Clive Cox’s Fearnot showed his love for Ascot once again when winning the Betfred Handicap under David Probert.
The Invincible Spirit three-year-old was third when beaten only half a length over the same course and distance at the Royal meeting, prior to which he was wide-margin handicap winner at the track in May.
He returned a 10-1 chance tackling the straight mile for a third time and cut his way through a large field when sticking to the inside rail to eventually prevail by half a length from 5-2 favourite Hickory.
“It was a great run here in the Britannia and I think we were able to fine tune it today with a bit more confidence as he looked like he was going to win that at the furlong pole,” said Cox.
“David has given him a very confident, beautiful ride today and it was great to watch.
“I don’t think he’s just a one-track kind of horse and he’s improving and visually strengthened again since the Britannia. He has a very powerful turn of foot which is very special.
“We’re very pleased and mentally he has come forward a lot, we saw that even saddling him today. He was very much a baby working it all out to start with and when he won impressively here the first time he still didn’t realise what it was all about.
“Given the chance to ride the race again in the Britannia we might have sat a bit longer on him, but today was perfect and he showed what we always dreamt of seeing and did it well, he’s exciting.
“I’ve had some great days with the owner and Supremacy would be the best known of Jason’s (Goddard) previous horses, we’ve been very lucky together.
“He’s a very nice horse to go forwards with and there was a few interested parties after the Britannia but thank goodness he is still here.”
Handicaps could now be out of the equation as Cox eyes options at a higher level.
He added: “I think he will cope with Pattern company as he is settling so nicely and has that turn of foot we would be pleased to see with many horses. I think the handicapping possibilities are probably ending after that.”
William Haggas won the Me2 Club Handicap with Tenability, who built on a Windsor success last time out to prevail by two and a half lengths as the 11-10 favourite under Tom Marquand.
“He’s only just ready for a race like this,” said Haggas.
“He’s just a baby, he’s not the right shape yet, but next year he’ll be a fine horse.
“We trained the mother and she was a miler, seven furlongs or a mile, and I think Frankel can put some stamina into them.
“This horse has always looked like he didn’t have much speed so we thought he might stay a bit.”
The concluding Whispering Angel Handicap went the way of Simon and Ed Crisford’s Cover Up, a 7-2 chance under William Buick who prevailed by three-quarters of a length.