A 'monstrous' performance from King's Gambit - but he's unable to reel in Jayarebe and Sean Levey

King's Gambit (right) finished second in the Hampton Court

Jayarebe: fends off King's Gambit in the Hampton Court StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

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King's Gambit ran "monstrously well", according to Harry Charlton, but that monstrous performance was unable to rescue a situation that looked sticky from a long way out as Jayarebe had too much rope and clung on by three-quarters of a length.

It is turning into a stunning week for Sean Levey, who left it late to land the St James's Palace Stakes on Rosallion, but this time got first run on Jayarebe. He kicked for home early in the straight and had enough of a cushion to fend off the late surge of the favourite, who must be a very good colt to get as close as he did under William Buick.

Jayarebe is a pretty good colt too, and he provided proof his disappointing Dee Stakes effort when 7-4 favourite wasn't the real him. Brian Meehan was convinced he didn't handle Chester and that certainly looks the case now. This is a colt capable of competing in some top races on this evidence.

Meehan said of Jayarebe: "I've always said to his owner that we'd wait a little bit and avoid Derbys with him and that we look forward to some autumn races and international races with him.

"He's lightly raced and he's already won three races, so he's not a difficult horse to have faith in. Sean knows the horse really well and he knew what he was doing. He's a top-flight jockey."

Levey said: "He's a nice horse and I'm delighted for Brian to get two on the board this week at Ascot. His horses are really coming back to the fore now and he has some nice ones to look forward to.

"He [King's Gambit] was probably an unlucky loser, but at the same time my horse is a strong stayer with a great action and he got to the line well."

As for the King's Gambit camp, Harry Charlton was gutted and understandably so. He said: "It looked like a disaster from furlong one; we were in the worst possible position on this round course. He's run monstrously well to get anywhere near them. You can see how good he is and we'll enjoy him down the line. He was just unlucky."

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