Colin Keane delivered Jonquil to perfection to land the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood.
Keane, the retained rider for owners Juddmonte, managed to secure a clear passage for Jonquil in a messy, tactical race, and his mount produced a sustained run to edge ahead close home. Jonquil, the 3/1 second favourite, got the verdict by a neck from Saqqara Sands, while Arisaig was third of the six runners.
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The victory represented a big step back in the right direction for Jonquil who had started the campaign so promisingly by winning the Greenham and finishing runner-up in the French 2000 Guineas, but had disappointed in the Commonwealth Cup and Lennox Stakes.
Jonquil, like Saturday's Group 1 City of York Stakes winner Never So Brave, is now trained by Andrew Balding having been with Sir Michael Stoute last season.
Balding, speaking to ITV racing, said: "He was a little bit free early but Colin did a lovely job getting him to settle. I was always fairly confident we were going to get up but Ralph's filly [Saqqara Sands] was very tough and he's had to pull out everything to get there."
On plans for Jonquil, Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said: "We've won a Group 2 with him so we've ticked that box and the main aim for him is to try and make him a Group 1 winner.
"It's frustrating he missed out in the French Guineas by a nose or a head - it looked like in the last furlong he was going to get there but he got done on the line. He's a very talented horse so we'll try to make him a Group 1 winner before the year's out."
Progressive Precise on top in the Prestige
Precise progressed again to land the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on Sunday, providing trainer Aidan O'Brien with a first win in the Group 3 contest for juvenile fillies.
Precise, sent off the 5/2 second favourite on the back of a comfortable maiden win at Cork, looked a straightforward ride for Wayne Lordan and she scored by three-quarters of a length from 13/8 favourite Moon Target.
Moon Target, a winner of her two previous outings, was soon on the back foot after a slightly slow start and was niggled along at stages by Luke Morris, but she was delivered to hold every chance a furlong out. She stuck to her task, but she harmed her chance by hanging and couldn't quite get on terms with Precise who found plenty against the far rail.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsLordan said: "She's a very professional filly. She ran over six [furlongs] the first day at Fairyhouse and learned plenty, and then she stepped up to seven and won quite well.
"She has pace and what you'd like is that she gets seven well. When I hit the front she pricked one ear, so she was hanging on to a little bit, which is always a nice sign."
Lordan added: "She's a filly with pace but we always thought seven would be a nice trip for her, and today she travelled good. I hit the line well enough that going up another furlong is an option as well."
Precise is 25/1 for the 1000 Guineas, the market for which is headed by stablemate Composing who won the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
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