Double tonic for Cecil
All that was missing was the master trainer himself, who has been susceptible to other illness due to his ongoing treatment for cancer, but the Warren Place runners had been perfectly primed to cover themselves in glory.
Noble Mission continues to establish himself as a useful performer in his own right with a courageous victory over Encke in the bet365 Gordon Stakes.
He will forever be overshadowed by his exceptional sibling but an opportunity of a Classic challenge in the Ladbrokes St Leger remains in the pipeline.
Noble Mission may have to re-enact his compelling battle with Encke in the Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes on August 22 before being allowed a shot at Camelot at Doncaster, and the Godolphin runner emerged with great credit himself as he was only beaten by a nose.
The hooded Noble Mission (11-4) needed to be stoked up by jockey Tom Queally before he took aim at Encke but they were alongside each other for almost two furlongs and scarcely separated at the post.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: “I think Henry would want to take him to the Great Voltigeur at York just to test those (Leger) credentials but in principle I think that (the Leger) would be the idea.”
Jockey Mickael Barzalona was banned for four days (August 14-17) for using his whip above the permitted level.
John Gosden’s 6-4 favourite Michelangelo was third and the trainer said: “He got lost on the contours but will still go to the Leger.”
Chachamaidee had ’previous’ with the meeting after winning a Group Three fillies’ race last year and confirmed her liking for the Sussex Downs against her male counterparts in the bet365 Lennox Stakes.
Penalised for a slow start when denied by Joviality in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot, the 5-4 favourite walked out of the stalls again but was able to use her sparkling turn of foot register a length and a half defeat of Libranno.
“It’s nice to finally hit the bullseye with her,” said Queally. “They went a lovely gallop and it suited me from where I was.
“Fillies have a bad enough record in this race so it’s great.”
The bet365 Molecomb Stakes was another to go right down to the wire, with two-year-old bullet Bungle Inthejungle (14-1) stifling the 2-1 favourite Morawij.
