Ethical Diamond provided all-conquering trainer Willie Mullins with a third victory in the Sky Bet Ebor at York.
Although better known for his exploits under National Hunt rules, the Closutton handler had previously landed Britain's richest Flat handicap with Sesenta in 2009 and Absurde in 2023 and fired a three-pronged assault at this year’s renewal.
Ethical Diamond, who was last seen striking Royal Ascot gold in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, was a well backed 5-1 favourite for the £500,000 (€577m) feature under William Buick, who appeared keen to play his cards as late as possible aboard a horse who has been known to race enthusiastically.
But after again travelling powerfully in the middle of the pack as the field turned for home, the five-year-old got a dream run against the stands’ rail when being delivered with his challenge and picked up well to run out an emphatic two-and-a-half-length winner over Henry de Bromhead's Ascending, with Aidan O'Brien's Queenstown in third.
Mullins said: "William said he was a copybook ride. He popped off, settled and did everything he wanted him to do.
"He said once he let him go, he quickened up well.
"He won’t go to (the) Melbourne (Cup) as he won’t pass the vets down there in Australia, so we wiped that off straight away. He’s got a screw in his leg from an old injury and that is a straight no-no from them.
"That’s fine, those are the rules and at least we know now and not when they let us get all the way down there.
"I don’t know if he’s an Irish Cesarewitch horse or we let him run in an Irish Leger, we’ll have to see but I’d definitely like to move him up in grade to a Group Two or a Group Three at some stage."
He went on: "We’ve just been trying to find the right tactics that suit him but it’s taken me 18 months to do that and now he’s won at Royal Ascot and the Ebor.
"Now that we have a way to ride him, he’d probably win a nice race over hurdles, I think tactics have been the making of him."
Of landing a major summer prize, Mullins added: "Winning races on the Flat like this gives me exactly the same buzz as winning big races over jumps, for sure. To come here and win races like this, it’s why you do the game."
Buick said: "He won the Duke of Edinburgh so well and any time Willie asks you to ride a horse, you’re grateful for the call-up – they don’t come over for the fun of it.
"I had a good trip from a wide draw. We were never going to fight to get in or do anything spectacular, we accepted it. Willie just said stay out there and let him get in his rhythm and if you get a tail to follow then great.
"I was comfortable throughout the whole race really and he’s got that killer turn of foot which set him apart from the others today."
De Bromhead said of his runner: "I’d say he just lacked a bit of speed late on, I thought he’d quicken a bit better.
"Seamie gave him a super ride and I thought we were going better than anything but the other lad quickened past him.
"He gave me my first Ascot winner, we’re delighted to be here, we’ve had a really good day and he’s ran an absolute belter."
Never So Brave successfully graduated to the highest level in a pulsating renewal of the Sky Bet City of York Stakes, with hot favourite Rosallion only fourth.
Never So Brave joined Andrew Balding following Michael Stoute's retirement and since finishing a close second on his stable debut at Chester, the four-year-old had dominated the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot in June before following up in the Group Two Summer Mile at the Berkshire track last month.
He was 7-2 to complete his hat-trick in a race carrying Group One status for the first time, with Richard Hannon’s Rosallion an even-money shot after being beaten a nose and neck in the Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes respectively.
With Quinault setting a strong gallop from the off, the two market principals were given time to find their feet before being delivered and it was Never So Brave who hit the front under Oisin Murphy heading inside the final furlong.
Rosallion did his best to reel him in, with Maranoa Charlie and and Lake Forest also arriving late on the scene to set up a grandstand finish, but Never So Brave clung on to beat the latter by half a length, with Maranoa Charlie and Rosallion close up behind in third and fourth.
Anna-Lisa Balding, assistant to her husband, said: "We’re absolutely delighted, it was a wonderful ride, and thank you Sir Michael Stoute who has been very kind to us.
"He’s matured through the year and Andrew has done a pretty good job, I suppose!
"He ran over a mile last time and was dropping back to seven furlongs today. He has got a few quirks and I think as a colt he probably wouldn’t be as good as he is now – I think the gelding operation has been the making of him."
Richard Hannon offered no immediate excuse for his stable star Rosallion.
The four-year-old was rerouted to the York Group One after a bruised foot scuppered his planned run in last Sunday's Prix Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville.
Last season’s Irish Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner was dropping back to seven furlongs on the Knavesmire, having finished a creditable third in the Lockinge on his seasonal bow before being narrowly beaten in both the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Sean Levey never looked confident at any stage aboard the evens favourite though, keeping on to take fourth, beaten half a length and two heads behind Never So Brave, with his Sussex conqueror Qirat behind him in fifth.
