Godolphin's Punctilious showed no ill-affects from her exertions in the Oaks on June 4 to take the Ribblesdale Stakes with Frankie Dettori on board.
The race developed into a ding-dong battle between Punctilious and Sahool, ridden by Richard Hills, in the straight, with the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained filly staying on the stronger in the last half-furlong to take this Group Two race over a mile and a half.
Hills had Sahool (7-1) in the front rank right from the start and after sharing the lead with Hidden Hope, Marcus Tregoning's runner went on. He increased the tempo half a mile from the finish but Dettori had the move covered and put in a strong challenge from the home turn.
Sahool battled on bravely but Punctilious, the 9-2 second favourite, had the stamina and class to go on and win by a length and a half. Quiff, who was backed down to 7-2 market leader, was another length and a half away in third.
Speaking after his third win at this year's Royal meeting, Dettori said: "My filly is strong and tough, but she's got a mind of her own. One thing she doesn't like too much is the whip, so I was just trying to galvanise her and get her to go the way she wants to, not the way we want her to. It was a good performance."
Filed bu James McMahon
