Royal Champion proved aptly named in giving jockey Jack Mitchell his first Royal Ascot winner, as he stayed on nicely to take the Listed Wolferton Stakes.

From an awkward draw in stall 12, Roger Varian’s charge had to come three wide throughout in the 10-furlong contest, but he was always travelling well.

Mitchell got to the front a little sooner than he may have wanted, yet he had plenty to spare aboard Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s five-year-old, who was giving the owner a notable 577-1 double on the day, following Triple Time’s 33-1 success in the opening Queen Anne Stakes.

Though Bolshoi Ballet showed plenty of determination, Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien were denied a treble, setting for the runner-up spot, while 3-1 favourite Buckaroo stayed on well to finish third.

Though Frankie Dettori loomed large on the inside on Saga approaching the three-furlong pole, there was to be no royal winner, as he failed to find a gap on the rail when they quickened up and the partnership finished fifth behind the 16-1 winner.

Varian said: “It’s nice to get one on the board the first day and great to have one for Sheikh Obaid, who is a big supporter.

“He’s a bit in and out this horse, but I always knew he had a big one in him. Good to soft ground is his ideal conditions, any quicker or much softer and he doesn’t seem to want to know. I’m delighted for Jack, he’s a huge part of our team.”

Mitchell said: “That’s my first Royal Ascot winner and I seem to have been coming here a long time!

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t thank Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Roger Varian enough for keeping me on this horse. He’s delivered and given me a great day.”

Katie Boulter’s winning run ended with defeat by China’s Zhu Lin in the first round of the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham.

Boulter celebrated the best achievement of her career in Nottingham on Sunday when she won her first WTA Tour title to reach a new highest ranking of 77.

It cemented her position as British number one in the absence of the injured Emma Raducanu, but Boulter was unable to back it up at Egbaston Priory, where she made the quarter-finals last year.

Boulter certainly had her chances against Zhu, ranked 39, but she was unable to convert enough of them in a 7-5 7-5 defeat.

Boulter began well, opening up a 3-1 lead, but Zhu responded strongly and took her second set point in the 12th game.

The second set was a rollercoaster featuring seven breaks of serve and 17 break points.

Boulter was only able to take three of her 10 opportunities, though, and – after saving two match points at 4-5 – she sent a backhand long on the third, two games later.

Play did not get under way until 1.30pm because of rain, with second seed Jelena Ostapenko battling to a three-set win over Czech teenager Linda Noskova in the opening match.

Carlos Alcaraz insisted he can challenge on the grass this summer despite needing a third-set tie-break to beat French journeyman Arthur Rinderknech at the cinch Championships.

The 20-year-old top seed and world number two was playing only his seventh match on the surface – and his first outside of Wimbledon – at Queen’s Club.

Lucky loser Rinderknech only found out he was playing the Spaniard shortly before midday after fellow Frenchman Arthur Fils, Alcaraz’s scheduled opponent, withdrew from the tournament.

But the 27-year-old almost knocked the headline act out, taking the first set and giving Alcaraz an uncomfortable afternoon before going down 4-6 7-5 7-6 (3) in just over two-and-a-half hours.

Alcaraz, the US Open champion who was playing his first match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Roland Garros, said: “It has been a really tough match, he has played four or five matches on the grass and this was my first one.

“It was really difficult to adapt my game to the grass. For me it’s tough to play here, but Queen’s is a tournament I really wanted to play.

“I’ve never played a tournament except Wimbledon on grass and I wanted to play here. I watched this tournament on TV and I always thought it’s a really beautiful place to be. The crowd was amazing and the court is unbelievable.

“I couldn’t play tennis on grass at home but I practised the movement on grass. I practised here a little bit before the tournament and I felt really good, even though it was the first match.

“I would say I’m going to be better in the next round.”

Britain’s Liam Broady was denied a notable win after world number 46 Adrian Mannarino came from a set down to win in three.

Broady, ranked 97 places behind the Frenchman at 143, raced away with the first set but was pegged back in a 1-6 6-4 6-3 defeat.

Fellow Brit Ryan Peniston – who beat Ugo Humbert on Monday – will face second seed Holger Rune in round two after the Danish youngster won 7-6 (4) 7-6 (3) against Maxime Cressy for his first career victory on grass.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Rune, who lost to Peniston at Eastbourne last year.

“It’s always a challenge to play a home player. Hopefully the support will be good for both players.”