Hannon said: "Sean said he was never really travelling like he normally does, but he’s not disgraced himself.
"I don’t think the draw (11) helped but he just didn’t travel into the race like we expected.
"I’m disappointed, obviously, I thought he’d win, but he’s a long way from disgracing himself."
King Of Cities narrowly outpointed Boiling Point to provide owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid with a one-two in the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes.
A quality field of eight runners went to post for the Group Three opener on the fourth and final day of the Ebor Festival, with the William Haggas-trained Bullet Point the 9-4 favourite to make it two wins on the Knavesmire this week following a lucrative handicap success on Thursday.
Boiling Point set out to make all the running, with Bullet Point and King Of Cities his nearest pursuers – and while the market leader weakened when push came to shove, the Richard Hannon-trained 11-1 shot King Of Cities came home strongly under Sean Levey to get up by a head.
Ed Dunlop's Skukuza, who was ridden with more restraint, was finishing best of all and was only a neck further behind in third, with Bullet Point faltering into seventh.
Twice a winner in Ireland earlier this season when searching for softer ground, he had disappointed at Goodwood in conditions that were expected to suit.
He was very keen on the way to post under Ryan Moore and the jockey chose to give up a good draw to get him dropped in for some cover, which meant he was further back than ideal, but he flew home to be beaten a neck and a head, suggesting 10 furlongs will be well within his reach.
Balding claimed his third Sky Bet Melrose Handicap in the last six years as Tarriance touched off Many Men in a barnstorming finish.
The Kingsclere handler saddled his top-class stayer Coltrane to land the £170,000 contest in 2020 and having followed up 12 months later with Valley Forge, he fired a twin assault this time around.
Tarriance, winner of two of his four previous starts, appeared the stable's first string at 5-1 and travelled strongly into the home straight under a confident Colin Keane.
After briefly hitting a flat spot, Tarriance got his second wind inside the final furlong and he and Jim Boyle’s well backed 9-2 favourite Many Men soon drew clear of the chasing pack before passing the post almost as one, but the judge confirmed Balding’s charge as the winner by a nose.
Northern Ticker (12-1) and Danny Tudhope led home veteran stablemate Commanche Falls to give trainer Michael Dods a one-two in the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap.
Tudhope doubled up in the concluding Sky Bet Steve Birch Finale Handicap aboard 11-1 shot Dain Ma Nut In, who provided Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore with a first winner since their training partnership became official.
Constitution River made all the running to continue Aidan O'Brien’s domination of the the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes.
Giant’s Causeway (1999), Hawk Wing (2001), Gleneagles (2014) and Henri Matisse (2024) are among 17 previous winners of the Group Two contest for the Ballydoyle handler and Constitution River was a 5-6 favourite to add to his tally under Wayne Lordan.
A close second on his Newmarket debut before bolting up at the Galway Festival, the Wootton Bassett colt put that experience to good use up the Curragh straight, bowling along in front before going through the gears with two furlongs to run to leave his four rivals trailing in his wake.
Course-and-distance winner Geryon did his best to go with the leader, but Constitution River was well on top as he passed the post with two lengths in hand.
O'Brien said: "He’s a lovely, straightforward horse. He’d a lovely run first time and was still very green when he won the next day. Wayne gave him a lovely ride, and he quickened well."
Paddy Power make Constitution River a 14-1 shot for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with O’Brien looking to move up to Group One level now.
He added: "Obviously you have to look at the National Stakes with him, and he’s going to be very happy going up in trip whenever that time comes."
Group One assignments await Composing after she completed her hat-trick with a decisive victory in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes.
Fifth on her debut here in May, the daughter of Wootton Bassett improved to open her account at the second time of asking before claiming Group Three honours in the Silver Flash at Leopardstown.
She was a 4-5 favourite to follow up in a Group Two contest trainer Aidan O'Brien had previously won on 14 occasions and odds-on backers will have had few concerns, with Composing tracking her chief market rival Suzie Songs before pulling two and a half lengths clear.
Having completed a big-race double on the card for O’Brien and jockey Wayne Lordan following Constitution River’s success in the Futurity, Composing is the 11-10 favourite from 2-1 for the Moyglare Stud Stakes with Paddy Power, who also make her a 10-1 shot for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
O’Brien said: "She’s a lovely filly and Wayne said when she got there, she thought it was over.
"She’s very straight forward and professional. We thought we’d have to make it and we were delighted that Ger’s filly went on.
"If everything is right, she’ll come back here for the Moyglare. She’s so laid back and is the same at home."
