CRYSTAL Ocean provided Sir Michael Stoute with an 11th victory in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It is 32 years since the master of Freemason Lodged first claimed the prize with Dihistan (1986) and he has since struck gold with the likes of Harbinger (2010), Telescope (2014) and Dartmouth (2016).

Having already won at Sandown and Newbury this season, the son of Sea The Stars was a red-hot 4/7 favourite to add his name to the roll of honour and odds-on backers will have had few concerns for the duration of the mile-and-a-half contest.

Ryan Moore positioned the market leader on the heels of last year's winner Idaho for much of the way and when he faded out of contention early in the home straight, Crystal Ocean kicked clear for a comprehensive two-and-a-half-length victory.

Red Verdon ran a fine race to fill the runner-up spot at 33/1, with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Cliffs Of Moher, who finished fourth behind the Stoute-trained Poet's Word in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday, taking third.