Esquire produced a professional performance to prevail in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury for David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope.

However, connections of 2000 Guineas hotpot City Of Troy will not be losing any sleep over this result, as the gelding is not qualified to run in the Classics.

Tudhope sent the 16-1 winner on two furlongs from home and he quickly established a nice lead.

El Bodon, Zoum Zoum, Son and Alaskan Gold all tried hard to cut back the deficit but ultimately had to settle for a bunched finish for the minor placings.

Tudhope simply had to keep Esquire going along at the same pace up the rail to finish a length and a quarter clear of the chasing pack.

Benoit de la Sayette’s loss was Danny Tudhope’s gain as Prydwen ran out an easy winner of the BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap.

With former champion apprentice De La Sayette stuck in traffic on his way north, George Scott turned to Tudhope for the six-year-old and few ride Gosforth Park better than the Scotsman.

Sent off a 10-1 chance, Tudhope settled just on the quarters of the pace-making Palace Boy, before he made his move shortly after turning into the straight.

Tudhope headed to the rail and soon accounted for Palace Boy and while the hat-trick seeking Spartan Army and Vaguely Royal looked in prime position to attack, they could not get near the winner.

The race was over a furlong out as long as Prydwen saw out the trip and he ran right through the line. Duke Of Oxford made late gains to claim second, beaten three and a half lengths, with Spartan Army in third.

Tudhope said: “He gave me a lovely ride, I had a nice position early, he was happy where he was and he controlled the pace.

“I was always confident, I was always going well. I don’t know much about his form, it was a late call-up. George said the track might not play to his strengths, but he travelled sweetly and did it the hard way.”

Military Order denied Lord North a second win in the BetUK Winter Derby Stakes at its new home of Southwell.

Now eight, Lord North was having his third run in the race having also been second in 2022 and it has worked well in teeing him up for the Dubai Turf on World Cup night, which he has won for the last three years.

This time he was having his first run since bagging a hat-trick in that Group One and his lack of race sharpness, and the extra distance now the race takes place over 11 furlongs at Southwell, seemingly caught him out.

Military Order had the benefit of a recent run when second in the trial for this race but this was a definite return to his best form.

Having won the Lingfield Derby Trial last spring, he was sent off a 9-2 chance for the Derby but finished last of the 14 runners and fared little better on his next outing at Chester.

Danny Tudhope always looked confident on Charlie Appleby’s charge, though, and having taken up the running from Forest Of Dean, he was able to able to hold off Lord North’s late run by a length.

Tudhope told Sky Sports Racing: “He travelled great into the race and probably got there too easy. He might have just let me down but today we had a nice pace to aim at.

“He’s a proper horse this fellow and he’s always been highly thought of. That was nice.

“He’s probably a little bit cute and I said to Charlie I’d ride him a bit quieter today. He’d obviously improved for his run as well.

“An extra furlong would be no problem, he’s a lovely, big horse.”

John Gosden, who trains Lord North in partnership with his son Thady, said: “They did a wonderful job with him at Wood Ditton Stud (when injured), a lady called Geraldine looked after him.

“He’s come here at 80 per cent and he’s running over a a lot further than he wants – a mile and three is not his game – but I’m absolutely delighted with him. He’s run a lovely race, enjoyed his day out, he’s having a blow and it will set him up lovely for Dubai.

“It was super run, Rab (Havlin) looked after him well, the winner had had a race and outstayed him. I’d have loved it to have been over a mile and a quarter.”

Diligent Harry showed all of his speed to blaze to victory in the BetUK Hever Sprint Stakes.

Carrying a 3lb penalty following a Listed win last time out, the Clive Cox-trained runner started the 9-4 second favourite under John Fahy and he galloped home for a length victory.

“The way he got into a nice, even rhythm I was always in control, really,” Fahy said.

“I got my hands on his neck and found a good rhythm, he picked up nice and he was just idling a bit in front but he’d enough done.

“He’s not the easiest but that being said, his training is going a lot better this year than it had last year.

“I think he might finally be showing us the horse we’ve seen all along at home.

“Sometimes he hits the lids very sharp and you’re fighting a losing battle trying to hang on to him but a fast pace, where you can get your hands on his neck and find a rhythm, probably suits him.”

Flight Plan provided Danny Tudhope with another winner on Irish Champions Festival weekend when making all the running in the Dullingham Park Stakes.

Tudhope had won what used to be run as the Boomerang Stakes in 2017 on David O’Meara’s Suedois and prior to that in 2015 on Custom Cut. This time he teamed up with Karl Burke.

Flight Plan (15-2) ran in the Guineas earlier in the season and had been set some stiff tasks, but he dominated throughout in the Group Two and had the race won over a furlong out, easily keeping 2-1 favourite Buckaroo at bay by a length and a quarter.

Tudhope said: “We have finally found the way to ride him.

“We have always loved this horse and it has just taken us a bit of time to figure him out, that’s the way to do it on him.

“I was surprised at that actually (getting a relatively easy lead), I had to get a good start as he didn’t break very well the last day in York. That was my main aim today, just get out and get on with it.

“He’s got a beautiful action on him and he strides out, and he’s a lovely horse with a big engine.”

Adelaide River enjoyed his day in the sun, as Ryan Moore shone from the front in the Paddy Power Stakes.

Second in the Irish Derby to stablemate Auguste Rodin and in the Grand Prix de Paris to Feed The Flame, he was the 11-8 favourite for the Group Three event.

As proved the case all day, being in the front rank was the place to be and Moore dictated it to a nicety.

In contrast, Jim Crowley had to come from the back on Al Aasy and while he made relentless ground in the final furlong, he went down by half a length.

“I’m delighted. Ryan said if he had a choice of 10 or 14 (furlongs) he’d definitely go 10 on him because he relaxes but he does quicken,” said winning trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“He’s a lovely big horse and we’ve always viewed him as a ‘next-year horse’.

“We always thought he was kind of like Duke Of Marmalade, as he’s after competing in big ones and getting very close in them but he’s such a big horse that he’s definitely going to have to be a way better horse next year.”

Or whether he could be a horse for Australia’ he added: “It might be a bit soon for him this year, he could go next year. He’s a big horse and if we had the choice we’d probably wait until next year.

“He’s after having a few tough races in second so it was nice for him to come here, and Ryan was able to dictate his own pace on him.

“He said he did quicken very well but just got a bit lonely in the last half a furlong. He was very happy.”

Kitty Rose (3-1) emerged as a possible contender for next year’s 1000 Guineas with a striking performance in the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes for Natalia Lupini.

Billy Lee’s mount took over early in the straight and won by two and a half lengths from the favourite Content.

“We always thought we had a nice filly on our hands. Obviously, first time out you hope everything goes well, we were hoping for a nice run but she won impressively at Naas,” said Lupini.

“Today she was very impressive again, when she picks up she just keeps galloping and she’s very honest.

“The lads are looking at the Guineas with her, next year she’ll be a stronger filly. She won’t have any problems over a mile as well.