The third day of the Royal Meeting held at Ascot each year is known as "Ladies Day" and features the presence on the course of a large number of members of the fairer sex intent on displaying their exotic headgear. Of course, for turf aficionados that was of little meaning last Thursday, and it was the Ascot Gold Cup (Gr.1) run over 2-1/2 miles that grabbed their attention.

No horse has a better record in this race than the evergreen Yeats, who won it from 2006 to 2009 inclusive before being retired to stud. On this occasion, his trainer, Aidan O'Brien, sent out Age Of Aquarius (a son of Epsom Derby winner Galileo) to try and make it five-in-a-row for an inmate of his Ballydoyle yard sporting the dark blue silks of Mrs. John Magnier. And for almost the whole length of the straight, Age Of Aquarius looked like making it. Pat Smullen, astride another Irish challenger in the shape of the superbly-bred 6-y-o Rite Of Passage (Giant's Causeway-Dahlias Krissy, by Kris S.), had other ideas. Teaming up yet again with a Dermot Weld-trained runner, Smullen joined issue way out and goaded the gelded grandson of Storm Cat, whose third dam was the incomparable Dahlia, to put in that little bit of extra effort needed to gain the day.

Emirates Melbourne Cup (Gr.1) runner-up, Purple Moon, was third. Manifest and Ask were amongst the first beaten – perhaps it was the lightning fast ground that did them in. Interestingly, the lightly-raced winner has spent most of his time hurdling, where his record is 4-from-7; on the flat he has remained unbeaten with 3 victories from 3 starts. As no stud career is possible, he could well end up tackling the Champion Hurdle next March, with a foray to the Melbourne Cup in Australia in between! A versatile customer indeed.

Like many of Aidan O'Brien's horses, Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer-Hoity Toity, by Darshaan) was not cosseted as a two-year-old and had a busy season in 2009, having made 6 starts – for 3 victories – in Ireland and England before being sent to California for a crack at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. That foray proved unsuccessful but was evidence of the high regard in which she was held. Beaten only narrowly in the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas (Gr.1) on her seasonal debut in May, she benefitted from that outing and in the 1 mile Coronation Stakes (Gr.1) on Friday, the fourth day of Royal Ascot, Lillie Langtry trounced her opposition which included Jacqueline Quest (first past the post in the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, Gr.1) and Gil Na Greine, third in that race.

Her victory, along with one just over an hour later for her stablemate Mikhail Glinka (Galileo-Lady Carr, by Mark Of Esteem) in the 2 miles Queen's Vase (Gr.3), helped her rider Johnnie Murtagh move up in his quest to retain the leading jockey title at the Royal Meeting. This year the award was sponsored by Arora Hotels, a British-based chain founded in 1999 by Indian expat, Surinder Arora, which specializes in airport hotels.

Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore were amongst the others in serious contention for this coveted title. On the final afternoon on Saturday, the last-named added a point with a ridiculously easy victory astride hot favourite Harbinger (Dansili-Penang Pearl, by Bering) in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr.2) over 1-1/2 miles. Murtagh immediately countered with a splendid success for Coolmore's newest acquisition, the Australian-bred Starspangledbanner (Choisir-Gold Anthem, by Made Of Gold) in the 6 fur. Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr.1) for which 24 runners lined up, of which nine were overseas challengers from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, and the U.S.A.

Given that the four-year-old, trained by Leon Corstens in his native land, was reported to have cost A$10,000,000, it is certain that his connections are heaving collective sighs of relief at the result! He jumped out smartly and led all the way along the stands side railing to hold off the three-year-old Society Rock, who just nosed out American challenger Kinsale King. For the latter, who was making his first ever start on turf, this was a brilliant effort. Hopefully his performance will encourage more American participation in future.

Murtagh teamed up with an Irish-bred daughter of Choisir in the next race, the popular Wokingham Handicap (6 fur.), and landed a gamble with Jeremy Noseda's Laddies Poker Two (out of Break Of Day, by Favorite Trick). The 9 to 2 shot could be had as high as 16 to 1 earlier in the week and was reappearing after a gap of 610 days! Interestingly, the race was concluded in course record time of 1:12.27 and it's a matter of conjecture how a mere handicap with the highest-rated runner at the 108 mark – and the winner at 95 – could be run 0.30 seconds faster than a Group 1 where the winner was at 117....

With only two races left to be run, Murtagh looked like keeping the leading jockeys' prize he had won four times previously. Ryan Moore's mount in the penultimate event was Imposing, backed down to favouritism, but despite his strenuous efforts ended a neck adrift to Cill Rialaig in the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap. In the concluding race, the marathon Queen Alexandra Stakes, the German-bred Bergo (Silvano-Bella Figura, by Surumu), trained by Moore's father, Gary, represented Ryan's last chance at glory but the odds of 10 to 1 did not suggest he could do it. Murtagh also had a mount in the shape of Deutschland, better fancied at sixes.

In a close finish, Bergo – a stout stayer – wore down Aajel to hand Britain's champion jockey his first Royal Ascot title. The unassuming Moore, who does not care much for awards, said, "It doesn't mean a lot to me personally but I am delighted to ride a winner for my Dad.” His father was recording his first ever triumph at the Royal meeting.