Sweet revenge for William as Gosdens' stayer reverses placings with Caius Chorister in thrilling Henry II Stakes

An evening treat was served up to racegoers as Sweet William prevailed in a battling finish with Caius Chorister to land the Henry II Stakes.

Caius Chorister was sent off the 15-8 favourite for the Group 3 after finishing one place ahead of Sweet William, when second in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot previously, and after fending off the attentions of the third-placed Trueshan, only yielded by a head following a sustained duel.

Sweet William picked up strongly in the rain-softened conditions and found most in the closing stages, building on last season's placed efforts in the Doncaster and Long Distance Cups in a first-time visor.

Betfair cut the winner to 14-1 (from 40) for next month's Gold Cup at Ascot.

The victory gave his rider Robert Havlin another significant success after his second Group 1 strike aboard Audience in Saturday's Lockinge Stakes, after which it was announced he would inherit the Betfred Derby ride aboard leading fancy Ambiente Friendly.

"The Derby? No one's mentioned that for a couple of days," a playful Havlin said. "I'm in that, am I? It's nice we're banging in a few winners and it's all good."

On Sweet William, he added: "It was Philippa's [Cooper, owner] idea to put the visor on him. We put full-cup blinkers on him last year and he never travelled a yard. He didn't really travel today, to be honest, but the further he went, the better he went.

"He'll definitely stay two and a half miles and he'll go to Ascot now. He's had a good blow today. He's only run over further than two miles once at Doncaster and it wasn't a test because it turned into a three-furlong sprint.

"It was nice. It worked out the way I thought it would in my head. I thought I would let Rossa [Ryan] on Caius Chorister lead me this time because he pounced on me last time. I was able to play with him a little bit up the straight."

Empress reigns

Enchanting Empress will bid to become the first National Stakes winner in more than a decade to follow up at Royal Ascot following her half-length success over Rock Hunter here.

Rizeena was the last horse to win the Listed race in 2013 before going on to success in the Queen Mary, for which Enchanting Empress was cut to 8-1 (from 20) by Betfair after confirming her previous Ascot success over the runner-up.

The filly was slowest away, but she recovered to pounce late under David Egan to stretch her unbeaten run to three and fill connections with confidence ahead of next month's royal meeting.

Enchanting Empress prevails in the National StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"She just sat back in the stalls and missed the kick, but she had the class and the speed to get herself out of trouble," said winning trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis. "We always thought she was an Albany filly, but I think we're leaning now towards the Queen Mary because she's got sharper with every run.

"David was very much of the mind that five furlongs at Ascot would be plenty far enough. She's got a fantastic attitude. She hadn't done a lot between her last run and here and she was quite fresh today. I think she knows what it's all about now."

Royal success

Royal Rhyme mowed down Certain Lad to justify odds of 1-2 in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes under Clifford Lee.

The Karl Burke-trained four-year-old finished fifth to King Of Steel, who was ruled out of the Group 3 last week, in October's Champion Stakes and will bid to improve on that effort in next month's Prince of Wales's Stakes, for which he was trimmed to 20-1 (from 25).

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