Nicky Henderson and William Buick teamed up to win the Ascot Stakes with talented dual-purpose mare Ahorsewithnoname.

Runner-up at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, the eight-year-old successfully reverted to the Flat to win at Newbury and York last season before finishing fifth as favourite for the Cesarewitch.

She disappointed in her next couple of races over hurdles, but bounced back to winning ways at Cheltenham in April and was a 7-1 shot switching back to the level at Royal Ascot.

Always travelling well in midfield, Ahorsewithnoname got a dream run up the far rail in the latter stages of the two-and-a-half-mile contest and picked up under strong driving from the champion jockey to score by a length and three-quarters from Calling The Wind.

Bring On The Night, all the rage to go one better than when second in last year’s renewal at 13-8 for Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore, suffered interference and was ultimately well beaten.

Henderson, better known as one of the sport’s leading National Hunt trainers, was winning his second Ascot Stakes having previously struck gold with Veiled in 2011.

“It’s lovely, that’s her last run. I don’t know when her time runs out, she’s in foal to Cracksman and that was always the plan. We had 90 days to run her and it seems to have done her a bit of good!” said the master of Seven Barrows.

“I couldn’t run her on the ground last year, but that rain helped. The first year she was going to go on to hurdling and I didn’t want to risk her whereas now this was going to be her last race anyway. We had nothing to lose.

“This is her last race unless the Galway Hurdle comes into her 90 days, which it doesn’t.”

He added: “There was less pressure today, and I don’t just say that because it’s a Flat race – after all it’s Royal Ascot for goodness sake and a big day in anyone’s life. But it’s not the Champion Hurdle with the pressure you get in that.

“Any race at Cheltenham is very special and any race at Royal Ascot is the same. We love having a go here.

“William gave her a beautiful ride, she had a dream run and the rain last night helped her.”

Motherwell could be set to lose Kevin van Veen with the striker reportedly due to have a medical with Groningen.

The Dutch club previously admitted their interest in the 32-year-old forward, who netted 29 goals for the Steelmen last season.

The potential transfer could bring in £500,000 for the Lanarkshire club.

Motherwell announced the signing of forward Jon Obika on Monday following his loan spell in the second half of last season.

The 32-year-old former St Mirren and Morecambe striker scored once in 10 appearances.

“Having been here last season, I was really eager to come back again this season,” Obika told Motherwell’s website.

“I thrive when I work in a professional environment and feel that’s when I can get the best out of me. This club has high standards in abundance and I’m fully committed for the campaign ahead.

“There is a real feel-good factor at the club and I’m looking forward to trying to create a successful season together.”

Mawj has been ruled out of Friday’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot due to a setback.

The 1000 Guineas winner was set for a thrilling rematch with Tahiyra, who finished half a length behind her at Newmarket and subsequently went on to win the Irish Guineas at the Curragh.

Just a half-length separated the pair and they were due to cross swords again in the mile Group One, but trainer Saeed bin Suroor has announced the daughter of Exceed And Excel will miss her intended engagement.

He told www.godolphin.com: “Mawj appeared quiet after exercising this morning and produced a dirty scope. She is coughing at moment, so won’t be able to run in the Coronation Stakes.

“It’s disappointing to miss Royal Ascot, but we will give her time to recover and we can hopefully look forward to the rest of the season.”

Kalvin Phillips insists he wants to stay at Manchester City as he aims to become the latest player to find his feet after a tricky first season at the Eithad Stadium.

The England international moved across the Pennines from Leeds last summer but has seen his game time restricted by a combination of injury and selection decision.

Phillips, 27, started just two Premier League games as City swept aside all opposition to win a historic treble.

He ended the season by scoring his first England goal in Monday’s 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Old Trafford and goes into the summer with no plans to leave City.

“To be honest I was injured before I even went to City, so that is one of the main reasons why I was injured so much,” he said.

“City have been amazing to help me get back to full fitness and I eventually played a few more games for City and England, so credit to the medical staff at City for helping me.

“My intention is to stay there. We have just won the treble, so there is no reason for me to leave, other than if I am not playing I will obviously have to think about it.

“I cannot give it 12 months and say, ‘I am not playing so I am going to leave’. I came to Manchester City to win trophies and we won the trophies, but I didn’t play as much as I wanted to do.

“With England I played a little bit, but was ruled out through injuries as well. It is just nice to be back fit. I have nothing to worry about now. Everything is fine with my body. I will continue to work hard next season and hopefully do well when I go back to City.”

