Newbury, England: Fifteen years after he surprised Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum with the greatest prize of them all, the Epsom Derby (G1), trainer Luca Cumani gifted him the prestigious King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Trophy at Ascot on Saturday.

The Italian demonstrated his irrefutable skills as a high-class trainer when he produced a super-fit Postponed to deny favourite Snow King in the 2,400-metre contest, which is the second richest race in Britain with a purse of £1.2 million (Dh6.8 million).

The son of Dubawi, who was looking to snap a three-race losing streak, needed to draw on all his ability for Italian jockey Andrea Azteni before denying favourite Eagle Top, the mount of Frankie Dettori by a nose.

Romsdal, trained by John Gosden for Godolphin, was three-and-a-half lengths back in third.

Gosden’s dual Derby winner Golden Horn, the red-hot favourite for the King George, was withdrawn before the start of the race due to the soft ground at Ascot, a result of heavy showers at the venue on Friday.

Dettori was switched to Eagle Top following the late defection, but it was fellow-Italian Atzeni who stole the show before a packed house at Ascot.

“Fair play to the owner, if that was me I would never have run him on that ground,” Atzeni said. “He stays well and he’s got a big heart.

“I thought Frankie was going to get to me, but this fellow doesn’t give up.

“Things haven’t gone his way this year, but it’s now paid off.

“What a great day.”

Cumani, who won the Derby for Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum in 1998 with High Rise, was full of praise for his rider, who replaced regular jockey Adam Kirby.

“It was a fantastic race. Andrea gave him a peach of a ride,” said the Italian after winning his maiden King George. “The horse was ready for a mile and a half, he just wanted a good pace.

“I wasn’t sure about the ground - I didn’t know whether he could handle it.

“They were locked together in battle and I didn’t know who had won.

“I’m naturally a pessimist and I’d prefer to be surprised favourably, rather than unfavourably.”

Gosden was full of praise for his runner-up and said: “Eagle Top ran a great race.

“He was forced wide into the straight to come round the Italian horse (Dylan Mouth).

“It probably cost him at the end but he ran a great race. I couldn’t be more thrilled with him.

“The ground is tacky, holding. They went a good solid pace and Romsdal’s also run a lovely race.”