Jimi Hendrix hit the right note at Royal Ascot to lead home a memorable one-two in the Royal Hunt Cup for trainer Ralph Beckett and owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds.

A maximum field of 30 went to post for what was as always a fiercely-competitive handicap and at the business end it was the Beckett duo on opposite sides of the track that had the contest at their mercy.

Eventual 25-1 runner-up Sonny Liston was travelling menacingly on the stands side in the hands of Ryan Moore and burst clear of his group to mount his challenge inside the final furlong, but he was unable to land a knockout blow as Rossa Ryan notched his second Royal Ascot winner when leading home those on the far side on the 22-1 scorer.

Beckett said: “What a performance. I actually gave Ryan the choice of the two. It’s great to get Sonny Liston back, he has to be ridden like that, we think.

“I always thought the winner had a day like this in him. He won the Spring Cup nicely enough, but ran poorly on the Rowley Mile last time out. I think we’ll avoid the Rowley Mile for now. I thought he’d win the Cambridgeshire last year, but that doesn’t matter now because he’s won today.

“You couldn’t make it up the same synidcate own the first two, they are very happy.

“It’s been a tough week up to now, it hasn’t been going great but to win a Hunt Cup takes a bit of doing, to finish first and second is very satisfying, and it’s great for Rossa, he gave him a peach.”

Saeed bin Suroor intends to run both Shining Blue and Ghaly in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot on June 21.

The Godolphin trainer won the annual cavalry charge with the high-class Real World two years ago, and his two entries are both towards the head of the betting this time around.

Shining Blue bolted up off a mark of 103 at York last month, while the lightly-raced seven-year-old Ghaly has not been seen since beating King Of Conquest at Newmarket in October.

“Shining Blue won well last time and he’s come back good, he’s in good form. Ghaly worked a few days ago and he worked well, but he still has a few more bits to do. Both are in good form and we’re looking forward to running them,” said the Newmarket-based handler.

“Shining Blue is back in good condition, in good form. He’s happy and healthy so he should run well.

“We’ll see how he gets on at Ascot before we make any more plans, but maybe we can start looking at Listed races for him.”

He went on: “Ghaly has had some problems, he had a setback earlier in the year so we’ve given him time.

“He’s been back in full training for some time and it has been going good, two more pieces of work and he’ll be ready to run.

“He’s not had many races for a seven-year-old and he’s not very big but he always tries.

“I think this race should suit the both of them, this is the right trip for them and they go on any ground.”