Crystal Black thunders home to give the Keane family a special success in the Duke Of Edinburgh

Singing rang out round the Royal Ascot winner's enclosure as Colin Keane was hoisted into the air by jubilant owners Wear A Pink Ribbon syndicate after the moving success of Crystal Black.

The progressive six-year-old launched a powerful attack to swallow the 7-4 favourite Ethical Diamond in the final furlong and land the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes from the running-on Epic Poet, causing raucous and tearful scenes for the syndicate and their spokesperson Neville Eager.

Eager and friends travelled to Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Australia with their multi-talented mare True Self, but this time a key member of the team was missing from the 18-strong throng running wild beside the winning podium.

"We had True Self with Willie Mullins and we had a lovely girl called Breda Miley who would always travel with us," Eager explained. "She sadly passed away and we've since raised money for cancer research, which explains the name of the syndicate.

"She was a friend to us all, she's brought us luck and I hope she's looking down on us today. It's emotional. I couldn't even think. I have an aunt at home who isn't well, she wrote a poem for the horse and we have a song written about him too.

"The singer is 84 and he's here – he'll sing a little tune for us. We have some support and some friends."

The victory was truly a team effort, with a beaming Colin Keane not only responsible for steering the gelding to an decisive two-and-a-quarter-length success, but also for his purchase at the Tattersalls Autumn horses-in-training sales two years ago.

The result was a career highlight for the jockey's father Ger, who trains a select string in County Meath. Crystal Black was his first runner at the royal meeting and, while reluctant to join in the singing, he was only too happy to soak up the electric atmosphere.

Members of the xx syndicate lift Colin Keane in the air after his win on Crystal Black

Members of the Wear A Pink Ribbon syndicate lift Colin Keane in the air after his win on Crystal BlackCredit: Patrick McCann

"The syndicate like their singing – unfortunately I can't sing," he said. "It's unbelievable. We never thought we'd ever have a runner here, let alone a winner, and we'd be more used to 45-to-65-rated lads.

"He's a very good horse but he's lazy in his work. He ran on well at the Curragh over ten furlongs last time so we weren't worried about the trip, but he's a big horse, about 17 hands, so we were a bit concerned about the ground."

Pattern races now beckon for the improving galloper, whose Ascot success supplemented four big-field Curragh handicap wins, and Keane hasn't ruled out international travel further down the line.

"This was the plan, so we'll have to give him a couple of weeks holiday now," he said. "I hope he's good enough to go to the next step. He probably has to go for Group and Listed races as he'll get another hike for that, so he's probably finished in handicaps.

"The plan was to put a hurdle in front of him if he wasn't good enough, but that would have to look doubtful now. The lads would like to travel with him and we'll look into all of that."

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