Dubai: Clive Brittain saddled his 18th Royal Ascot winner — 40 years after his first — when Ryan Moore teamed up with Rizeena to win the Group 1 Coronation Stakes yesterday on another big day for Dubai owners.

Running in the trademark yellow colours of Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, Rizeena was notching back-to-back wins at the Royal meeting having captured the Queen Mary Stakes 12 months ago.

Just 35 minutes later, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, led Hartnell into the winner’s enclosure after the Mark Johnston-trained colt won a thrilling renewal of the Listed Queen’s Vase. The winner prevailed by a neck from Ireland’s Century to give Johnston a second success of the week following Muteel’s victory in the Sandringham Handicap on Day Two.

Yesterday’s success was a biggest win for Shaikh Rashid, a leading endurance rider, following Rizeena’s victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh, Ireland, last September.

French raider Lesstalk In Paris was flying at the finish but the post came too soon, while Euro Charline ran on well for third, just ahead of John Oxx’s My Titania.

Seventy-nine-year-old Brittain, who saddled his first Royal winner in 1974 when Averof won the St. James’s Palace Stakes performed his characteristic jig in the winner’s enclosure and proudly declared to Channel 4 Racing: “I’ve still got the vibes. If you get up at 3.30am every morning, you’ve got to have the vibes.

“I wasn’t worried about the slow pace. They could have walked and she still would have won, they could have trotted and she still would have won, but they galloped and she still won. We covered every angle!

“I think we’ll come back here for the big meeting (Champions Day). The QEII, why not?”

Moore, who was notching a third win at the meeting and 24th overall, was fully of praise for the daughter of Kildangan Stud’s Iffraaj. “She was the best filly last year, when she won the Queen Mary [at this meeting]. It’s good for her to come back, I’m delighted for everyone,” said the jockey.

“She doesn’t want to be in front that early, but my hand was kind of forced. It was a long way that last furlong, but she was the fastest horse in the race and she’s just done enough.”

Earlier, Ed Dunlop opened his 2014 Royal Ascot account when he saddled Contributer to win the Listed Wolferton Handicap. Contributor was ridden by George Baker who was notching his first ever winner at the meeting.

The Queen was denied a first success at this year’s event when her runner Bold Sniper had to settle for the runner-up position despite being hard-ridden by Ryan Moore.

“We have always thought a lot of him and he was always my best three-year-old last season when he was fourth in the King Edward VII Stakes,” said Dunlop.

“He had to carry a lot of weight today [Friday] and was drawn badly but I was surprised he was 14/1. It was an exceptional ride. I needed a winner and this is a big day for us.”