Thursday at Royal Ascot: Review and reports

Click each link for a full race report, SPs and free video replay

It was a day for some of Flat racing's biggest hitters at Royal Ascot, as Aidan O'Brien, Saeed bin Suroor and John Gosden all saddled winners.

O'Brien's Sioux Nation won the opening Norfolk Stakes, defying the perception that the far side of the track was the wrong place to be.

The 14/1 shot ran on real well to deny 13/2 joint-favourite Santry, who was half a length down at the line but clear of third-placed Cardsharp.

Northern horses filled the places with Santry trained by Declan Carroll, Cardsharp by Mark Johnston, and represenatives of Tom Dascombe and Richard Fahey next, but another big prize went to O'Brien's Coolmore operation.

It was a third winner of the meeting for Ryan Moore, who downplayed talk of a draw bias which had emerged earlier in the week.

"To be fair, the ground is probably even everywhere," he said.

"I wouldn't read too much into the track or the draw, it's just where the pace was on the first couple of days.

"The pace was the other side today and that's the difference."

A triumphant week for Godolphin continued when Benbatl (9/2) gave a boost to the Derby form by winning the Hampton Court.

Bin Suroor's horse was a first winner at Royal Ascot for Oisin Murphy, who made no secret of his delight crossing the line ahead of the well-backed Orderofthegarter (100/30 fav).

Benbatl got first run on that rival and ran on strongly for pressure to give Godolphin their fourth winner of the week and build on his fifth-placed finish at Epsom earlier in the month.

It had been a quiet week for Gosden by comparison, but he saddled a first winner when Coronet got up late to win the Ribblesdale.

Again a boost to Epsom form - she had been fifth in the Oaks, just as Benbatl had been fifth in the Derby - she stayed on best to deny favourite Mori in a race run at a breakneck tempo.

Although owned by Denford Stud, Coronet is by Dubawi, the Godolphin horse who also sired Benbatl in another boost for the boys in blue.

Gosden meanwhile was delighted with not only the winner, but third-placed Hertford Dancer.

He said: "That was great. There was a strong pace and it was a great test of a mile and a half.

"I thought Hertford Dancer had the race won. She'd been close enough to the pace, but she ran a great race and was ridden well.

"I told Olivier (Peslier, winning rider) his filly would come on strong late. I thought Mori was going to win and then Olivier came and grabbed her.

"It was a great run from Coronet. She ran in the Oaks and liked the uphill but not the downhill. It was a high-class race today."

Big Orange repelled the late thrust of defending champion Order Of St George to win the Gold Cup.

Trained by Michael Bell and ridden by James Doyle in the absence of the injured Frankie Dettori, the 5-1 shot was towards the head of affairs throughout and showed incredible heart to hold the fast-finishing 5-6 favourite right on the line.

Last year's St Leger hero Harbour Law kept on well for third.

Michael Bell and owner Bill Gredley were denied a notable double in the wake of Big Orange's Gold Cup victory as Ronald R could not catch 25/1 winner Bless Him in the Britannia Handicap.

Trained by David Simcock and ridden by Jamie Spencer, Bless Him was one a small group to race on the far side of the track, sitting on the heels of the early pacemakers in the rider's usual style.

Making his break for the front with a furlong or so to run, Bless Him picked up well but had to stick to his guns as Ronald R was making ground all the way inside the final half a furlong, but was still half a length down at the line.

Tricorn, who also raced on the far side was third, with fourth-placed Indian Dandy the first home from the main group on the stands rail.

Atty Persse chalked up another landmark for Frankel as he became the stallion's first Royal Ascot winner in the King George V Stakes.

The star racehorse turned super-sire was twice a winner at the Royal meeting himself and Atty Persse followed in his hoofprints under a smart ride from 3lb claimer Kieran Shoemark.

He was quick to break from stall 22 and managed to tack across to the rail, allowing Atty Persse to settle on the heels of Never Surrender.

Shoemark had the Roger Charlton-trained Atty Persse (7/1) perfectly positioned and gave the signal two furlongs out, with the colt smoothly assuming the lead before striding on to lead home a one-two for Godolphin with First Nation second.

Bear Valley was third with Drochaid fourth.