Wait pays off for Aidan O'Brien

The Coolmore team had suffered a host of near-misses earlier in the week – with Age Of Aquarius' late mugging by Rite Of Passage in the Gold Cup on Thursday a prime example.

But Lillie Langtry resumed normal service and provided O'Brien with his 29th Royal Ascot winner as she forged clear under Johnny Murtagh as the 7-2 favourite. The Ballydoyle team then further proved their wellbeing when Mikhail Glinka just pipped Theology in the Queen's Vase.

The English and Irish 1,000 Guineas have served up mixed messages in terms of form, but with only Special Duty of the key contenders absent Lillie Langtry proved herself superior.

Gile Na Greine had finished a close third in the English Classic and flopped in the Irish equivalent, but almost caused a mighty upset with Jim Bolger's 25-1 outsider kicking for home over two furlongs out. Murtagh did not hit the panic button in behind, though, and angled his filly out to challenge at the two pole. She responded and soon drew upsides before going away to assert by a length and a quarter to become just O'Brien's second winner of the race after Sophisticat eight years earlier.

O'Brien said: "It is a relief as everyone puts a lot of work in and it is a privilege to be part of the team. The horses have been slow to come to hand, so it is great it has happened today."

Murtagh added: "You can get carried away at Ballydoyle riding Group 1 winner after Group 1 winner so it has been a bit testing, but you can't be feeling sorry for yourself. A friend said he thought the Gold Cup was a great race, but I didn't think so passing the winning post. I have had a few seconds and you need a bit of luck – I have got it today."

Jacqueline Quest was heart-breakingly demoted from first place in favour of Special Duty in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. A 66-1 chance that day, she proved the run no flash in the pan as she finished a little over two lengths adrift in third.

This has already been a more than acceptable Royal Ascot for Sheikh Mohammed and Frankie Dettori and the pair can start to expect even greater things from King Edward VII Stakes winner Monterosso.

It provided great satisfaction for proud Scottish trainer Mark Johnston to have eked out five wins for Monterosso (7-2) in his last six starts, and Dettori can relish a possible ride in the Irish Derby after demolishing a field including At First Sight, the runner-up to Workforce at Epsom. Johnston, who has been wearing his trademark Royal Ascot tartan trews this week, said: "Frankie said 'I love him' when he got off at Newmarket last time.

"He has the speed for a mile but the aptitude for a mile and a half. It's one step at a time. I did hear Frankie mention the Irish Derby to Sheikh Mohammed."

Trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Richard Hughes, continuing their own excellent runs, were on hand through Memory (15-2) in the Albany Stakes.

Rainbow Peak was backed as if defeat was impossible in the Wolferton Handicap and the 13-8 favourite proved a class apart under an ecstatic Neil Callan.