Ryan Moore roared into the history books on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot as he became the first jockey since the war to ride nine winners at the showpiece meeting.
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Lester Piggott set the previous post-war best of eight winners in 1965 before repeating the feat a decade later, while Pat Eddery matched that total in 1989.
Those numbers were achieved when Royal Ascot was a four-day meeting rather than the current five, but Moore, 31, still managed to pass that figure with a day to spare.
And with six rides to come today, it is possible Moore could go on to break the great Fred Archer’s overall record of 12 Royal Ascot winners, which dates back to 1878.
Aidan O’Brien has provided Moore with five of his winners this week, including the historic ninth as 5-2 favourite Aloft clinched Friday’s finale, the Queen’s Vase.
“What can I say about Ryan? He’s a marvellous jockey, probably the greatest jockey I’ve ever seen. He’s a total professional and fully committed. He has great feel about a horse and great feel about a race,” said the trainer.
“He’s an absolute gentleman to work with and always has been. We’ve worked with him very closely for the last three years and we’re privileged he’s riding for us.”
Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Lucida finished strongly to be a close third in the Group One Coronation Stakes behind winner Ervedya and runner-up Found, who was ridden by Moore.
Lucida, the three-year-old filly, trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland, didn’t get off to the best start and was in last place as the field took shape.
But, still at the rear of the field with quarter of a mile to race, she was switched out wide by Kevin Manning and began to power forwards with intent.
Lucida ran on strongly to take third in the closing stages but could not make up the ground on Ervedya and Found, to go down by a neck and half a length of a length.
John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, commented: “Lucida was second in a Guineas and has been beaten half a length in a Coronation Stakes.
“A mile is her distance and the form is there to see, and she’ll have her day.”
Other Godolphin runners in the Coronation were sixth-placed Sperry, who has been a rapid improver of late and UAE Oaks winner Local Time, who was eighth.
The UAE stable started the day by watching the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Azhar beaten into second place by Ashadihan in the Albany Stakes.
The first running of the Commonwealth Cup, a new Group One race on the card, and the unfancied Muhaarar dominated under Dane O’Neill.
Godolphin’s Jungle Cat was 18th.