OTI Racing-owned Docklands continued his affinity for Royal Ascot and delivered jockey Mark Zahra and trainer Harry Eustace a memorable beginning to the famous carnival.
Little went to plan for Docklands, who missed the start and had to overcome a slow tempo, before Zahra dropped his whip just as the five-year-old was issuing a challenge.
But undeterred, he continued to find under Zahra, edging out race favourite Rosallion in a thrilling finish to the Group 1 contest, with outsider Cairo finishing in third.
That success in the OTI colours of managing owner Terry Henderson came after Docklands finished second in the same race last year and won the Brittania Stakes two years ago.
In between the son of Massaat had been to Melbourne, finishing sixth in last year’s Cox Plate,
Zahra revealed after the race that he got the booking on Docklands thanks to Will Bourne, the bloodstock manager for rival trainer Ciaron Maher who had the well-backed Carl Spackler finish unplaced in the race.
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No luck for Asfoora
Asfoora’s defence of her King Charles III Stakes win came unstuck as she could only finish fifth in this year’s edition.
The Henry Dwyer-trained mare was there to challenge in the final stages but could not match the sprint of several key rivals.
The race went to American Affair, who held out Frost At Dawn in a tight finish, with last year’s runner-up Regional in third place.
In the St James' Palace Stakes, Field Of Gold proved himself the best of the European three-year-old milers, with the Irish 2000 Guineas winner easily defeating French 2000 Guineas Henri Matisse, with English 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in third.
In doing so, Field Of Gold emulated the feat of his sire Kingman in winning the St James' Palace Stakes, giving John Gosden, who now trains with his son Thady, a fourth win in the race.
Field Of Gold is out of a sister to Australian Group 2 winner and stallion Puissance De Lune.
Earlier, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Gstaad, a colt by Starspangledbanner, was an emphatic winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
Gstaad, now unbeaten in two starts, is a half-brother to Vandeek, who shuttles to Arrowfield this year, with both out of the Exceed And Excel mare Mosa Mine.
