beat The Bank, who also ran poorly in the Lockinge, and Lord Glitters (14/1) to fight it out, with Danny Tudhope managing to get his grey head in front by a neck.

O’Meara said: “He always runs well here, he loves the track.

“In the Lockinge he had no cover and over-raced a touch, but I thought today Danny gave him a perfect ride from the word go.

"Watching the race it was one of the easiest Royal Ascot runners we’ve ever had to watch because there was never a moment I thought he was in trouble.

“He had a programme last year and he’ll follow something similar this season, I would have thought.”

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"Watching the race, it was one of the easiest Royal Ascot runners we've had to watch as he never looked in trouble.

"My assistant Jason Kelly bought this horse and he deserves a mention too.

"We will follow a pretty similar path with him to last year and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood is probably next up.

"It's super for the yard, not just me. I am just a small cog in what I do - I haven't even ridden out for the last six or seven weeks. The lads have done a great job and it has all come together nicely today.

Nick Turnbull, son of owners Geoff & Sandra Turnbull, commented: "This victory means everything. My Dad has been in this game for 20 years and to win at Royal Ascot is the pinnacle."

Thirty-three-year-old Tudhope, who recently enjoyed his 1,000th British winner - at Thirsk on June 4th - said: "Lord Glitters deserved to land a big one like this. He is a super horse, and when things fall right for him, he is very good.

"You can forget about his last race, it just wasn't run to suit. We knew he was better than that, as he proved last year when he was second in this race.

"David told me to ride him as cold as I can and to be brave. If there is anywhere you can do it, it is this track because that last furlong is a long, long way. I got a lovely split and the race just panned out perfectly."

"We had a lot of faith in this horse. We knew he was very talented; things just need to fall right for him. That's the way he needs to be ridden so you need luck on him."

Last year's winner Accidental Agent, trained by Eve Johnson-Houghton, refused to come out of the stalls when they opened, before eventually consenting to race, but was several hundred yards behind the other runners.

The stewards deemed him to have been a runner in the contest, but some bookmakers are refunding stakes on the horse.