Frankie Dettori crossed the line with his arm aloft as he rode Galileo Gold to victory in the St James's Palace Stakes, the big race on the opening day of Royal Ascot.

The chestnut, such an impressive winner of the 2,000 Guineas in April, was deserted by punters after his defeat in Ireland last time, and sent off at 6-1 but benefited from a tactically faultless ride as he held off the late challenge of The Gurkha.

While Dettori tracked the Godolphin pacemaker Cymric from the outset, Ryan Moore settled The Gurkha at the back of the field and was still there at the turn for home with little more than two furlongs to run. As The Gurkha cruised forward, his route was blocked by Awtaad hanging across him and Moore had to switch him to mid-track in the final furlong.

Though The Gurkha made further ground he was a length and a quarter adrift at the line, frustrating those backers who had sent him off at 4-5.

Awtaad was third, while Cymric held on for fourth of the seven runners.

“Everything went to plan,” Dettori said. “Three Guineas winners, I managed to get first run on the other two. He’s a Guineas winner, a St James’s Palace winner, he’s a great horse to have.”

Dettori said Galileo Gold had had “a few excuses” for his Irish defeat when he trailed Awtaad by 2½ lengths. The Hugo Palmer-trained colt was hemmed in from an early stage in the Curragh race, had to fight for racing room in the straight and the winner had flown by the time he got free.

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of The Gurkha, said: “He ran very well. He travelled well and quickened well. Frankie got a good position up front with no interference.

“We’re looking forward to running our horse next time. He can step up in trip if he wants – I don’t think he needs to – but we’ll see.”

Impressive

Moore and O’Brien were in happier mood earlier when pairing up to land the Coventry with Caravaggio. The unbeaten juvenile was so impressive that he now heads the market for next year’s 2,000 Guineas at 6-1, with everything else available at 20-1 or bigger.

“I was a bit worried about the ground, but he’s won in spite of it,” Moore said of Caravaggio.

“When he gets on better ground he will be a better horse.

“At this stage of his career he’s very good. At this stage he’d be the best I’ve sat on.”

O’Brien, securing a record eighth victory in this prestigious juvenile contest, said: “He’s so quick that I didn’t know if he would stay six furlongs in that ground, but it didn’t look like he was stopping.”

Another Irish-trained winner was Jennies Jewel, who bravely fended off all-comers to win the Ascot Stakes.

Trained by Jarlath Fahey, the Grade Three-winning chaser and Grade One-placed hurdler demonstrated her versatility with a really gutsy effort under Ronan Whelan.

The 6-1 chance simply refused to buckle from the head of affairs, and although Qewy came fast and late the nine-year-old Jennies Jewel had done enough, with a neck the winning distance. Guardian Service