Witness Stand sprang a 25/1 surprise in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes.
There was drama before the race when favourite Kinross was kicked by Audience behind the stalls and was subsequently withdrawn.
Then Quinault went to the front, tracked by the winner and Audience.
And those three were in the same positions two out before Hollie Doyle set sail for home aboard Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s charge.
He was soon clear and the race was over despite Lake Forest being the one closer from the rear.
His late gains carried him into second, albeit still two-and-three-quarter lengths adrift at the line. Audience, who raced down the centre of the track on his own, held on for third.
Noble Champion was pulled up by Kieran Shoemark around halfway.
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Doyle told ITV Racing: “That was a great training performance. It’s been a great effort to get him back on track and it’s been a team effort from everyone behind the scenes.
“He’s got some good handicap form and he’s a listed winner and on ratings he wasn’t far behind Audience, but he did have a lot to prove and he stood up where it mattered! It’s a shock to the system really.”
Winning joint-trainer Isole added: “I’m pretty emotional. I’ve been trying for a while to get involved in a winner like this – it's very special to win a race like the Lennox. Grandad was a jockey and a trainer, and my uncle Will Kennedy was a jockey, so it would have made them all very proud today.
“We bought him [Witness Stand] last year and it went under the radar – we immediately got higher offers for him. He broke the track record last time and the ease in the ground here definitely helped him.
Luckily I put him in the Prix de la Foret [at Longchamp] this morning so that’s looking a good move now!”
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