Royal Ascot: Day 3 in pictures

Race 1 — Golden Gates Handicap (3yo) 1m 2f, 14 runners: Top weight Highland Chief comfortably wins the opener at odds of 20/1 for teenage Irish jockey Rossa Ryan and trainers Paul & Olivier Cole. Tritonic was a willing second under champion jockey Oisin Murphy, with William Buick and the 7/2 favourite Global Storm finishing third in the all-blue Godolphin colours. The race was run in pouring rain making things decidedly difficult for the 14 masked jockeys. Ryan, who is based in the UK, was delighted to score a Royal Ascot winner in only his second year since becoming a full-fledged jockey.

Race 2 — Wolferton Stakes (4yo+) 1m 2f, 15 runners: Another masterly ride by Godolphin’s James Doyle, aboard Mountain Angel, secured a landmark victory in the Listed Wolferton Stakes, for prominent Dubai businessman Ziad Galadari. The winner was compensating for a fifth-place effort in this race 12 months ago where he ran into all sorts of trouble. Sir Dragonet and Ryan Moore ran on well for second with the Jim Crowley-piloted Regal Reality back in third. Prior to the race the rains lashed the Berkshire course changing the going from good to soft for the rest of the day’s racing.

Race 3 — Jersey Stakes (3yo) 7f, 14 runners: Jim Crowley and Molatham continued a dream week for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, when battling hard to win the Group 3 Jersey Stakes. It was a fifth winner of this year’s Royal Meeting for Sheikh Hamdan and his retained rider, Crowley. The former British champion jockey Ryan Moore and Monarch Of Egypt grabbed the lead inside the final furlong of the 1,400 metre contest but had to settle for second as Molatham found more to score by half-a-length. Symbolize, sent off at odds of 40/1, ran on well under David Probert to finish third. Sheikh Hamdan won this contest back in 2008 with Aqlaam.

Race 4 — Chesham Stakes (2yo) 7f, 8 runners: Battleground handed Irish handler Aidan O’Brien a record fifth win the Chesham when staying on like a warrior to win the seven-furlong contest by two-and-a-half lengths from Silvestre D’Sousa and March Law. Seattle Rock finished In third place as the rain relented. Godolphin’s Modern News looked to have every chance when ridden into a prominent position by William Buick, but failed to match his rivals for speed and had to settle for fifth place. A piece of history — the great Lester Piggott rode seven winners of the race between 1960 and 1982.

Race 5 — Gold Cup (4yo+) 2m 4f, 6 runners: Stradivarius become one of the greatest winners of the Gold Cup, Britain’s most prestigious event for stayers that is run over a testing two miles and four furlongs, when he posted a pulsating third successive victory. Ridden with supreme confidence by Frankie Dettori, trainer John Gosden’s superstar changed gears approaching the final furlongs to pull away for a 10-length victory over Nayef Road with Godolphin’s Melbourne Cup winner running on late for third. A six-year-old son of Sea The Stars, Stradivarius was recording a 14th career victory from 22 starts. He equalled the record of Sagaro with three wins in the Gold Cup with Yeats being the only horse to land the race four times.

Race 6 — Britannia Stakes (3yo) 1m, 23 runners: What a week it has been for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and his jockey Jim Crowley as Khaloosy bolted home to give the partnership a sixth victory in three days. It was a devastating performance by the winner who scored in impressive fashion from Finest Sword who finished clear of the rest. Sheikh Hamdan’s eye-catching grey provided trainer Roger Varian with a fourth winner of the meeting.

Race 7 — Sandringham Stakes (3yo) 1m, 16 runners: Hayley Turner rode a blinder aboard 33/1 shot Onassis to win the final race of the day, the Sandringham for trainer Charlie Fellows. The pair were winning the race for the second year running following the victory of Thanks Be 12 months ago. Waliyak finished second with UAE 2000 Guineas winner Dubai Love in third under a certain Frankie Dettori.