Cannock Chase keeps improving Cannock Chase continued his ascent through the ranks to delight favourite-backers in the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Runner-up on his only juvenile appearance at Kempton, Sir Michael Stoute's colt had looked the part when successful at Windsor and Newbury earlier this season and was a 7-4 favourite to complete the hat-trick despite taking a marked step up in class. Ryan Moore rode a confident race and was happy to give the majority of his rivals start until the turn for home, but angled wide to challenge early in the straight, Cannock Chase was coaxed towards the front end two furlongs down and dug deep to quicken to the lead. He was a length and a half to the good as he passed the post, with Mutakayyef filling the runner-up spot narrowly ahead of Postponed. A stewards' inquiry was called, as Moore's mount appeared to impede Barley Mow, who finished out of the places having been in second at the time, but it was quickly announced the result would stand. Moore said: "He's done it nicely, he travelled smoothly and when I got to the front for some reason he lugged right, it's just greenness because he's a genuine horse. "He's a nice horse, he's done nothing wrong, he's done what we wanted to do today. He's at the right level for now." Stoute said: "I was a little bit concerned about the ground because he won't want it too quick. "We've always liked this horse and that was a good performance. "We'll just see how he comes out of this, we'll wait and see before we make a plan." Stoute added: "He was immature last year and we only got one run into him but he's continued to improve, he's got a turn of foot and he's got class. "We put him in the King Edward as well, he'll get a mile and a half but this was always first choice. I'll just keep him off fast summer ground I think, I don't want to do that at this stage. "I'm glad they juiced it up a little bit (watered) last night. "I think he'll be a Group One horse in time."
