Dominic Ffrench Davis would love a crack at the Chester Cup with Prince Alex having seen him make a winning return to action in the Compton Beauchamp Estates Ltd Silver Bar Handicap at Newbury.

With last year’s Chester hero Metier and another leading fancy in Spartan Army behind him, Ffrench Davis has every right to be thinking that way, if the seven-year-old makes the cut.

He has been well travelled in the Amo Racing colours, being with Ralph Beckett initially before moving to Michael Bell, then Johnny Murtagh and Tom Dascombe and then Lambourn.

Yet despite his advancing years, the 10-1 chance – fourth in this race 12 months ago – looked a rejuvenated character in fending off Robert Johnson by a length and three-quarters.

“It was a super performance and he’s been moving very well at home,” said French Davis.

“He wintered with us, he’s a seven-year-old now and I think he probably had a few aches and pains. We gave him a good break over the winter and he’s come back a better horse and is moving beautifully. He used to hang a bit and he doesn’t hang at all now.

“I think he’s feeling well in himself now and has slipped to a rating that he’s always been a bit better than. This was a bit of a warm up for the Chester Cup and it was also to see if he stayed the two miles.

“I didn’t have him last year and I had a horse in this race finish second and I was watching this one thinking ‘oooh he’s cantering’ and he didn’t finish off his race. But he was probably feeling a few aches and pains and when we got him in Lambourn at the end of last season he ran two very solid races.

“I thought starting off I best give him another go at two miles and both times we ran him he looked like he wanted it. We decided to aim at these staying races and he’s in a great frame of mind. He’s improved no end in the last couple of weeks and he’s not quite there in his coat so he is going to improve again.

“Let’s hope there is a little bit of soft at Chester and we can have a crack. It’s a great prize and he switches off lovely. If the ground is suitable, let’s have a go.”

Unfortunately the news for Ffrench Davis’ 1000 Guineas hope Persian Dreamer is not so positive and she is now unlikely to make the fillies’ Classic.

“She’s had a little minor setback in pre-training and we’re giving her time to get over that and we’re not sure when we will have her back in full training,” he said.

“I think it is likely she will miss the Guineas and she’s in Ireland just trying to get over her setback.

“It’s disappointing and we might not get our ground anyway in the Guineas, she is a filly who loves to get her toe in and she might not get the ground at Newmarket to run her there.”

Mr Professor was too clever for the rest with a power-packed display in the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster.

Sent off at 33-1, the Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained five-year-old was drawn in stall two but ended up more towards the middle after David Egan – celebrating a big winner so soon after becoming number one rider for owners Amo Racing – asked his mount to quicken a furlong and a half from home.

Lattam was a length and a half back in second, with Navagio two lengths further away in third, but there was never any danger to the winner once he had flown.

Fozzy Stack’s Chazzesmee was the well-backed 5-2 favourite, chasing an unprecedented double after winning the Irish equivalent last weekend, but while he moved with some menace, he could never quite get into it, eventually just being edged out for fourth by Alpha Crucis.

But there was huge disappointment for David Menuisier, with last year’s winner Migration planting himself in the stalls as the gates opened.

Frankie Dettori kicked off British Champions Day with a bang by steering Trawlerman to a thrilling victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

On the day billed as his final day riding in Europe before heading overseas, the Italian rolled back the years to not only dazzle at Ascot once more, but also register yet another big-race victory in the royal blue silks of Godolphin.

The 52-year-old was eager throughout to not let the outsider Maxident have too much rope on the front end and was the only one to chase Dominic Ffrench Davis’ charge aboard the 9-1 chance, as Owen Lewis pushed the tempo heading downhill.

Having pursued Maxident and hit the front four furlongs from home, Trawlerman was passed by Aidan O’Brien’s staying star Kyprios rounding the home bend with Ryan Moore soon searching for the winning post.

However, Dettori switched his mount and asked for extra and he bravely battled back to haul in Kyprios and prevail by a neck.

It was a third straight victory for John and Thady Gosden’s stayer, who was third in this race 12 months ago, and for Dettori it was the perfect start to his goodbye to British racing.

Dettori said: “I heard the roar of the crowd – oh my god it was special – especially when I was cutting him back, I couldn’t believe it.

“I’ve beaten one of my greatest rivals who I have tremendous respect for in Ryan Moore, on my final day. Sensational.

“He passed me comfortably and I thought he was going to go and win by 20 lengths, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought I maybe had a little bit left. In fairness to the horse he kept going.”

Amo Racing’s Persian Dreamer will have Group One aspirations when she returns in the autumn following her game success in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last week.

Trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis, the two-year-old highlighted her potential when storming to success over five furlongs on debut, but failed to add to her tally in both the Marygate Stakes at York and the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, she looked much more at home when upped to six furlongs at the Royal meeting and built on that fourth-placed effort to thrive on the July Course, benefitting from rain-eased ground to strike at Group Two level.

Having got not only herself, but also her handler off the mark in Group company, connections are now eyeing top-table competition later in the year.

“It was a fabulous day for all concerned,” said Ffrench Davis.

“She’s great and we’re very happy with her and we’re now looking forward to having a crack at a Group One with her.

“It may be a little later on and she has come out of her race very well. She appreciates a bit of cut in the ground and when she does get it, her returns from her races are much better.”

Persian Dreamer is as short as 16-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas but she is likely to leave trying a mile until her three-year-old campaign with Ffrench Davis highlighting Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes – back on the Rowley Mile where she excelled on debut – as a potential end-of-season target.

He added: “I’m not ruling out staying at six furlongs and she’s got plenty of speed and I think six or seven for now will be the plan and we will leave going a mile to next year.

“However, you can’t make snap decisions and you have to let the horse tell you what to do and we will be guided by her.

“Obviously she has a liking for Newmarket, so you would like to think the Cheveley Park might be the end of season target. But she also has an entry in the Moyglare at the Curragh and the world is her oyster really. It might just be a case of choosing somewhere where the ground is right.”

However, one place Persian Dreamer will not be seen is Santa Anita, with the handler keen to rule out a trip to the Breeders’ Cup.

“I don’t think she would be the right sort of filly to take to America,” continued Ffrench Davis.

“Kia (Joorabchian) is keen on America and if we had the right article he would be very keen to go. But I think she is unlikely to get her ground out there at that time of year. It wouldn’t be her cup of tea.”