Rhythm gives rivals the blues
The 4-7 favourite produced a scintillating performance under champion jockey Kieren Fallon to emulate One In A Million in beating market rival Soviet Song by a cosy length and a half, with Mail The Desert a further three lengths back in third.
The result was a huge relief for connections of the Kingmambo filly.
"It's a relief to have got the day over because the record of the Guineas winners isn't very good," said trainer Michael Stoute.
"You have to be a Group One performer to win Group One races and she certainly performed like that today."
Stoute admitted he had not expected Russian Rhythm to act as well as she did in the fillies' Classic, but she had improved since.
"She rather surprised us when she won at Newmarket, but she has been training well since then," he said.
"The second filly is a very good filly and she put up a very good performance today.
"She came there very smoothly and it was a top-class performance.
"I can't see any reason to go further with her, at least at the moment. She is in the Sussex Stakes (at Goodwood on July 30) and that is the obvious race to look at for her."
This was Fallon's second Group One success in consecutive days and, again, he was relieved with the outcome.
"There is something about this race which scares you," he admitted. "It might be there's not enough pace or maybe the other jockeys do things to try and get you beat. Thank God it's over.
"When I kicked I didn't think anything could get by me. If Oscar (Urbina, rider of Soviet Song) had got close I would have found another gear."
Meanwhile, In Time's Eye landed a monumental gamble to give Ireland its first success of the week .
It may have taken 22 races to remove the monkey but the wait for the Wolferton Stakes was worth it as Pat Smullen secured a narrow victory on the 5-1 chance.
In Time's Eye had been as big as 16-1 in the morning with both Paddy Power and William Hill. Powers' declared the plunge on In Time's Eye "would have been one of the bigger Flat handicap gambles of the year," Charles Lee, the firm's trading manager, said.
Weld reflected: "That 16-1 was a little generous. He had the form in Group One company and when people digested that I think they realised. People know we just don't come here for the sunshine.
"He's a top of the ground horse and he's been waiting for this ground, so I knew he had to have a good chance."
Aidan O'Brien, for whom this week has been something approaching a nightmare, lobbed in the towel.
He withdrew yesterday's two entries, Alberto Giacometti and Arundel, citing the ground, which by the third race was offically firm as posing too big a risk for two sons of Saddler's Wells.
Alberto Giacometti will be rerouted to France for tomorrow's Grand Prix de Paris. Those that might have made the trip to Ascot today are staying in Ballydoyle.
Marcus Tregoning predicted a bright future for progressive colt High Accolade after he had seen the 5-2 favourite come with a powerful run to lift the King Edward VII Stakes .
The trainer admitted to taking great satisfaction at seeing his charge win in impressive style to take the Group Two prize.
And a tilt at the St Leger at Doncaster on September 13 could be on the cards for High Accolade after this two-length defeat of the previously unbeaten Delsarte.
Champion jockey Kieren Fallon will not remember the opening Albany Stakes race fondly as he collected a one-day ban for careless riding on the unplaced Lucayan Beauty.
Fallon will have to ask the Jockey Club to defer the date of the ban if he wishes to ride in the Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 29, where he could be on Vodafone Derby hero Kris Kin.
The opener was won by the Steve Drowne ridden Silca's Gift.