Phillips revealed he spoken to the likes of Nathan Ake and England colleague Jack Grealish, the pair having also needed time to settle in to the way Pep Guardiola asks his City side to play.

Asked if he was telling himself he is not the only new arrival to need time, the midfielder replied: “I’d like to think so, to be honest. I just know how difficult it is to understand the way Pep wants to play and how quickly you need to adapt to play in his system.

“I am on the brink of almost getting it. Obviously there is a little bit of work in pre-season and hopefully be all right.

“As you have seen with many players at City, it can take quite a while to cement yourself into the team. Hopefully I will enjoy my off-season and then work hard when I get back.”

“I spoke to quite a few of the players about it. Nathan Ake being one, Jack, they all said the same, they all said the first 12 months were the hardest of their City careers but after that, it doesn’t become easy, but easier.

“I’m just going to go away for the off-season and enjoy myself with my family and girlfriend and friends and then come back fighting.

“I will definitely speak to Pep. I don’t know whether it will be in the summer because everyone enjoys their downtime and everyone wants their space away from football, so I’ll probably leave it until I go back for pre-season but I’ll just speak to him and have a good conversation.”

Yaya Toure has revealed he is leaving his role at Tottenham’s Academy to take up the position of assistant coach at Standard Liege.

The former Manchester City midfielder coached the Spurs Under-16s side last season.

He previously held positions at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russian team Akhmat Grozny, having left City in 2018 and ended his playing career after spells in Greece and China.

Toure, 40, wrote on Twitter: “I am delighted to share that I will be taking on the role of assistant coach at Standard de Liege.

“It’s an honour to join the club and I am looking forward to working with head coach Carl Hoefkens.

“I would like to thank everyone at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy for their support in the 18 months I spent with the club.

“A special mention to Dean Rastrick, Chris Powell and all the young players. Thank you.”

Spurs meanwhile have confirmed the appointment of Simon Davies as Academy director.

Davies, the captain of Manchester United’s famous youth team of 1992, joined the Academy as head of methodology last year.

He has considerable experience of Academy football having spent eight years at Manchester City. He also worked as assistant to Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht before moving to Tottenham last year.

The first Ashes Test was balanced on a knife-edge heading into the final session at Edgbaston, with England needing five more wickets and Australia 98 runs short of the winning line.

Australia – chasing 281 – reached the tea break at 183 for five, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja not out for an obdurate 56 and Cameron Green in support on 22no.

The start of play was delayed for more than three hours by rain but there was plenty of time for both teams to push for victory when things did get under way at 2.15pm.

Stuart Broad removed nightwatchman Scott Boland to raise the volume in the sold out stands and Moeen Ali defied a painful open blister to conjure the wicket of Travis Head for 16.

The wind was with the hosts at that stage, but they could not find a way to disrupt Khawaja’s concentration as he led Green in an unbroken stand worth 40.

Australia began in deliberately pedestrian fashion, more intent on soaking up balls than applying any pressure of their own.

Their caution kept England at bay for half-an-hour, but while Khawaja looked secure there was always a limit on how long his partner would linger. Boland gave an expectant crowd the release it was looking for when he drove at an inswinger from Broad and sent a thick edge through to Jonny Bairstow.

Broad raced away as the stands erupted, once again revelling in his role as the Barmy Army’s ringmaster.

Australia’s most free-flowing batter, Head, was next up but he was unable to raise the tempo as he took 13 balls to get off the mark. After an hour’s play there had been just 21 runs, Australia making only the slightest dent in their target.

Ben Stokes tossed the ball to Moeen in an attempt to mix things up and the plan paid off almost immediately. Moeen’s first three deliveries cost 10, with two drag downs and a thick edge, but the fourth was a charm. Dipping and turning away from the left-handed Head, it flicked the bat and rested safely with Joe Root at slip.

Moeen’s ongoing discomfort was obvious but he allowed himself a broad smile as Head trudged towards the pavilion.

England were briefly right on top but the trail quickly went cold. Green got off the mark with an edge for four, Khawaja punished a loopy full toss from Moeen and an air of calm settled over the Australian pair.

By the time the interval arrived the home side were happiest to regroup, knowing something needed to change to halt the Australian push.

Aidan O’Brien became the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history after Paddington ran out a brilliant winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The Ballydoyle handler joined Sir Michael Stoute when River Tiber provided him with an 82nd success courtesy of the Coventry Stakes earlier in the afternoon.

