Oriental Fox beats Thomas Hobson© Photo Healy Racing
The Queen Alexandra Stakes brought the curtain down on Royal Ascot 2017 and saw a terrific finish.
The Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson was the 2-1 favourite to complete a quickfire double following Tuesday's triumph in the Ascot Stakes, but he had to make do with the runner-up spot on this occasion as Mark Johnston's 10-1 shot Oriental Fox won the race for the second time.
Martin Harley took his time aboard Thomas Hobson and looked to have produced his mount with a well-timed challenge after he poked his head in front inside the final two furlongs.
However, Oriental Fox, successful in 2015 and fourth 12 months ago, proved a willing opponent under Joe Fanning and battled back tenaciously to win the argument by a length and a quarter.
US Army Ranger, who was runner-up when favourite for the Epsom Derby 12 months ago, was racing over a mile further than he had ever previously encountered. Ryan Moore's mount kept on to grab third without ever threatening the front pair.
Fanning said: "He always runs a good race and he's travelled around well.
"I had plenty of horse turning in. I was worried when the Willie Mullins horse came upsides me, but he got his head down and battled well."
Johnston said: "I love old horses. There's nothing like having old geldings.
"Markus (Graff, owner) was suggesting retiring him at the end of last season before we took him to Pontefract and I said what else are we going to do with him, let him have a go at Polo?
"Hopefully, this will have earned him another year in training."
