Quick Thomas follow-up thwarted by 2015 winner Oriental Fox

Joe Fanning could not have left his Royal Ascot entrance any later, yet left the track with a broader smile than many who had been there all week, thanks to old pal Oriental Fox, on whom he won a second Queen Alexandra Stakes.

Fanning's 2015 win on Oriental Fox had been his seventh at the meeting, but he was not required this year until the last race of the final day, so he had been plying his trade at Thirsk, Beverley, Hamilton, Ripon and Redcar over the first four days, while Ryan Moore, William Buick and company were cleaning up in the first four days. He had been doing very nicely too.

Oriental Fox was on the point of being retired last autumn until a last-chance victory at Pontefract persuaded owner Markus Graf to press on, to trainer Mark Johnston's relief.

The nine-year-old appeared to be staring defeat in the face when Tuesday's Ascot Stakes winner Thomas Hobson nosed ahead at the furlong marker, but he refused to lie down and Fanning soon had him back in front. He crossed the line a length and a quarter to the good, with last year's Derby second US Army Ranger third.

Fanning said: "He's been a good old horse over the years and he's done well again today. I saw Thomas Hobson come to me and I knew I had a battle on my hands, but he knuckled down and felt just as good today as he did on softer ground two years ago.

"I came down thinking he had chance, and it's nice to have won again."

Willie Mullins will look at the Ebor now for Thomas Hobson, who said: "It was a very good run, but he was quite keen after the other day and that didn't help."

US Army Ranger's third pleased Aidan O'Brien, who said: "It was good for his mind, he is delighted about it. All it has done is brighten his options."