The St James’s Palace was one of the most anticipated races of the week, with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean and Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Paddington locking horns – and it was the latter who comprehensively came out on top in the hands of Ryan Moore, to put O’Brien out on his own.

Andrew Balding’s Chaldean – the narrow favourite at 13-8 – attempted to make every yard of the running under Frankie Dettori but he was unable to resist the surge of 11-5 chance Paddington in the home straight, with the Siyouni colt pulling three-and-three-quarter lengths clear at the line.

Chaldean clung on to the runner-up spot from the staying-on Charyn, with French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby best of the rest in fourth.

Hollie Doyle gave Bradsell a brilliant ride to land a dramatic running of the King’s Stand Stakes, as the Archie Watson-trained colt earned a second Royal Ascot win in as many years.

Bradsell landed the six-furlong Coventry Stakes last term, yet had shown plenty of speed in his recent work and his trainer was able to persuade connections to supplement him for the five-furlong dash.

Doyle, gaining her fourth Royal Ascot success, was positive from the stalls aboard the three-year-old and had Highfield Princess for company throughout, in a race few ever really got into.

But it was not all plain sailing for Doyle and Watson, who had to survive a stewards’ inquiry as Bradsell – sent off a 14-1 chance – drifted left in the final furlong and intimidated 7-4 favourite Highfield Princess and jockey Jason Hart.

After an agonising deliberation by the stewards, it was a sweet success for Watson, who had to endure Dragon Symbol losing the 2021 Commonwealth Cup after an inquiry.

Doyle’s mount had three-quarters of a length to spare at the line, with 50-1 shot Annaf running a huge race to be third for Mick Appleby.

England’s Rachel Daly says happiness has been a key factor in her form as she prepares for this summer’s World Cup on the back of a superb 2022-23 season.

Following a move from the Houston Dash to Aston Villa last summer shortly after helping England win the Euros, Daly went on to score 30 goals in all competitions for her new club.

That included a haul of 22 in the Women’s Super League which gave her the Golden Boot as Villa achieved a fifth-placed finish, while she also netted five times for her country across the season.

The 31-year-old said: “I’ve had a pretty good year, it’s been a good year for me.

“I think I can put it down to my happiness, the way Carla (Ward, the Villa boss) has given me freedom at the club to play my own sort of game, the team around me has been brilliant and Sarina (Wiegman, the England manager) again at international level. I’d say it’s probably the best season I’ve had in my career.”

Daly joined Villa having spent a decade playing for teams in the United States, apart from a loan spell in the WSL with West Ham in 2020-21.

She added: “A lot has changed for me personally since the last tournament.

“Moving home – I’ve been away for 10 years, so I think mentally I’m in a way better place. I needed to be home and playing in this league was something I wanted to do and revisit again.

“A different position for me in terms of internationally to club level. A lot has changed for me, but I think you can all tell that I’m playing with a smile on my face and enjoying my football, so long may that continue.”

Daly, Wiegman’s starting left-back throughout the triumphant Euros campaign but recently used in attack by the Dutchwoman, was listed as a forward when England’s 23-player squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which gets under way on July 20, was announced last month.

Regarding positions, Daly said: “That’s Sarina’s decision, and I’ll respect whatever she chooses and I’m ready to play wherever I’m needed.”

Daly said there was a “complete healthy competition” between her and fellow England strikers Alessia Russo and Bethany England, adding: “There’s no ‘I’m the best’, we’re all great friends. The competition is we’re pushing each other and we’ll continue to push each other.”

Asked if she felt the England number nine position was up for grabs, Daly said: “I think every position is. Nothing’s set until July 22 (when England play their opening group game against Haiti in Brisbane).

“But I don’t think anyone is really focusing on that, it’s just, ‘How can we push each other to be the best?’ And whatever Sarina chooses is what she chooses and we all support it.”

Daly was speaking at St George’s Park after England trained in front of the media for the first time in their pre-World Cup camp, which got started on Monday, three weeks after the conclusion of the WSL season.

Daly said: “For me, it’s perfect and I think the girls agreed on that. We’ve had enough time to have a rest and a holiday and completely switch off mentally and physically. I feel like we’re in a great spot.”

Defender Millie Bright, skipper for the World Cup in the absence of ruled-out ACL injury victim Leah Williamson, trained separately from the group on Tuesday, working on an individual programme, as did midfielder Jordan Nobbs.

The Lionesses face Portugal in a warm-up match at Milton Keynes on July 1 before flying to Australia four days later.