The redoubtable Ramonti married panache with power to land his third Group One of the season in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The five-year-old is the best in Europe at the distance according to Frankie Dettori, who gave him a peach of a ride.

Although Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor had declared Blue Ksar to set a fair pace for their 5-1 shot, it was Duke Of Marmalade from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable who handed him his chance on a plate.

Mick Kinane went straight for the front on Duke Of Marmalade and with Blue Ksar never going the gallop, Dettori followed in his path before sending him for home at the two furlong pole.

Ramonti does not tend to win his races impressively and just as he did in the Sussex Stakes, he displayed his trademark determination and refused to let O'Brien's rallying Excellent Art pass.

"Now he is undoubtedly the best miler in Europe," said Dettori.

"He's an ultimate professional and a great fighter."

Godolphin have now picked up the QEII four times and Mark Of Esteem's victory in 1996 had been part of Dettori's greatest day.

Aidan O'Brien's two-year-olds have not been as conspicuous as usual in the major heats so far this season, but Listen rectified the situation in the Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile at Ascot.

In an event where much of the pre-race conjecture revolved around the runner-up Proviso, it was still hard not to dole out a great deal of credit to the winner.

Listen (100-30) had been ridden patiently in her two previous starts at Pattern level, where she had rallied for second each time, but with Johnny Murtagh pulling the strings, she was never far off the lead.

That is more than can be said for Andre Fabre's 11-10 favourite Proviso, who had given rider Stephane Pasquier a moment of panic early on as she got shuffled back and the Frenchman was made to steer widest of all around the home turn.

When front-runner Kay Es Jay weakened, it was Listen who took over and although Proviso delivered a consolidated challenge, the length advantage that Listen had commandeered remained at the line.

She is now 8-1 favourite with sponsors Stan James for the 1000 Guineas and while she and Proviso are joint-market leaders with many firms, including VC Bet, Ladbrokes preserved the runner-up in top spot.

"She's an absolute beauty," said O'Brien.

"In the last 10 days to two weeks the two-year-olds have started to come. For some reason, we don't know what, the kick wasn't there over the previous six weeks.

"Johnny gave her a great ride. When the gap came she put her head down and quickened really well. It's the mark of a nice filly. She has speed and she stays. She's an exciting filly.

"She'll probably be trained for the Guineas in the spring if everything goes well. She's going to be a filly to look forward to next year. I would imagine she'll now be put away for the season."

Irish raider Haatef landed an exciting renewal of the John Guest Diadem Stakes at Ascot on Sunday.

Ridden by Richard Hills, Kevin Prendergast's charge held off the determined effort of Dark Missile to score at odds of 8-1.

It was the first time Hills had sat on Haatef but that proved no hindrance against this impressive victory.

"He's showed he's going to be a good sprinter and I'd stay there (at that distance)," said Hills.

Ask bounced back from injury to win the Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes for Sir Michael Stoute Stoute and Ryan Moore.

The Sadler's Wells colt shrugged off a leg infection suffered after winning at Chester in May to take this Group Three over a mile and a half.

Moore said: "I think he had heat problems - nothing major - and the boss has had to be really patient with him.

"He's a proper top-class horse but is just a bit rusty and was a bit fresh early on."

Dettori and Godolphin continued the party after Ramonti's success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as Ibn Khaldun bolted up in the opener on the Diadem card.

It took an age to decide the outcome of the SIS Fenwolf Stakes, with the eventual result being a dead-heat between 13-8 favourite Distinction and Solent at 28-1.

Curtain Call made every inch of the running to win the Group Two Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

This was a tremendous effort from the son of Sadler's Wells, who was previously a maiden in three starts.

Fran Berry took a gaping chasm out of the field within a heartbeat and had four lengths in hand of Domestic Fund (9-1) at the line.

Jessica Harrington said: "I'm thrilled - Fran Berry gave him a great ride."

Even-money favourite Lizard Island ran no sort of race and finished well adrift of the winner, who was halved by Cashmans in the betting for next year's Epsom Derby.

The Irish firm now go 33s from 66-1 about Curtain Call securing Classic glory on June 7.

Seb Sanders pulled two winners clear of Jamie Spencer in the jockeys' championship with a near 125{-1 four-timer at Musselburgh on Sunday.

No matter, the weekend unquestionably belonged to Dettori and the teak-tough Ramonti.